Franz Joseph Haydn Classical Composer Essay

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William Rincon Prof. Obrien Music Appreciation Classical Composer Essay Franz Joseph Haydn, arguably the most talented composer of his time was born in March 31st, 1732 in a little Austrian village called Rohrau. The Village itself meaning “reedy meadow” was pretty much exactly how it sounded. The village was all flat and marshy and the houses are mainly low and even built out of clay. And because of the Leitha river, it would sometimes flood the whole countryside. During the hot dry summers fire would frequently happen. Actually the Haydn house itself was on fire three times. One in 1813, 1833, and 1899 but was always carefully restored to its original form. Haydn is one of three boys, Michael (who is also a well known composer himself), and Johann Evangelist (a tenor in the church choir of the Esterhazy Court). His father, Mathais, was a wheelwright who played the harp, and his mother Maria, was a cook for count Karl Anton Harrach. It was a family custom to call their children by their second name. Thus Joseph Haydn was his name. Joseph Haydn was a choirboy in St. Stephen’s Cathedral by the age of nine. He later was kicked at the age of seventeen out of the choir because he’s amazing voice had matured and he could no longer sing the higher notes. He tried everything he could to make a living after this event from composing to free-lance musician. At age twenty-nine Haydn entered the Eszterhaza family (a wealthy aristocrat family). The Eszterhaza family employed Haydn to be their personal composer and write them pieces when they pleased. Haydn spent almost thirty years there. During the time he was with the Eszterhaza family he composed 5 masses, 40 string quartets, 60 symphonies, 30 clavier pieces, 105 cello trios and many other works for funerals, weddings and birthdays. Haydn composed over one-hundred symphonies that he was dubbed “The father of the

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