Haydn Franz Joseph
Biography
In 1759 Haydn was appointed Kapellmeister to Count I. Mortsyn. He composed his first instrumental works (symphonies, quartets, and keyboard sonatas) for his court chapel.
When Mortsyn disbanded the chapel in 1761, Haydn signed a contract with P. Esterházy, a wealthy Hungarian magnate and patron of the arts. The duties of the vice-chapellmeister, and 5 years later the prince's obverse-chapellmeister, included not only composing music. Haydn had to conduct rehearsals, keep order in the chapel, be responsible for the safety of notes and instruments, etc.
All of Haydn's works were the property of Esterházy; the composer had no right to write music for other people's orders, and could not freely leave the prince's property. (Haydn lived in Esterházy's estates, Eisenstadt and Esterházy, sometimes traveling to Vienna.) However, many advantages and, above all, the opportunity to dispose of an excellent orchestra that performed all the composer's works, as well as relative material and household security, persuaded Haydn to accept Esterházy's offer.
Haydn remained in the court service for almost 30 years. In the humiliating position of a princely servant, he retained his dignity, inner independence and desire for continuous creative improvement. Living far away from the world, with little contact with the wider musical world, he became the greatest master of European proportions during his service in Esztergáza. Haydn's works were successfully performed in the largest musical capitals.
Gradually, Haydn's fame spread throughout Europe, largely due to the activities of Viennese companies
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