Brief biography of Joseph Haydn. Joseph Haydn

Born in , his father, a wheelwright, sent his son to study singing as a child. Soon (1740) the boy was accepted into the choir at the famous Viennese St. Stephen's Cathedral, where he sang for ten years. Along the way, the talented choir singer was taught to play different musical instruments, which allowed him to subsequently earn a living playing the violin, harpsichord and organ. Working as an accompanist for the venerable Italian composer and vocal teacher N. Porpora, he began to try himself as a composer and received the teacher’s approval. Basically, of course, it was church music. Haydn's musical career progressed. For two years (1759 - 1761) he worked as music director for Count Morcin, and then as vice-bandmaster for Prince Esterhazy, an aristocrat with Hungarian roots. Paul Anton Esterházy took Haydn into his service after the death of G. I. Werner, already a well-known composer in Austria, who served as bandmaster in his house. The duty of a musician is to compose music commissioned by the employer and lead an ensemble of musicians. In 1762, Nikolaus Esterhazy, the younger brother of the previous owner, who was nicknamed “The Magnificent,” became such a customer.

At first, Nikolaus Esterhazy lived near Vienna in Eisenstadt, in his family castle. Then he moved to a new castle, built in a cozy corner near the lake. At first, Haydn wrote mainly instrumental music (symphonies, plays) for the afternoon rest of the princely family and for concerts that the owner organized every week. In those years, Joseph wrote several symphonies, cantatas, 125 plays and church music, and from 1768, after the opening of a new theater in Eszterhaz, he began to write operas. In the early 70s, he gradually moved away from the entertainment content of his music. His symphonies become serious and even dramatic, such as “Complaint”, “Suffering”, “Mourning”, “Farewell”. Prince Nikolaus Esterhazy did not like such tragic music; he repeatedly pointed this out to the composer, but still gave him the right, with his permission, to write music for other orders. And the author writes “Solar Quartets,” which are distinguished by their courage, scale, and sophistication of writing. It begins with these quartets classical genre string quartet. And he himself is developing the characteristic style of a mature composer. He wrote several operas for the Esterházy Theater: “The Pharmacist”, “Deceived Infidelity”, “Moonlight World”, “Loyalty Rewarded”, “Armide”. But they were not available to the general public. However, European publishers discovered a new talent and willingly published his works.

The new agreement with Esterhazy deprived the latter of exclusive rights to Haydn's music. In the 80s his fame grew. He writes piano trios, sonatas, symphonies, string quartets, including those dedicated to the future Russian Emperor Paul, known as “Russians”. The new period of the composer’s work was also marked by six quartets in honor of the King of Prussia. They were different and new form, and special melody, and a variety of contrasts. Having gone beyond the borders of Central Europe, the orchestral passion piece entitled “Seven Words of the Savior on the Cross,” written by Joseph for a Spanish cathedral, also became known. This passion was subsequently arranged by the author for performance by a string quartet, choir, and orchestra, and it is still popular. After the death of Nikolaus Esterhazy (1790), Haydn remained in his house as conductor, but received the right to live in the capital and work abroad. For several years he has been working in, where he writes a lot: a concert symphony, music for choirs, several sonatas for piano, arranges folk songs, and the opera series “The Soul of a Philosopher” (based on the myth of Orpheus). There he became an honorary doctor of Oxford University, there the royal family listened to his music, there he became acquainted with the work of G.F. Handel. In 1795, Haydn had to return to Esterhazy. Now the main responsibility of the bandmaster was to compose masses in honor of the princess’s name day. He wrote six masses that have a symphonic scope, prayerful focus and civic motives inspired by events Napoleonic wars. The best instrumental concerto for trumpet and orchestra (1796), two monumental oratorios “The Creation of the World” and “The Seasons” are examples of the mature Haydn. In 1804 he was given the title of “Honorary Citizen of Vienna”. He hardly worked as a composer anymore. He died in Vienna on his birthday - March 31, 1809, leaving an indelible mark on the art of music.

Joseph Haydn was born in the spring of 1732 in a village in Austria. His father was a mechanic who repaired carriage wheels. The boy's parents loved to sing and play music. They noticed a penchant for music in their son and sent him to study. The boy sang in the chapel at holidays and funerals. He learned to play different instruments.

The young man was working with famous musician, since there were many gaps in his education. He studied various books about music theory. During this period, Joseph composed sonatas.

In the 50s, a young man worked at court. He wrote works for orchestra.

The composer married in 1760. Despite the fact that the musician wanted children, the couple never had them. The couple did not get along in character. My wife did not like the profession of a musician. She was indifferent to his works. But divorces were prohibited then, so the couple had to live together.

Then Joseph worked at the prince's court, his family was the most influential in Hungary and Austria. He wrote music and led an orchestra. Soon the composer was given permission to write his works not only for the royal family, but also to sell and print them. Thanks to this change in the composer's life, the musician quickly gained international popularity.

In Vienna, the musician was introduced to Mozart, and they became friends. In Europe at this time new musical genres. Art was actively developing.

When the prince died, his son disbanded the orchestra because he did not like music. The composer went to England, where he wrote symphonies. The musician gave concerts in the capital of England. He was very popular and became rich. About a year later, the composer met Beethoven and became his teacher.

Joseph returned to his homeland and settled in big house, worked as a bandmaster and continued to write music. The composer died in the spring of 1809.

For children

Biography of Joseph Haydn about the main thing

Great Viennese classic born in 1732 in a village that was located on the border of Austria and Hungary. Johann Haydn's father was a wheelwright. He was a literate person and understood music. The entire large family, and the artisan had twelve children, was fond of amateur singing. Already at an early age, the boy was discovered to have a wonderful voice and a desire to learn music. This attracted the attention of a distant relative who was a music teacher in a nearby town. At the age of six, his parents sent the boy to study in the city where his father’s cousin, a teacher and conductor of the local choir, lived. For two years, Johann learned to read, write, play various instruments, and sang in the choir.

In 1740, Johann was enrolled as a chorister at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna and received the position of soloist. The life of the choristers was Spartan: they ate poorly and worked hard. But, despite the difficult conditions, the teaching was professional.

In 1749, the conductor kicked him out of the choir because his voice broke. For five years, Johann leads a miserable existence, trying to earn a living. Having borrowed money, Haydn rented a small room, bought an old harpsichord and began to work. All day long he taught and studied. Everything the young musician did was related to music. During these years, he created his first works and also composed to order.

In 1759, Haydn was invited to the post of bandmaster to Count Morcin. For the Viennese aristocrat, he composed light music that he liked, full of joy and love. Composed his first symphonies.

In 1760, the composer fell in love with one of his students, but the girl decided to go to a monastery. In a hurry, at the age of 28, Johann marries her older sister. Which I later regretted for the rest of my life. The marriage was very unsuccessful. Not only was Maria Anna barren, but she also couldn’t stand her husband’s musical creativity and tried to annoy him at every opportunity.

From 1761 to 1790, Haydn worked as a bandmaster in a family of the richest aristocrats of the Hungarian family. The musician led the orchestra, composed music, and held concerts every week. Over the course of 29 years, he survived three generations of Esterhazy. Johann was satisfied with the work of the aristocrats, a decent salary, with which he later bought a house, and relative creative freedom. He composes numerous symphonies, operas, oratorios and much more. Becomes famous throughout Europe.

On one of his working trips to Vienna, Haydn met Mozart. Throughout their lives, composers have been linked strong friendship. Mozart was a great admirer of Haydn's talent, and dedicated six string quartets to him.
In 1790, the Esterházy orchestra was disbanded.

From 1791 he worked in London, where he was awarded the title of Doctor of Music at Oxford. Haydn's cheerful character and wit were reflected in all his works.

Returning to Vienna, the composer became the leading musician of the era. One of his students was Beethoven, but due to his difficult character collaboration was short-lived. Until the end of his life, the composer remained a master of musical jokes. Even in Symphonies No. 83 “Chicken” and No. 82 “Bear” he managed to joke. Possessing the ability to imitate animals using sounds and natural phenomena, creates the oratorios “The Creation of the World” and “The Seasons”.

In 1809, Johann Haydn died in his home after a full and fruitful life.

For children

Interesting facts and dates from life

Alexandrova Miroslava 6th grade

Report by Miroslava Aleksandrova, a student at the Lesnye Polyany Children's Music School

(6th grade, piano specialty, general development program) for a better perception of J. Haydn’s music,

understanding the peculiarities of the composer’s style, sound production inherent in the composer’s era.

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Characteristics of creativity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Sonata form. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Biography

  1. Childhood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
  2. Early years independent life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
  3. The period of creative maturity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
  4. Late period of creativity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

The history of the creation of the piano. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Bibliography. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Characteristics of creativity

Franz Joseph Haydn– one of the most prominent representatives of the art of the Enlightenment. The great Austrian composer, he left a huge creative heritage– about 1000 works in the most different genres. The main, most significant part of this heritage, which determined Haydn’s historical place in the development of world culture, consists of large cyclical works. This 104 symphonies (among them: “Farewell”, “Mourning”, “Morning”, “Noon”, “Evening”, “Children’s”, “Clock”, “Bear”, 6 Parisian, 12 London, etc.), 83 quartets ( six “Russians”, 52 keyboard sonatas, thanks to which Haydn gained fame as the founder of classical symphonism.

Haydn's art is deeply democratic. The basis of it musical style was folk art and music of everyday life. Haydn's music is imbued not only with the rhythms and intonations of folklore, but also with folk humor, inexhaustible optimism and vital energy. Most of the works are written in major keys.

Haydn created classic examples of symphonies, sonatas, and quartets. In the mature symphonies (London), the classical sonata form and the sonata-symphonic cycle were finally formed. A symphony has 4 parts, a sonata and a concerto have 3 parts.

Symphonic cycle

Part 1 is quick. Sonata allegro (man acts);

Part 2 is slow. Andante or Adagio (a person rests, reflects);

Part 3 - moderate. Minuet (man dancing);

Part 4 is quick. Final (a person acts together with everyone else).

Sonata form or sonata allegro form

Introduction – exposition – development – ​​reprise – coda

Exposition - includes the main and secondary batches, between which there is a binder, and the final batch completes the exhibition.

Development - central section of the formsonata allegro , as well as somefree And mixed forms , where topics are developedexposition . Sometimes the development of sonata form includes an episode setting out new topic, or is completely replaced by an episode with new musical material.

Reprise - a section of a musical work that sets out the repetition of musical material, in its original or modified form.

Koda (“tail, end, train”) - additional section, possible at the endpiece of music and not taken into account when determining its structure.

Haydn's creative path lasted about fifty years, covering all stages of the development of Viennese art. classical school– from its inception in the 60s XVIII century and right up to the peak of Beethoven's creativity.

  1. Childhood

Haydn was born on March 31, 1732 in the village of Rohrau (Lower Austria) in the family of a carriage maker; his mother was a simple cook. From the age of 5, he learned to play wind and string instruments, as well as the harpsichord, and sang in the church choir.

The next stage of Haydn's life is associated with the musical chapel at St. Stefan in Vienna. The head of the choir (Georg Reuther) traveled around the country from time to time to recruit new choristers. Listening to the choir in which little Haydn sang, he immediately appreciated the beauty of his voice and rare musical talent. The main musical wealth of Vienna is its diverse folklore (the most important prerequisite for the formation of a classical school).

Constant participation in the performance of music - not only church music, but also opera - developed Haydn most of all. In addition, the Reuther Chapel was often invited to the imperial palace, where the future composer could hear instrumental music.

  1. 1749-1759 – the first years of independent life in Vienna

This 10th anniversary was the most difficult in Haydn's entire biography, especially at first. Without a roof over his head, without a penny in his pocket, he was extremely poor. Having bought several books on music theory from a second-hand bookseller, Haydn independently studied counterpoint, became acquainted with the works of the greatest German theorists, and studied the keyboard sonatas of Philipp Emmanuel Bach. Despite the vicissitudes of fate, he retained both his openness of character and his sense of humor, which never betrayed him.

Gradually, the young musician gains fame in the musical circles of Vienna. From the mid-1750s he was often invited to take part in household functions. musical evenings in the house of a wealthy Viennese official (named Furnberg). For these home concerts, Haydn wrote his first string trios and quartets (18 in total).

In 1759, on the recommendation of Fürnberg, Haydn received his first permanent position - the position of conductor in the home orchestra of the Czech aristocrat, Count Morcin. It was written for this orchestraHaydn's first symphony– D major in three parts. This was the beginning of the formationViennese classical symphony. Two years later, Morcin disbanded the choir due to financial difficulties, and Haydn entered into a contract with the richest Hungarian magnate, a passionate fan of music -Paul Anton Esterhazy.

  1. The period of creative maturity

Haydn worked in the service of the princes of Esterhazy for 30 years: first as vice-kapellmeister (assistant), and after 5 years as chief-kapellmeister. His duties included not only composing music. Haydn had to conduct rehearsals, maintain order in the chapel, be responsible for the safety of notes and instruments, etc. All of Haydn’s works were the property of Esterhazy; the composer did not have the right to write music commissioned by others, and could not freely leave the prince’s possessions. For the chapel and home theater Esterhazy wrote the majorityHaydn symphonies (in the 1760s ~ 40, in the 70s ~ 30, in the 80s ~ 18), quartets and operas. A total of 24 operas in different genres, among which the most organic genre for Haydn was buffa . Great success For example, the opera “Loyalty Rewarded” was popular with the public. In the mid-1780s, the French public became acquainted with six symphonies called “Parisian” (Nos. 82-87, they were created specifically for the Paris “Olympic Box Concerts”).

  1. Late period of creativity.

In 1790, Prince Miklos Esterhazy died, bequeathing Haydn a lifelong pension. His heir dissolved the chapel, retaining the title of conductor for Haydn. Completely freed from service, the composer was able to fulfill his old dream - to travel outside of Austria.

In the 1790s, he made 2 tours to London at the invitation of the organizer of the “Subscription Concerts”, violinist I. P. Salomon (1791-92, 1794-95). Written on this occasion"London" symphonies completed the development of this genre in the work of Haydn and confirmed the maturity of the Viennese classical symphony. The English public enthusiastically received Haydn's music.At Oxford he was awarded an honorary doctorate of music.

Inspired by Handel's oratorios heard in London, Haydn wrote 2 secular oratorios -"World creation"(1798) and "Seasons" (1801). These monumental, epic-philosophical works, affirming the classical ideals of beauty and harmony of life, the unity of man and nature, worthily crowned the composer’s creative path.

On May 31, 1809, Haydn passed away in the midst of Napoleonic campaigns, when French troops had already occupied the capital of Austria. During the siege of Vienna, Haydn consoled his loved ones:“Don’t be afraid, children, where Haydn is, nothing bad can happen.”.

History of the piano

Piano - This is an amazing musical instrument, perhaps the most perfect. It exists in two varieties - grand piano and upright piano . You can play anything on the piano musical composition, be it orchestral, vocal, instrumental, as well as any modern composition, music from films, cartoons or pop songs. The piano repertoire is the most extensive. Great composers of different eras composed music for this instrument.

In 1711, Bartolomeo Cristofori invented a keyboard instrument in which hammers struck the strings directly, sensitively responding to the touch of a finger on the key. A special mechanism allowed the hammer to quickly return to its original position after hitting the string, even if the performer continued to keep his finger on the key. The new instrument was first called "Gravecembalo col piano e forte", later shortened to "Piano forte". And even later it acquired its modern name “ Piano."

The direct predecessors of the piano are considered harpsichords and clavichords . The piano has a huge advantage over these musical instruments: the ability to vary the dynamics of sound, the ability to reproduce a huge range of shades from pp and p to several f. At ancient instruments harpsichord and clavichord There are a number of differences.

Clavichord - a small musical instrument with a quiet sound corresponding to its size. It appeared in the late Middle Ages, although no one knows exactly when. When you press a clavichord key, one string associated with this key is sounded. In order to reduce the size of the instrument, the number of strings clavichord was often less than the number of keys. In this case, one string served (through an appropriate mechanism) several keys. Clavichord bright colors and sound contrasts are not typical. However, depending on the nature of the keystroke, the melody played on the clavichord may be given some sonic flexibility, and even more, a certain vibration may be imparted to the tones of the melody. The clavichord had one string for each key, or two - like this clavichord called "connected". Being a very quiet instrument, clavichord still allowed me to make crescendos and diminuendos.

In contrast to the subtle and soulful sonority clavichord, harpsichord has a more sonorous and brilliant playing. By pressing the harpsichord key, from one to four strings can be brought into sound at the request of the performer. During the heyday of harpsichord art, there were a number of varieties of harpsichords. Harpsichord , most likely, was invented in Italy in the 15th century. The harpsichord has one or two manuals (less often three), and the sound is produced by plucking the string with a plectrum from bird feather(like a pick) when you press a key. The harpsichord's strings are parallel to the keys, like a modern piano, and not perpendicular, like a clavichord and modern piano . The sound of a concert harpsichord - quite sharp, but weak for playing music in large halls, so composers inserted a lot of melismas (decorations) into pieces for the harpsichord in order to ensure long

the notes could sound quite extended. Harpsichord It was also used for accompaniment to secular songs, in chamber music and for playing the digital bass part in an orchestra.

Clavichord

Harpsichord

Bibliography

E.Yu.Stolova, E.A.Kelkh, N.F.Nesterova “Musical literature”

L. Mikheeva " encyclopedic Dictionary young musician"

I.A.Braudo “Clavesti and clavichord”

D.K.Salin “100 Great Composers”

M.A. Zilberkvit " School library. Haydn"

Yu.A. Kremlev “J. Haydn. Essay on life and creativity"

L. Novak “I. Haydn. Life, creativity, historical significance"

MBU DO Children's Music School Lesnye Polyany

Report on the topic: F. J. Haydn

Completed by: 6th grade student

piano major

Alexandrova Miroslava

Checked by: Elisova Nonna Lvovna

Haydn is rightly considered the father of the symphony and quartet, the great founder of classical instrumental music, and the founder of the modern orchestra.

Franz Joseph Haydn was born on March 31, 1732 in Lower Austria, in the small town of Rohrau, located on the left bank of the Leita River, between the towns of Bruck and Hainburg, near the Hungarian border. Haydn's ancestors were hereditary Austro-German peasant artisans. The composer's father, Matthias, was engaged in carriage business. Mother - nee Anna Maria Koller - served as a cook.

The father's musicality and love of music were inherited by his children. Little Joseph already attracted the attention of musicians at the age of five. He had excellent hearing, memory, and a sense of rhythm. His ringing silver voice delighted everyone.

Thanks to its outstanding musical abilities the boy first ended up in the church choir of the small town of Gainburg, and then in the choir chapel at the cathedral (main) St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna. This was a significant event in Haydn's life. After all, there is no other way to get musical education he didn't have.

Singing in a choir was a very good, but only school for Haydn. The boy's abilities quickly developed, and he was assigned difficult solo parts. Church choir often performed at city festivals, weddings, and funerals. The choir was also invited to participate in court celebrations. How much time did it take to perform in the church itself, for rehearsals? All this was a heavy load for the little singers.

Josef was understanding and quickly accepted everything new. He even found time to play the violin and clavichord and achieved significant success. But his attempts to compose music did not meet with support. During his nine years in the choir, he received only two lessons from its director!

However, the lessons did not appear immediately. Before that, I had to go through a desperate time of searching for income. Little by little I managed to find some work, which, although it did not provide any support, still allowed me not to die of hunger. Haydn began giving singing and music lessons, played the violin on festive evenings, and sometimes just on big roads. By order, he composed several of his first works. But all these earnings were random. Haydn understood: to become a composer, you need to study a lot and hard. He began to study theoretical works, in particular the books of I. Matteson and I. Fuchs.

The collaboration with the Viennese comedian Johann Joseph Kurz turned out to be useful. Kurtz was at that time very popular in Vienna as talented actor and the author of a number of farces.

Kurtz, having met Haydn, immediately appreciated his talent and offered to compose music for the libretto of the comic opera “The Crooked Demon” that he compiled. Haydn wrote music that, unfortunately, has not reached us. We only know that “The Crooked Demon” was performed in the winter of 1751-1752 in the theater at the Carinthian Gate and was a success. “Haydn received 25 ducats for it and considered himself very rich.”

A brave debut of a young man, not yet enough famous composer on theater stage in 1751 immediately brought him popularity in democratic circles and... very bad reviews from adherents of old musical traditions. Reproaches of “buffoonery,” “frivolity,” and other sins were later transferred by various zealots of the “sublime” to the rest of Haydn’s work, starting with his symphonies and ending with his masses.

The last stage of Haydn's creative youth - before he embarked on an independent path as a composer - were classes with Nicola Antonio Porpora, Italian composer and conductor, representative of the Neapolitan school.

Porpora reviewed Haydn's compositional experiments and gave him instructions. Haydn, in order to reward the teacher, was an accompanist in his singing lessons and even served as his servant.

Under the roof, in the cold attic where Haydn huddled, on an old broken clavichord, he studied the works of famous composers. And folk songs! He listened to so many of them, wandering day and night through the streets of Vienna. Here and there a variety of folk tunes sounded: Austrian, Hungarian, Czech, Ukrainian, Croatian, Tyrolean. Therefore, Haydn’s works are permeated with these wonderful melodies, most of them cheerful and cheerful.

A turning point was gradually brewing in Haydn’s life and work. His financial situation began to improve little by little and his position in life became stronger. At the same time, his great creative talent bore its first significant fruits.

Around 1750, Haydn wrote a small mass (in F major), showing in it not only a talented assimilation of modern techniques of this genre, but also an obvious inclination towards composing “cheerful” church music. More important fact is the composition of the composer's first string quartet in 1755.

The impetus was an acquaintance with a music lover, landowner Karl Furnberg. Encouraged by Fürnberg's attention and financial support, Haydn first wrote a series of string trios, and then the first string quartet, which was soon followed by about two dozen others. In 1756, Haydn composed the Concerto in C major. Haydn's patron also took care of strengthening his financial position. He recommended the composer to the Viennese aristocrat from the Czech Republic and music lover Count Joseph Franz Morzin. Morcin spent the winter in Vienna, and in the summer he lived on his estate Lukavec near Pilsen. In the service of Morcin, as a composer and conductor, Haydn received free accommodation, food and salary.

This service turned out to be short-lived (1759-1760), but still helped Haydn take further steps in composition. In 1759, Haydn created his first symphony, followed by four others in the coming years.

Both in the field of the string quartet and in the field of the symphony, Haydn was to define and crystallize the genres of a new musical era: composing quartets, creating symphonies, he showed himself to be a bold, decisive innovator.

While in the service of Count Morzin, Haydn fell in love with the youngest daughter of his friend, the Viennese hairdresser Johann Peter Keller, Teresa, and was seriously planning to marry her. However, for reasons that remain unknown, the girl left parents' house, and her father could not find anything better than to say: “Haydn, you should marry my eldest daughter.” It is unknown what prompted Haydn to respond positively. One way or another, Haydn agreed. He was 28 years old, his bride, Maria Anna Aloysia Apollonia Keller, was 32. The marriage took place on November 26, 1760, and Haydn became... an unhappy husband for many decades.

His wife soon proved herself to be an extremely narrow-minded, stupid and quarrelsome woman. She absolutely did not understand or appreciate the great talent of her husband. “She didn’t care,” Haydn once said in his old age, “whether her husband was a shoemaker or an artist.”

Maria Anna mercilessly destroyed a number of Haydn's music manuscripts, using them for curlers and linings for pates. Moreover, she was very wasteful and demanding.

Having married, Haydn violated the terms of service with Count Morcin - the latter accepted only single men into his chapel. However, he did not have to hide the change in his personal life for long. The financial shock forced Count Morcin to abandon musical pleasures and dissolve the chapel. Haydn faced the threat of again being left without a permanent income.

But then he received an offer from a new, more powerful patron of the arts - the richest and very influential Hungarian magnate - Prince Pavel Anton Esterhazy. Paying attention to Haydn in Morcin Castle, Esterhazy appreciated his talent.

Not far from Vienna, in the small Hungarian town of Eisenstadt, and in the summer in the Eszterhaz country palace, Haydn spent thirty years as a conductor. The duties of the bandmaster included directing the orchestra and singers. Haydn also had to compose symphonies, operas, quartets and other works at the prince’s request. Often the capricious prince ordered a new essay to be written by the next day! Haydn’s talent and extraordinary hard work helped him here too. One after another, operas appeared, as well as symphonies, including “The Bear”, “Children’s Room”, “School Teacher”.

While directing the chapel, the composer could listen to live performances of the works he created. This made it possible to correct everything that did not sound good enough, and to remember what turned out to be especially successful.

During his service with Prince Esterhazy, Haydn wrote most of his operas, quartets and symphonies. In total, Haydn created 104 symphonies!

In his symphonies, Haydn did not set himself the task of individualizing the plot. The composer’s programming is most often based on individual associations and visual “sketches.” Even where it is more integral and consistent - purely emotionally, as in the “Farewell Symphony” (1772), or genre-wise, as in the “War Symphony” (1794), there are distinct plot basics she still has none.

The enormous value of Haydn’s symphonic concepts, for all their comparative simplicity and unpretentiousness, is in a very organic reflection and implementation of the unity of spiritual and physical world person.

This opinion is expressed, and very poetically, by E.T.A. Hoffman:

“Haydn’s works are dominated by the expression of a childish, joyful soul; his symphonies lead us into vast green groves, into a cheerful, motley crowd happy people, boys and girls rush in front of us in choral dances; Laughing children hide behind trees, behind rose bushes, playfully throwing flowers. A life full of love, full of bliss and eternal youth, as before the Fall; no suffering, no sorrow - only a sweetly elegiac desire for the beloved image, which floats in the distance, in the pink flicker of the evening, neither approaching nor disappearing, and while it is there, night does not come, for he himself is the evening dawn burning above mountain and over the grove."

Haydn's skill has reached perfection over the years. His music invariably aroused the admiration of Esterhazy's many guests. The composer's name became widely known outside his homeland - in England, France, and Russia. The six symphonies performed in Paris in 1786 were called the “Parisian” symphonies. But Haydn had no right to go anywhere outside the prince’s estate, print his works, or simply give them as a gift without the consent of the prince. And the prince did not like the absences of “his” bandmaster. He was accustomed to Haydn, along with other servants, waiting for his orders in the hallway at a certain time. At such moments, the composer felt his dependence especially acutely. “Am I the bandmaster or the conductor?” - he exclaimed bitterly in letters to friends. One day he managed to escape and visit Vienna, see acquaintances and friends. How much joy it brought him to meet his beloved Mozart! Fascinating conversations were followed by performances of quartets, with Haydn playing the violin and Mozart playing the viola. Mozart took particular pleasure in performing quartets written by Haydn. In this genre, the great composer considered himself his student. But such meetings were extremely rare.

Haydn had a chance to experience other joys - the joys of love. On March 26, 1779, the Polzelli spouses were received into the Esterhazy Chapel. Antonio, the violinist, was no longer young. His wife, singer Luiga, a Moorish woman from Naples, was only nineteen years old. She was very attractive. Luigia lived unhappily with her husband, just like Haydn. Exhausted by the company of his grumpy and quarrelsome wife, he fell in love with Luigia. This passion lasted, gradually weakening and dimming, until the composer’s old age. Apparently, Luigia reciprocated Haydn’s feelings, but still, more self-interest than sincerity appeared in her attitude. In any case, she steadily and very persistently extorted money from Haydn.

Rumor even called (it is not known whether correctly) Luigi's son Antonio the son of Haydn. Her eldest son Pietro became the composer’s favorite: Haydn took care of him like a father and took an active part in his training and upbringing.

Despite his dependent position, Haydn could not leave the service. At that time, a musician had the opportunity to work only in court chapels or lead a church choir. Before Haydn, no composer had ever dared to exist independently. Didn't dare to part with permanent job and Haydn.

In 1791, when Haydn was already about 60 years old, he died old prince Esterhazy. His heir, who did not have much love for music, dissolved the chapel. But he was also flattered that the composer, who had become famous, was listed as his bandmaster. This forced the young Esterhazy to grant Haydn a pension sufficient to prevent “his servant” from entering a new service.

Haydn was happy! Finally he is free and independent! He agreed to the offer to go to England for concerts. While traveling on a ship, Haydn saw the sea for the first time. And how many times did he dream about it, trying to imagine the boundless water element, the movement of the waves, the beauty and variability of the color of the water. Once in his youth, Haydn even tried to convey in music the picture of a raging sea.

Life in England was also unusual for Haydn. The concerts in which he conducted his works were a triumphant success. This was the first open mass recognition of his music. The University of Oxford elected him as an honorary member.

Haydn visited England twice. Over the years, the composer wrote his famous twelve London Symphonies. The London Symphonies complete the evolution of Haydn's symphony. His talent reached its peak. The music sounded deeper and more expressive, the content became more serious, and the colors of the orchestra became richer and more varied.

Despite being extremely busy, Haydn managed to listen and new music. The oratorios made a particularly strong impression on him. German composer Handel, his elder contemporary. The impression of Handel's music was so great that, returning to Vienna, Haydn wrote two oratorios - “The Creation of the World” and “The Seasons”.

The plot of “The Creation of the World” is extremely simple and naive. The first two parts of the oratorio tell about the emergence of the world according to the will of God. The third and last part is about the heavenly life of Adam and Eve before the Fall.

A number of judgments of contemporaries and immediate descendants about Haydn’s “Creation of the World” are typical. This oratorio was a huge success during the composer’s lifetime and greatly increased his fame. Nevertheless, critical voices were also heard. Naturally, the visual imagery of Haydn’s music shocked philosophers and aestheticians who were in a “sublime” mood. Serov wrote enthusiastically about “The Creation of the World”:

“What a gigantic creation this oratorio is! There is, by the way, one aria depicting the creation of birds - this is absolutely the highest triumph of onomatopoeic music, and, moreover, “what energy, what simplicity, what simple-minded grace!” “This is absolutely beyond any comparison.” The oratorio “The Seasons” should be recognized as an even more significant work of Haydn than “The Creation of the World”. The text of the oratorio “The Seasons,” like the text of “The Creation of the World,” was written by van Swieten. The second of Haydn's great oratorios is more diverse and deeply human not only in content, but also in form. This is a whole philosopheme, an encyclopedia of pictures of nature and Haydn’s patriarchal peasant morality, glorifying work, love of nature, delights village life and the purity of naive souls. In addition, the plot allowed Haydn to create a very harmonious and complete, harmonious musical concept of the whole.

Composing the enormous score of “The Four Seasons” was not easy for the decrepit Haydn, costing him many worries and sleepless nights. Towards the end he was tormented by headaches and the obsession with musical performances.

The London Symphonies and oratorios were the pinnacle of Haydn's work. After the oratorios he wrote almost nothing. Life has been too stressful. His strength was exhausted. Last years the composer spent his time on the outskirts of Vienna, in a small house. The quiet and secluded home was visited by admirers of the composer's talent. The conversations concerned the past. Haydn especially loved to remember his youth - hard, laborious, but full of bold, persistent searches.

Haydn died in 1809 and was buried in Vienna. Subsequently, his remains were transferred to Eisenstadt, where he spent so many years of his life.

Joseph Haydn is famous as an 18th century Austrian composer. He gained worldwide recognition thanks to the discovery of such musical genres as the symphony and string quartet, as well as thanks to the creation of the melody that formed the basis of the German and Autro-Hungarian anthems.

Childhood.

Joseph was born on March 31, 1732 in a place located near the border with Hungary. This was the village of Rohrau. Already at the age of 5, little Joseph’s parents discovered that he had a penchant for music. Then his uncle took the boy to the city of Hainburg an der Donau. There he studied choral singing and music in general. After 3 years of studying, Joseph was noticed by the director of the St. Stephen's Chapel, who took the student to his place for further music training. Over the next 9 years, he sang in the chapel choir and learned to play musical instruments.

Youth and young adult years.

The next stage in the life of Joseph Haydn was by no means an easy road of 10 years. He had to work in different places to make a living. Joseph did not receive a high-quality musical education, but succeeded by studying the works of Matteson, Fuchs and other musical performers.

Haynd brought fame to his works written in the 50s of the 18th century. Among his works, “The Lame Demon” and Symphony No. 1 in D major were popular.

Soon Joseph Haydn got married, but the marriage could not be called happy. There were no children in the family, which served as a reason for the composer’s mental torment. The wife did not support her husband in his work as music, as she did not like his activities.

In 1761, Haydn began working for Prince Esterhazy. Over the course of 5 years, he rises in rank from vice-bandmaster to chief bandmaster and begins to organize the orchestra full-time.

The period of work at Esterhazy was marked by prosperity creative activity Haydn. During this time, he created many works, for example the “Farewell” Symphony, which gained considerable popularity.

Last years.

The composers' last works were not completed due to a sharp deterioration in health and well-being. Haydn died at the age of 77, and during the farewell to the body of the deceased, Mozart’s “Requiem” was performed.

Biography more details

Childhood and youth

Franz Joseph Haydn was born on March 31, 1732 in Austria, in the village of Rohrau. The family did not live well, since Franz's father was a wheelwright and his mother was a cook. The love of music was instilled in young Haydn by his father, who was fond of vocals. As a young man, Franz's father taught himself to play the harp. At the age of 6, the father notices that the boy has perfect pitch and a talent for music and sends Joseph to the nearby city of Gainburg to a relative, the rector of the school. There, young Haydn studied exact sciences and language, but also played musical instruments, vocals, and sang in the church choir.

His hard work and naturally melodious voice helped him become famous in the local areas. Once upon a time in native village Haydn's composer, Georg von Reuter, came from Vienna to find new voices for his chapel. Eight-year-old Haydn made a huge impression on the composer, who took him into the choir of one of the largest cathedrals in Vienna. There Joseph learned the intricacies of singing, the skill of composition, and composed church works.

In 1749, a difficult stage in Haydn's life began. At the age of 17, he is kicked out of the choir due to his difficult character. During this same period, his voice begins to break. At this time, Haydn was left without a livelihood. He has to take on any job. Josef gives music lessons and plays string instruments in various ensembles. He had to be a servant to Nikolai Porpora, a singing teacher from Vienna. But despite this, Haydn does not forget about music. He really wanted to take lessons from Nikolai Porpora, but his classes were worth huge money. Through his love of music, Joseph Haydn found a way out. He agreed with the teacher that he would sit quietly behind the curtain during his lessons. Franz Haydn tried to restore the knowledge that he had lost. He studied the theory of music and composition with interest.

Personal life and further service.

From 1754 to 1756 Joseph Haydn served at the court in Vienna as a creative musician. In 1759 he began to direct music at the court of Count Karl von Morzin. Haydn was given a small orchestra under his own direction and wrote the first classical works for orchestra. But soon the count had problems with money and he stopped the existence of the orchestra.

In 1760, Joseph Haydn married Maria Anne Keller. She did not respect his profession and mocked his work in every possible way, using his sheet music as stands for pate.

Service at the court of Esterhazy

After the collapse of Karl von Morzin's orchestra, Josef was offered a similar position, but with the very rich Esterhazy family. Josef immediately gained access to the controls musical institutions of this family. Behind long time, spent at the Esterházy court, Haydn composed a large number of works: quartets, operas, symphonies.

In 1781, Joseph Haydn met Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who began to become part of his circle of close friends. In 1792 he met young Beethoven, who became his student.

Last years of life.

In Vienna, Joseph composed his famous works: “The Creation of the World” and “The Seasons”.

The life of Franz Joseph Haydn was too difficult and stressful. Their last days The composer spends his time in a small house in Vienna.

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