Haydn interesting facts. Haydn's biography: childhood, youth, personal life

One of the greatest composers of all time is Franz Joseph Haydn. A brilliant musician of Austrian origin. The man who created the foundations of the classical music school, as well as the orchestral instrumental standard that we see in our time. In addition to these merits, Franz Joseph represented the Vienna Classical School. There is an opinion among musicologists that the musical genres of symphony and quartet were first composed by Joseph Haydn. The talented composer lived a very interesting and eventful life.

Brief biography Joseph Haydn and read many interesting facts about the composer on our page.

Brief biography of Haydn

Haydn's biography began on March 31, 1732, when little Joseph was born in the fair commune of Rohrau (Lower Austria). His father was a wheelwright, and his mother worked as a servant in the kitchen. Thanks to his father, who loved to sing, the future composer became interested in music. Little Joseph was gifted with perfect pitch and an excellent sense of rhythm by nature. These musical abilities allowed the talented boy to sing in the Gainburg church choir. Later, due to the move, Franz Joseph will be accepted into the Vienna Choir Chapel at the Catholic Cathedral of St. Stephen.

Because of his stubbornness, sixteen-year-old Josef lost his job - a place in the choir. This happened just during the voice mutation. Now he has no income to support himself. Out of desperation, the young man takes on any job. The Italian vocal maestro and composer Nicola Porpora took the young man as his servant, but Joseph found benefit in this work as well. The boy delves into the science of music and begins to take lessons from a teacher.

Porpora could not have noticed that Josef has genuine feelings for music, and on this basis the famous composer decides to offer the young man an interesting job - to become his personal valet companion. Haydn held this position for almost ten years. The maestro paid for his work mainly not in money; he taught music theory and harmony to the young talent for free. So the talented young man learned many important musical fundamentals in different directions. Over time, Haydn's financial problems slowly begin to disappear, and his initial works as a composer are successfully accepted by the public. At this time, the young composer wrote his first symphony.

Despite the fact that in those days it was considered already “too late,” Haydn decided to start a family with Anna Maria Keller only at the age of 28. And this marriage turned out to be unsuccessful. According to his wife, Joseph had an indecent profession for a man. During their two decades of marriage, the couple never had children, which also influenced the unsuccessful family history. Considering all these troubles, the musical genius was a faithful husband for 20 years. But an unpredictable life brought Franz Josef together with the young and charming opera singer Luigia Polzelli, who was only 19 years old when they met. Passionate love befell them, and the composer promised to marry her. But the passion faded rather quickly, and he did not keep his promise. Haydn seeks patronage among rich and influential people. In the early 1760s, the composer received a job as second bandmaster in the palace of the influential Esterhazy family (Austria). For 30 years, Haydn worked at the court of this noble dynasty. During this time, he composed a huge number of symphonies - 104.

Haydn did not have many close friends, but one of them was - Amadeus Mozart . Composers meet in 1781. After 11 years, Joseph is introduced to the young Ludwig van Beethoven, whom Haydn makes his student. Service at the palace ends with the death of the patron - Joseph loses his position. But the name Franz Joseph Haydn has already thundered not only in Austria, but also in many other countries such as Russia, England, France. During his stay in London, the composer earned almost as much in one year as he did in 20 years as conductor of the Esterhazy family, his former employers.

The composer's last work is considered to be the oratorio "The Seasons". He composes it with great difficulty; he was hampered by headaches and problems sleeping.

The great composer dies at the age of 78 (May 31, 1809). Joseph Haydn spent his last days in his home in Vienna. Later it was decided to transport the remains to Eisenstadt.

Interesting Facts

• It is generally accepted that Joseph Haydn's birthday is March 31st. But his certificate indicated a different date - April 1. If you believe the composer's diaries, then such a minor change was made in order not to celebrate his holiday on April Fool's Day.
• Little Joseph was so talented that he could play the drums at the age of 6! When the drummer who was supposed to take part in the procession on the occasion of Holy Week suddenly died, Haydn was asked to replace him. Because the future composer was short, due to the characteristics of his age, then in front of him walked a hunchback, who had a drum tied on his back, and Joseph could calmly play the instrument. The rare drum still exists today. It is located in Hainburg Church.
• The young Haydn's singing voice was so impressive that he was asked to join the St. Stephen's Cathedral choir school in Vienna when the boy was only five years old.
• The choirmaster of St. Stephen's Cathedral suggested that Haydn undergo a certain operation to prevent his voice from breaking, but fortunately the father of the future composer intervened and prevented this.
• When the composer’s mother died at the age of 47, his father quickly married a young maid who was 19 years old. The difference between the ages of Haydn and his stepmother was only 3 years, and the “son” turned out to be older.
• Haydn loved a girl who for some reason decided that life in a monastery was better than family life. Then the musical genius invited his beloved’s older sister, Anna Maria, to marry. But this rash decision did not lead to anything good. The wife turned out to be grumpy and did not understand her husband’s musical hobbies. Haydn wrote that Anna Maria used his music manuscripts as kitchen utensils.

• In Haydn's biography there is an interesting legend about the name of the F-moll String Quartet "Razor". One morning Haydn was shaving with a dull razor, and when his patience ran out, he shouted that if he were given a normal razor now, he would give his wonderful work for it. At that moment, John Bland was nearby, a man who wanted to publish the composer's manuscripts, which no one had yet seen. After hearing this, the publisher without hesitation handed over his English steel razors to the composer. Haydn kept his word and presented the new work to the guest. Thus, the String Quartet received such an unusual name.
• It is known that Haydn and Mozart had a very strong friendship. Mozart greatly respected and revered his friend. And if Haydn criticized Amadeus’s works or gave any advice, Mozart always listened; Joseph’s opinion always came first for the young composer. Despite their peculiar temperaments and age difference, the friends had no quarrels or disagreements.

• “Miracle” - this is the name attributed to symphonies No. 96 in D major and No. 102 in B major. All this is because of one story that happened after the concert of this work ended. People rushed to the stage to thank the composer and bow to him for the beautiful music. As soon as the listeners were at the front of the hall, a chandelier fell with a roar behind them. There were no casualties - and it was a Miracle. Opinions differ at the premiere of which particular symphony this amazing incident occurred.
• The composer suffered from nasal polyps for more than half his life. This became known to the surgeon, and also Joseph’s good friend, John Hönter. The doctor recommended coming to him for an operation, which Haydn initially decided to do. But when he came to the office where the operation was to take place and saw 4 large assistant surgeons, whose task was to hold the patient during the painful procedure, the brilliant musician got scared, struggled and screamed loudly. In general, the idea of ​​​​getting rid of polyps has sunk into oblivion. As a child, Joseph suffered from smallpox.

• Haydn has a Symphony with timpani strikes or it is also called "Surprise". The history of the creation of this symphony is interesting. Joseph and the orchestra periodically toured London, and one day he noticed how some spectators fell asleep during a concert or were already having beautiful dreams. Haydn suggested that this happens because the British intelligentsia are not used to listening to classical music and do not have any special feelings for art, but the British are a people of tradition, so they necessarily attended concerts. The composer, the life of the party and a merry fellow, decided to act cunningly. Without thinking twice, he wrote a special symphony for the English public. The piece began with quiet, smooth, almost soothing melodic sounds. Suddenly, during the sound, a drum beat and the thunder of timpani were heard. Such a surprise was repeated more than once in the work. Thus, Londoners no longer fell asleep in concert halls where Haydn conducted.
• When the composer died, he was buried in Vienna. But later it was decided to rebury the remains of the musical genius in Eisenstadt. When the grave was opened, it was discovered that Joseph's skull was missing. It was a trick of two friends of the composer, who took the head for themselves by bribing people in the cemetery. For almost 60 years (1895-1954), the skull of the Viennese classic was located in the museum (Vienna). It was not until 1954 that the remains were reunited and buried together.

• Mozart was delighted with Haydn and often invited him to his concerts, and Joseph reciprocated the young prodigy and often played with him in a quartet. It is noteworthy that at Haydn's funeral the sound was "Requiem" by Mozart , who died 18 years before his friend and teacher.
• Haydn's portrait can be found on German and Soviet postage stamps issued in 1959 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the composer's death, and on the Austrian 5 euro coin.
• The German anthem and the old Austro-Hungarian anthem owe their music to Haydn. After all, it was his music that became the basis of these patriotic songs.

Films about Joseph Haydn

Many educational documentaries have been made based on Haydn’s biography. All these films are interesting and exciting. Some of them tell more about the musical achievements and discoveries of the composer, while others tell various facts from the personal life of the Viennese classic. If you want to get to know this musical figure better, we present to your attention a small list of documentaries:

• The film company "Academy Media" shot a 25-minute documentary film "Haydn" from the "Famous Composers" series.
• On the Internet you can find two interesting films “In Search of Haydn”. The first part lasts a little more than 53 minutes, the second 50 minutes.
• Haydn is described in some episodes from the documentary section "History by Notes". From episodes 19 to 25, each of which lasts less than 10 minutes, you can study interesting biographical data of the great composer.
• There is a short documentary from Encyclopedia Chanel about Joseph Haydn that is only 12 minutes long.
• An interesting 11-minute film about Haydn’s absolute pitch can also be easily found on the Internet network “Absolute Pitch - Franz Joseph Haydn.”

• In Guy Ritchie's 2009 Sherlock Holmes, the adagio from String Quartet No. 3 in D major is heard during the scene where Watson and his fiancée Mary dine with Holmes at a restaurant called "The Royal".
• The 3rd movement of the cello concerto is used in the English film "Hilary and Jackie" 1998.
• The piano concerto is featured in Steven Spielberg's film Catch Me If You Can.
• The minuet from the 33rd sonata is inserted into the musical accompaniment of the film "Runaway Bride" (sequel to the famous film "Pretty Woman").
• Adagio e cantibile from Sonata No. 59 is used in 1994's The Vampire Diaries starring Brad Pitt.
• The sounds of the B-dur string quartet "Sunrise" are heard in the 1997 horror film "Relic".
• In the magnificent film "The Pianist", which received 3 Oscars, Haydn's Quartet No. 5 is heard.
• Also, String Quartet No. 5 comes from the music to the films "Star Trek: Insurrection" (1998) and "Ft.
• Symphonies No. 101 and No. 104 can be found in the 1991 film The Lord of Tides.
• The 33rd string quartet is used in the 1997 comedy George of the Jungle.
• The third part of String Quartet No. 76 "Emperor" can be found in the films "Casablanca" 1941, "Bulworth" 1998, "Cheap Detective" 1978, and "The Dirty Dozen".
• Concerto for trumpet and orchestra appears in "Big Deal" with Mark Wahlberg.
• In “The Bicentennial Man,” based on the book by the brilliant science fiction writer Isaac Asimov, you can hear Haydn’s Symphony No. 73 “The Hunt.”

Haydn House Museum

In 1889, the Haydn Museum was opened in Vienna, which is located in the composer's home. For 4 whole years, Joseph slowly built his “corner” with the money earned during the tour. Initially there was a low house, which, at the behest of the composer, was rebuilt with additional floors. The second floor was where the musician himself lived, and below he settled his assistant Elsper, who copied Haydn’s notes.

Almost all the exhibits in the museum are the personal property of the composer during his lifetime. Handwritten notes, painted portraits, the instrument Haydn used to play, and other interesting things. It is unusual that the building has a small room dedicated to Johannes Brahms . Johannes greatly respected and honored the work of the Viennese classic. This room is filled with his personal belongings, furniture and tools.

Unfortunately, when people talk about Viennese classics, they first of all remember Ludwig van Beethoven and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. But many musicologists are sure that if there had not been such a brilliant composer as Franz Joseph Haydn, we would not have learned about the other greatest talents of the classic era. Haydn's works and compositions stood at the origins of all classical music and gave it the opportunity to develop and improve to this day.

Video: watch a film about Joseph Haydn

Interesting facts from the life of the Austrian composer are presented in this article.

Joseph Haydn interesting facts

It is believed that the composer's date of birth is March 31. And it is interesting that his certificate indicates a completely different date - April 1. According to Haydn's personal diaries, he deliberately changed his date of birth so as not to celebrate it on April Fool's Day.

Josef was already talented as a child. At the age of 6, he played the drums perfectly. And thanks to his singing voice, the 5-year-old boy was invited to Vienna to the school of choral church singing at St. Stephen's Cathedral. When Haydn began to lose his voice, the school choirmaster suggested carrying out some kind of operation that would stop this process. However, the boy's father stood up for his son in time, preventing the inevitable.

As a boy, he suffered from smallpox.

When Joseph's mother died, his father took a young 19-year-old servant as his wife. It is worth noting that the “son” turned out to be 3 years older than the “mother”.

One day, the future composer fell in love with a girl. But she decided that monastic life was much better than family life. But he did not lose heart and invited her older sister Anna Maria to marry. In his diaries, Haydn noted that his wife was rather grouchy and did not share her husband’s musical hobbies. She used music manuscripts as kitchen utensils.

Haydn was friends with. Friends never quarreled.

There is a legend about the creation of the Razor string quartet. This morning Josef shaved with a dull razor. His patience ran out, and the composer shouted that if someone gave him a normal razor, he would give that person his work. John Bland was nearby, wanting to publish a new work by the famous composer. The publisher gave the composer steel English razors, and in return he gave the guest a new work. The created quartet received its name “Razor”.

Haydn suffered most of his life with polyps in his nasal cavity. His good friend and surgeon Joseph John Henter suggested he perform an operation to remove the polyps. The composer initially agreed. He walked into the surgeon's office to find four large assistants holding patients during painful operations. The musician got scared, screamed and struggled. Ultimately, he was unable to get rid of the polyps.

Franz Joseph Haydn was born in the village of Rohrau, located near the Austrian capital Vienna. His father was a simple artisan. He made wheels, carts, and carriages. In their free time, music lovers gathered in Haydn’s house to sing, dance, and most importantly, listen to the singing of the hospitable host, who accompanied himself on the harp.

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 his outstanding musical abilities, the boy first got into the church choir of the small town of Hainburg, and then into the choir chapel (Capella is a group that unites singers and instrumentalists) at the cathedral (main) Cathedral of St. ( This material will help you write competently on the topic of Biography of Joseph Haydn, Childhood and Youth. A summary does not make it possible to understand the full meaning of the work, so this material will be useful for a deep understanding of the work of writers and poets, as well as their novels, novellas, short stories, plays, and poems.) Stefan in Vienna. This was a significant event in Haydn's life. After all, he had no other opportunity to receive a musical education.

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

Josef was understanding and quickly accepted everything new. He even found time to practice playing the violin and clavichord (The clavichord is an ancient keyboard instrument (XV-XVIII centuries), the predecessor of the piano. When a key is pressed, the sound is produced by hitting a metal pin (pant-to-tang) on ​​a string) 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!

If the church choir was a school for Haydn, then his subsequent ten-year life in Vienna was, as it were, Gorky’s “universities.” The singer who had admired everyone for so many years found himself on the street, without money. Now no one needed him, no one wanted to take care of him.

In order not to die of hunger, the young man took on any kind of work as a musician: he gave music lessons for pennies, played the violin at festive evenings, and sometimes just on the main roads. By order, he composed several of his first major works. This is a musical comedy with the cheerful title “The New Lame Demon”, quartets (works for two violins, viola and cello), symphonies. But all these earnings were random. Haydn understood: to become a composer, you need to study a lot and hard. Therefore, no matter how difficult it was for him, he studied and studied.

Not having the means to pay the famous Italian teacher, composer and singer Niccolo Porpora, Haydn joined him as an accompanist and at the same time performed the duties of a footman. For this he benefited from his valuable advice on composition.

Under the roof, in the cold attic where Haydn huddled, he studied the works of famous composers on an old broken clavichord. And folk songs! He listened to so many of them, wandering day and night through the streets of Vienna. At that time Vienna was rich in songs. Here and there a variety of folk tunes sounded: Austrian, Hungarian, Czech, Ukrainian, Croatian, Tyrolean. Therefore, it is no coincidence that Haydn’s works are permeated with these wonderful melodies, most of them cheerful and cheerful. These were the living and working conditions of the young composer. This was the path through which Haydn achieved mastery.

It is no coincidence that composer Joseph Haydn is called the father of the symphony. It was thanks to the genius of the creator that this genre acquired classical perfection and became the basis on which the symphony from.

Among other things, Haydn was the first to create complete examples of other leading genres of the era of classicism - the string quartet and the keyboard sonata. He was also the first to write secular oratorios in German. Later, these compositions stood on a par with the greatest achievements of the Baroque era - English oratorios and German cantatas.

Childhood and youth

Franz Joseph Haydn was born on March 31, 1732 in the Austrian village of Rohrau, bordering Hungary. The composer's father did not have any musical education, but in his youth he independently mastered the harp. Franz’s mother was also partial to music. From early childhood, his parents discovered that their son had outstanding vocal abilities and excellent hearing. Already at the age of five, Josef sang loudly with his father, then mastered playing the violin to perfection, after which he came to the church choir to perform masses.

From the biography of a representative of the Viennese classical school, it is known that the far-sighted father, as soon as his son was six years old, sent his beloved child to a neighboring city to his relative Johann Matthias Frank, the rector of the school. In his establishment, the man taught children not only grammar and mathematics, but also gave them singing and violin lessons. There Haydn mastered string and wind instruments, retaining his gratitude to his mentor throughout his life.

Hard work, perseverance and a natural, sonorous voice helped Joseph become famous in his native land. One day, the Viennese composer Georg von Reuter came to Rohrau to select young singers for his choir. Franz impressed him and Georg took 8-year-old Joseph into the choir of Vienna's largest cathedral. There, for a couple of years, Haydn learned the art of singing, the subtleties of composition, and even composed spiritual songs.

The most difficult period for the composer began in 1749, when he had to earn a living by giving lessons, singing in church choirs and playing string instruments in various ensembles. Despite the difficulties, the young man never became discouraged and never lost his desire to learn new things.

Franz spent the money he earned on lessons from the composer Nicolo Porpora, and when Joseph was unable to pay, the young man accompanied his mentor’s young students during lessons. Haydn, like a man possessed, studied books on composition and analyzed keyboard sonatas, diligently composing music of various genres until late at night.

In 1751, Haydn’s opera entitled “The Lame Demon” was staged in one of the suburban Viennese theaters; in 1755, the creator had his first string quartet, and four years later – his first symphony. This genre in the future became the most important in the entire work of the composer.

Music

The year 1761 was a turning point in the composer’s life: on May 1, he entered into a contract with Prince Esterhazy and for thirty years remained the court conductor of this aristocratic Hungarian family.

The Esterhazy family lived in Vienna only in winter, and their main residence was in the small town of Eisenstadt, so it is not surprising that Haydn had to exchange his stay in the capital for a monotonous existence on the estate for six years.

The contract concluded between Franz and Count Esterhazy stated that the composer was obliged to compose the plays that his lordship would require. Haydn's early symphonies were written for the relatively small number of musicians at his disposal. After a couple of years of impeccable service, the composer was allowed to include new instruments in the orchestra at his discretion.

The main genre of creativity of the creator of the musical work “Autumn” has always remained the symphony. At the turn of the 60-70s, compositions appeared one after another: No. 49 (1768) - “Passion”, No. 44, “Mourning”, and No. 45.

They reflected an emotional response to the new stylistic movement emerging in German literature, called “Storm and Drang”. It is also worth noting that during this period children's symphonies also appeared in the creator's repertoire.

After Joseph's fame went beyond the borders of Austria, the composer wrote six symphonies at the request of the Paris concert society, and after fulfilling orders received from the capital of Spain, his works began to be published in Naples and London.

At the same time, the life of a genius was illuminated by friendship with. It should be noted that relations between artists were never marred by rivalry or envy. Mozart claimed that it was from Joseph that he first learned how to create string quartets, so he dedicated a couple of works to his mentor. Franz himself considered Wolfgang Amadeus the greatest of contemporary composers.

After 50 years, Haydn’s usual way of life changed dramatically. The Creator received his freedom, although he continued to be listed as a court bandmaster among the heirs of Prince Esterhazy. The chapel itself was dissolved by the descendants of a noble family, and the composer left for Vienna.

In 1791, Franz was invited to go on tour to England. The terms of the contract included the creation of six symphonies and their performance in London, as well as the writing of an opera and twenty works in addition. It is known that at that time Haydn was given an orchestra with 40 musicians at his disposal. The year and a half spent in London became triumphant for Joseph, and the English tour was no less successful. During the tour, the composer composed 280 works and even became a Doctor of Music at Oxford University.

Personal life

The popularity gained in Vienna helped the young musician get a job with Count Morcin. It was for his chapel that Joseph wrote the first five symphonies. It is known that in less than two years of working with Mortsin, the composer managed to improve not only his financial situation, but also tie himself in marriage.

At that time, 28-year-old Joseph had tender feelings for the youngest daughter of the court hairdresser, and she, unexpectedly for everyone, went to a monastery. Then Haydn, either in revenge or for some other reasons, married her sister Maria Keller, who was 4 years older than Joseph.

Their family union was not happy. The composer's wife was grumpy and wasteful. Among other things, the young lady did not at all appreciate her husband’s talent and often used her husband’s manuscripts instead of baking paper. To the surprise of many, family life in the absence of love, children and home comfort lasted 40 years.

Due to the reluctance to realize himself as a caring husband and the inability to prove himself as a loving father, the composer devoted four decades of his married life to symphonies. During this time, Haydn wrote hundreds of works in this genre, and 90 operas of the talented genius were staged at the Prince Esterhazy Theater.

The composer found his late love in the Italian troupe of this theater. The young Neapolitan singer Luigia Polzelli charmed Haydn. Josef, passionately in love, achieved an extension of the contract with her, and also simplified the vocal parts especially for the charming person, understanding her capabilities.

True, the relationship with Luigia did not bring happiness to the creator. The girl was too arrogant and selfish, so even after the death of his wife, Haydn did not dare to marry her. It is worth noting that at the end of his life, in the last version of his will, the composer reduced the amount allotted to Polzelli by half.

Death

In the last decade of his life, inspired by the Handel Festival at Westminster Cathedral, Haydn developed an interest in choral music. The composer created six masses, as well as oratorios (“The Creation of the World” and “The Seasons”).

Haydn died on May 31, 1809 in Vienna, occupied by Napoleonic troops. The French emperor himself, having learned about the death of the eminent Austrian, gave the order to post a guard of honor at the door of his house. The funeral took place on June 1.

An interesting fact is that when in 1820 Prince Esterhazy ordered the reburial of Haydn’s remains in the church of Eisenstadt, and the coffin was opened, it turned out that there was no skull under the surviving wig (it was stolen to study the structural features and protect it from destruction). The skull was only reunited with the remains in the middle of the next century, on June 5, 1954.

Discography

• "Farewell Symphony"
• "Oxford Symphony"
• "Funeral Symphony"
• "World creation"
• "Seasons"
• "Seven Words of the Savior on the Cross"
• "The Return of Tobias"
• "Pharmacist"
• "Acis and Galatea"
• "Desert Island"
• "Armida"
• "Fisherwomen"
• "Deceived Infidelity"