Joseph Haydn

Born in Rohrau, Austria, in 1732, Joseph Haydn rose from modest beginnings to become one of the most influential composers in Western music. After singing as a choirboy at St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, he built his career step by step and eventually entered the service of the Esterházy family, where he spent much of his working life.

That long stretch at the Esterházy court gave him the chance to experiment, refine his craft, and compose on a remarkable scale. He wrote symphonies, string quartets, piano trios, operas, masses, and oratorios, and his inventive approach to form and musical conversation helped define the Classical style. He is often called the “Father of the Symphony” and the “Father of the String Quartet,” not because he invented these genres alone, but because he did so much to develop them.

Haydn’s later years brought wider fame, especially through his successful visits to London. He was also admired by younger composers, including Mozart and Beethoven. By the time of his death in Vienna in 1809, he was celebrated across Europe as a composer whose warmth, discipline, humor, and originality had changed music for good.