Today composer Franz Joseph Haydn is considered to have set the standard for symphonic works. Symphony is the main genre in his work. During his life, he composed more than a hundred symphonies (among them "Funeral", "Oxford", "Farewell" and so on). Haydn was also the first to introduce his native German language into secular oratorios.
Childhood and early career
F. J. Haydn was born in the Austrian village of Rorau in 1732. His parents had no musical education, but they adored music. They quickly realized that their son had good ear and vocals. Therefore, Joseph was sent to the choir at the local church.
Once the composer von Reiter arrived in Rorau to find new singers for his chapel. Von Reiter sensed great potential in Josef and invited the eight-year-old boy to the choir of Vienna's largest cathedral. There he comprehended the skill of singing, the nuances of the compositional structure of certain works, and composed songs.
In 1749, when Franz Josef turned sixteen, difficult times fell on him. Due to his stubbornness, he lost his job in the choir and he had to earn money by lessons, playing in different groups on different instruments, and so on. Despite financial problems, the young man continued to educate himself: in his free hours he studied books useful for himself, invented his own music.
Haydn's composing career took off in 1751 - then his opera was staged with the capacious title "Lame Devil". In 1755 Haydn created a piece for a string quartet, and then his first symphony.
Bandmaster Service and Major Achievements in Music
The year 1761 became especially important in the composer's biography: he signed an employment contract with Prince Esterhazy and for three decades served as his conductor.
In 1790, the prince dismissed the chapel. Haydn lost his job, but received a significant pension. This allowed him to devote himself entirely to creativity. During this fruitful period, Haydn created his best music. In the same 1790 he was invited to London: for seven hundred pounds, he performed there as a conductor - presenting his new six symphonies. The success was incredible - at Oxford he was even awarded the title of Doctor of Music.
In the last ten years of his life, Haydn (under the influence of another composer - Handel) became interested in choral music - he created several masses and oratorios. Haydn died at the end of May 1809 in Vienna, which then included Napoleon's army. The Emperor of France, having learned about the death of an outstanding Austrian, ordered a special guard to be sent to the house where he lived.
Personal life
Haydn's personal life cannot be called successful and turbulent. At the age of 28, Joseph Haydn started a family with Anna Keller, the daughter of a hairdresser. The couple did not have children, which made the musician very upset. The wife was cool about Josef's professional pursuits, she was sure that music is not a business for men. Joseph and Anna have been married for about forty years. This marriage was not happy, but it was considered bad form then to go for a divorce.
It is known that at the end of his life Haydn had an affair with a Neapolitan singer from Italy, Luija Polzelli. Josef, carried away by a beautiful person, extended his cooperation with her. And especially for her, he made certain parts easier (to match her vocal capabilities). However, the relationship with Luija did not lead to anything. The beauty was arrogant and very fond of money - Haydn did not want to marry her, even when Anna Keller was already in the grave.
