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Franz Joseph Haydn (1732—1809)

1. Franz Joseph Haydn was born in the village of Rohrau, Austria on March 31, 1732 to poor parents. His father, Mathias Haydn, was a master wheelwright while his mother, Maria Kohler Haydn, was an under-cook for an aristocratic family of Count Harrach. Haydn had eleven other siblings, but six of them died in infancy.

2. The other Haydn, Michael Haydn, was also a prolific composer and indeed related to Franz Joseph Haydn. They were brothers.

3. Haydn was famous for his pranks. While studying at St. Stephens Cathedral, he cut off the ponytail of a fellow chorus member. He was suspended and summarily dismissed with no home to go to. While on the street, Haydn became a “street serenader” and was soon discovered by a successful composer who took him in as a student.

4. Haydn’s personal favorite composition, Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser (Emperor’s Hymn), has been used throughout history by famous composers such as Tchaikovsky, Czerny, Rossini, Paganini, Smetana, and many others and is currently used for the German national anthem.

5. Franz Joseph Haydn was affectionately called Papa Haydn by many people and for many reasons. The title originated from his care for his often mischievous orchestra musicians, who frequently needed saving from trouble while in the court of Prince Esterhazy. Mozart continued the torch and affectionately referred to him as Papa Haydn as well.

6. Another important layer to the Papa Haydn nickname comes from his reputation as the “Father of the Symphony” and the “Father of the String Quartet.” Haydn was not the inventor of the symphony or quartet, but rather is respected for perfecting them.

7. During an unexpectedly extended stint of summer concerts away from home, Haydn wrote his Farewell Symphony on behalf of his musicians. The final Adagio movement calls for each musician to stop playing at one point, blow out their candle, and leave the performance until only two players are left playing (Haydn and his Concertmaster in this case). The joke and message was received, as the next day Prince Esterhazy decided it was finally time for them all to return home.

8. After serving as Kapellmeister for the Esterhazy family for many years, Haydn left his position and went to London to study music from English composers and experience their larger orchestras. While there he wrote his final twelve symphonies and some of his best-known works.

9. In the late 1700s Beethoven attempted to study with Haydn, but Haydn was too preoccupied with his own works and travelling to give Beethoven his due attention. Upon Haydn’s second trip to London, Beethoven began studying with other teachers and lessons with the Papa Haydn never resumed. Beethoven famously recalled, “I learned nothing from Haydn.”

10. Haydn died in Vienna on May 31, 1809. Upon his death, phrenologists took his head from his grave and brought it back for study. After quite a series of extraordinary events, Haydn’s head made its way safely to the wonderful display in the Esterhazy estate where the rest of his body rests peacefully still to this day.