 |
CLASSICAL Features
|
 |
| |
|
|
Franz Josef Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn (March 31, 1732 - May 31, 1809) was an Austrian composer, part of the so-called Viennese School, and an important influence on both Mozart and Beethoven. Most of his creative life was spent in the service of the Esterházy family, writing pieces for their needs and desires. Haydn stated that this isolation, and his ability to work daily with the musicians he was writing for, was a perfect situation. By the 1780s, his music had been published all over Europe, and he was well-regarded in the music world.
Haydn is often referred to as "Papa" Haydn, and there is some justification for this. Although he did not invent either the symphony or the string quartet, he was a central figure in their development. His symphonies (especially the "Paris" and "London" sets) show a complete mastery of form and substance. Haydn's "paternity" is just as clear in the string quartets. Here Haydn helped transform the genre from little more than a string divertimento (with the emphasis on the top voice) to a type of chamber music in which all parts play an equal role. His final compositions, mostly sacred music for his patron, culminated in two large oratorios, The Creation (1798) and The Seasons (1801), the former being one of his most famous works.
|
Titles Per Pages:
Format:
|
Complete Listings:
1 - 7 of 7
|
|
|
 |
|