short autobiographical sketch of haydn

[pianistimo]

reading what composers write about their own lives can be less frivolous and down to the point of what actually happened in their lives.  reinhard pauley gives this account of haydn in his book on classical music (ch. 5)...

in the short autobiographical sketch that he wrote in 1776 for 'das gelehrte oresterrieich,'  haydn gave this account of his career:
'i was born anno 1732 the last of march in the hamlet of rohrau in lower austria, near bruck on the leytha river.  my father was a wheelwright by profession...and had a natural love for music.  without being able to read music he played the harp, and when i was a boy of five i was able to repeat all of his short and simple songs.  this caused my father to send me to hainburg in the care of the school director, a relative, so that i might learn there the rudiments of music and other elementary general subjects.  the almighty God (to whom alone be thanks for His bountiful grace) gave me enough musical talent so that in my sixth year i was able to sing along with the choir during mass and to play some on the violin and piano.  when i was seven years old the keppellmeister von reutter came through hainburg.  he happened to hear my small but pleasing voice and accepted me at once for the kapellhaus in vienna.  aside from being instructed in academic subjects i learned from excellent teachers how to sing and had instruction in piano and violin.  until i reached the age of eighteen i sand there, with much applause, soprano parts, both at st. stephen's cathedral and at court.  when my voice finally changed, i barely managed to stay alive by giving musical lessons to children for about eight years.  in this way many talented people are ruined:  they have to earn a miserable living and have no time to study.  i had this experience myself, and i would never have reached this moderate degree of success if i had not continued to compose diligently during the nights as well.  i wrote a great deal, but i lacked the solid grounding until i had the good fortune to be taught the fundamentals of composition by the famous mr. popora who lived in vienna during this time.  through the recommendation of mr. von furnberg i eventually was given a position as music director to count morzin, and following this as kapellmeister to his highness prince esterhazy; there it is my desire to live and die.'

as reinhard pointed out - 'haydn was no child prodigy; later in his life he continued to be modest about his performing abilities: 'i was no wizard (hexenmeister) on any instrument, but i knew the possibilites and effects of each.'  after his booting (my words) from the choir - he played on sunday mornings - the violin at one church and the organ two hours later at another.  at eleven, he sang int he chapel.

his appointment with count morzin gave him a relatively secure existence and when prince esterhazy heard his symphony (written for the count)  - shortly later haydn moved to the palace. shortly afterwards, prince paul died and prince nicholas the I (the magnificent) became the ruler.  his palaces (today on neusiedl lake - in hungary - called esterhazy ...and eisenstadt in austria) provided the setting for all kinds of music making.   the esterhazy palace was neglected and vandalized after wwII - but it has been restored. 

anyways, just a bit about haydn from this book today.

[ihatepop]

and what do you expect us to say?

ihatepop

[jre58591]

its just another spammy post to add to her massive post count.

[pianistimo]

well, to me this is about hardship, lack of visible talent (as he sang for many years first), and determination.  some of the composers weren't handed music on a silver plate.  so i guess the point is and was - haydn was persistent.  feel free to add any other composers that were not 'instantly recognizable' geniuses.

(though i happen to think that haydn probably was and was being humble - being that he was able to remember his father's harp music tune for tune at quite a young age).

[rc]

 I found that interesting...  You weren't kidding that it's to the point,  Haydn's life in one paragraph!

I do admire how Haydn was able to become a valuable composer through sheer diligence.  Also his work ethic, Haydn strikes me as something of a workaholic, that his genius was more crafted than gifted - a result of taking pride in a job well done.

I also notice his faith, and wonder what part that plays in his persistance...  Think, 8 years of miserable living before being taught the fundamentals.  I can't think of many people who would struggle for that long, most would at some point say "Well I guess composition isn't for me, time to get into the wheelwright business".  He must have decided right off the bat he would be a composer and wholly believed that it was possible, day after day.

[pianistimo]

yes!  i happen to, now as an older musician, appreciate his music more.  in my younger days i though 'haydn, blechh.'  i think it is because we unconciously compare composers with other composers - but it's not really fair.  they each have to be considered on their own terms.  and, after listening again to some of his works - i have to say that although i wouldn't typically choose a haydn sonata over a schubert sonata - i play them for my own enjoyment sometimes.  just a sort of 'minty refreshment.'  and, i LOVE the oratorio 'the creation.'  his genius comes out in creating music to picture the moods of each section.  the chaos section is particularly 20 th century genre writing and quite modern even today.  similarities in the way he 'broke form' are curiously paired with beethoven's 'eroica.'  and, i do think, as you say - persistence and inspiration can be from God.

[rc]

I agree completely about judging music on it's own merit.  Not to measure Bach in units of Beethoven, or dislike Haydn for not being Chopin.  Best to listen with the intent of discovering what's good, especially if it's generally liked (mind you, there's also the hype-factor/marketing/false demand).

When I was first getting into classical, it was all about the Beethoven.  I thought Haydn and Mozart was 'fairy-music'.  Compared to my favorite, they truely do seem light.  Looking back, I just didn't have much understanding of the classical aesthetic - I didn't know to wait for the action and intensity to rise, how to enjoy the more subtle expressions and appreciate the architecture... and still so much to learn.  I think that's an advantage of Beethoven to the laylistener, his music can hook you from the get-go.

With this in mind, I now try to give some understanding of the aesthetic to the listener beforehand.  Help them to enjoy the unfamiliar, to see the beauty.  Public speaking would be a good skill for a performer.  Especially museum curators such as ourselves, the music is part history lesson

Something else about Haydn here: that he stayed in Vienna as he struggled to become a composer.  That's important.  Reminds me of a bit of wisdom from Conan OBrian in an interview "go to where they're making the things you like".  Not the most poetic, but it was a central point he came up with in response to his success.  I doubt Haydn would have met Popra or Prince Esterhazy if he'd been in Rohrau.

I haven't heard the Creation yet, will have to check it out.  My current favorite is Symphony 61.  What an energetic first movement, and the buildup for the explosive development, phew!  Listening to it while riding my bike, I feel like I'm flying.  The andante as well, in particular there's this descent to some spooky winds, makes me want to howl at the moon.

[pianistimo]

very poetically spoken.  and, agreed about playing what others like too sometimes.  i think that is why i'd probably choose schubert over haydn in a recital format - but for myself - why not.  and also, if you have a repertoire of 'light' music as well as heavy, you can use it for 'occasions.'  putting old folks to sleep or something.  haydn and mozart have this 'cheery' effect.  taking people out of depression and maybe they won't even know it's because you played the night before.  once, when visiting another patient in a retirement home, i sat at the piano in the church nave (at the middle of the home) and played for an hour.  anything and everything from a stack of music.  people started coming in and listening and thinking it was a recital.  if you want  a really appreciative audience - go to rest homes and just 'chill' and use your music all you want. 

[rc]

That's something I've been thinking about for quite a while now - playing for the fogies.  But I decided to put in some more practice first (so I don't have to let them down with "sorry, I can't sightread" ).

Last time I was in a retirement home some old lady tried convincing me to free her from the chair she was in.  At first she was all cheerful and nice about it "could you loosen my chair for me? with a warm smile.  Then it was pleading "I just want to reach my purse down there, could you please just let me out?"...  And at last she became snide about it "what, can't you just let me out?! I'll hold you hand through it!".  Who knows what havok she was planning...  I kept walking, for everybody's sake.