Haydn’s Die Shöpfung: about Haydn
Born: 31 March 1732, Austria
Died: 31 May 1809, Vienna
Haydn’s musical talents became obvious at an early age, along with a good singing voice. His parents could not read music, but as they both enjoyed music-making and singing they recognised his talents and sent him to live with a relative who was a teacher and choirmaster, under whose tutelage Franz Josef learnt to play the harpsichord and violin and regularly sang in the church choir. It was here that the visiting director of St Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, who was searching for new choirboys, noticed him. He consequently moved to Vienna and was a chorister in the cathedral for nine years. He lost his place when no longer able to sing soprano, and had a hard few years working as a freelance musician.
Around 1758 he found a position as music director for Count Karl von Morzin and then for the Esterhazy family, a wealthy and influential dynasty of the Austrian Empire. Here he composed, ran their orchestra, played chamber music and produced operas.
He married in 1760, but this was not a particularly happy partnership and they had no children.
Haydn worked for nearly 30 years with the Esterhazys, producing many compositions that became very popular both in his own country and the outside world. He formed a close friendship with Mozart, working with him particularly on string quartets. Mozart dedicated a set of six string quartets to him.
On the death of his employer in 1790, a new freedom enabled him to travel to London. Here he was a huge success, drawing large audiences to his concerts. He was also inspired by the oratorios of Handel, and considered staying in England, but instead returned to Vienna and concentrated on composing his own large religious works including Die Shöpfung in 1798. The change in his style seen at this time owed much to the fact that Haydn was now a successful and wealthy man, and able to concentrate on what mattered to him in terms of style and content instead of having to please his masters. In composing Die Shöpfung he said he took so long because he didn’t want the process to come to an end.
He became very ill in 1802 and was unable to continue with the work he loved. In 1809, as Napoleon was attacking Vienna, Haydn died.