Classical Period Composers
Among the three composers of the classical period; Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven, Haydn impressed me the most. It is because he started his musical career when he was still young. He began singing in the church choir from where he learned to play various musical instruments. On observing Haydn while on tour to Hainburg, the director of music at St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna invited Haydn to serve as a chorister at the Austrian’s capital most important church.
Due to his persistence, Haydn made progress in music and eventually he was introduced to Karl Joseph von Furnberg, who was an Australian nobleman from whose home Haydn used to play chamber music. Taking advantage of the instruments he had found there, Haydn wrote his first-string quartets. Furthermore, Furnberg recommended Haydn to be the director and chamber composer for the Bohemian count Ferdinand Maximilian von Morzin. He was additionally put in charge of an orchestra of about 16 musicians from where he composed his first symphony and other compositions for wind and string instruments.
After the dismissal of the orchestra due to financial constraints, Haydn did not leave it at that. He joined the service of Prince Pal Antal Esterhazy. It was a wealthy family which boosted the growth of music. Due to ailments, the prince appointed Haydn as the assistant director to his orchestra in 1761, where the latter was to coach singers in all the rehearsals.
Haydn carried out his duties so well and skillfully while dealing with people. He wrote a symphony for the Esterhazy family which they loved so much. They had to promote Haydn to a higher rank even after the death of the Prince. Through his hard work, Haydn succeeded as a composer. The creation, the season, and the Theresa are some of the works he did.