http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.61071&rws=%2Ffranz-joseph-haydn%2Fmusic-videos.rssThere's a reason that young piano students learn a jingle about "Papa" Haydn: the prolific Austrian composer is not only regarded as the father of the symphony and the string quartet, but was also a teacher and father figure to Beethoven. With his instrumental music, "Papa" Haydn's influence far outlasted his own life. Born on Match 31, 1732, Haydn was the son of a wheelwright who began musical training in the choir of St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna. After early appointments with Hungarian royals and high society, he began writing symphonies for twice-weekly concerts at the prince's Tafelmusik and earned a wide reputation. He wrote a few operas with limited success, but throughout his life instrumental music -- symphonies, sonatas, and quartets -- remained his chief interest. In the 1780s, he wrote quartets of consequence and, at the behest of violinist J P. Salomon, traveled to London where his last 12 symphonies were composed. Returning to Vienna he penned his most important work, <i>The Creation</i> oratorio and sophisticated late quartets. By his death in 1809, he had won wide renown, even though he was considered a bit old-fashioned compared to his celebrated student. - Nate CavalieriClassical Perioden720Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:32:21 -0800 http://static.realone.com/rotw/images/logo_rhapsody_113x22.gif http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.61071&rws=%2Ffranz-joseph-haydn%2Fmusic-videos.rss There's a reason that young piano students learn a jingle about "Papa" Haydn: the prolific Austrian composer is not only regarded as the father of the symphony and the string quartet, but was also a teacher and father figure to Beethoven. With his instrumental music, "Papa" Haydn's influence far outlasted his own life. Born on Match 31, 1732, Haydn was the son of a wheelwright who began musical training in the choir of St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna. After early appointments with Hungarian royals and high society, he began writing symphonies for twice-weekly concerts at the prince's Tafelmusik and earned a wide reputation. He wrote a few operas with limited success, but throughout his life instrumental music -- symphonies, sonatas, and quartets -- remained his chief interest. In the 1780s, he wrote quartets of consequence and, at the behest of violinist J P. Salomon, traveled to London where his last 12 symphonies were composed. Returning to Vienna he penned his most important work, <i>The Creation</i> oratorio and sophisticated late quartets. By his death in 1809, he had won wide renown, even though he was considered a bit old-fashioned compared to his celebrated student. - Nate Cavalieri