The Holy Roman Empire, 1721 - 1772
Habsburg rulers and Holy Roman Emperors, Haydn through Beethoven:
Maria Theresa 1740–1780 (German: Maria Theresia) & Francis I, the Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II 1765–1790 known as "the great Reformer"
Leopold II 1790–1792 from 1765 to 1790 "Grandduke of Tuscany"
Francis II 1792–1835 correctly written "Franz" (became Emperor Francis I of Austria in 1804)
The Kingdom of Prussia continues to expand and becomes a major military power in Europe
under Frederick the Great (reigned 1740 - 1786)
What was the Enlightenment?
Classical Era (broadly, c. 1730 - c. 1830). The era of music between the Baroque era and the Romantic era.
First Viennese School = Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven.
c. 1700 - Baroque music, now a century old, enters its late period. George Frederic Handel,
Johann Sebastian Bach, Domenico Scarlatti, and Antonio Vivaldi are the top composers.
c. 1730 - Baroque music comes to be seen as overly complicated in polyphonic counterpoint and
complex chord progressions and starts fading in popularity. A new, simplified style of
music, Galant, develops. It emphases a single main melody and simplified chord
progressions. The Galant style is the forerunner of Haydn's and Mozart's music.
1732 - Francis Joseph Haydn (German: Franz Josef Haydn) is born
(probably on March 31) in Rohrau, Austria
1737 - Joseph's brother, composer Michael Haydn, is born on September 13.
1738 - Joseph's parents send him to Hainburg to study with a musical relative. In 1840, he
goes to Vienna where he gets music lessons and sings in the boy's choir of St. Stephen's
Cathedral. He sings there until he is 17 when his voice cracks.
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1740s - The beginning of symphony composing. Johann Stamitz is the first composer to
consistently write four movement symphonies (they were usually 10 to 15 minutes long)
1740 - 1748 - The War of Austrian Secession
1749 - Haydn struggles as a free-lance musician for the next twelve years. He continually
studies composition. Gradually his reputation grows.
1750 - Johann Sebastian Bach dies on July 28.
1751 - George Frideric Handel writes his last piece of music. He dies in April 14, 1759.
1756 - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is born on January 27. (Haydn is almost 24).
1756 - The Seven Years' War begins between the powers of Europe. It will be fought on five
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St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna
1740s - The beginning of symphony composing. Johann Stamitz is the first composer to
consistently write four movement symphonies (they were usually 10 to 15 minutes long)
1740 - 1748 - The War of Austrian Secession
1749 - Haydn struggles as a free-lance musician for the next twelve years. He continually
studies composition. Gradually his reputation grows.
1750 - Johann Sebastian Bach dies on July 28.
1751 - George Frideric Handel writes his last piece of music. He dies in April 14, 1759.
1756 - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is born on January 27. (Haydn is almost 24).
1756 - The Seven Years' War begins between the powers of Europe. It will be fought on five
continents.
1757 - Count Morzin becomes Haydn's first full-time employer.
1759 - Joseph Haydn writes his first symphony.
1761 - Haydn begins his long tenure as Kapellmeister for the Esterházy family.
1762 - Christoph Willibald Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice transforms opera writing for the Classical Era.
c. 1768 - Haydn enters his proto-Romantic Sturm und Drang phase.
The quality of his symphonies improves greatly, as does his composing for
solo piano and piano trios.
1770 - Ludwig van Beethoven is born December 16, 1770 in Bonn, Germany.
The symphony begins its accent to becoming the most popular form of instrumental music.
1772 - Mozart's Symphony No. 14 from Dec. 1771 and seven more in 1772 mark the 16 year old's
emergence as a unique symphonic composer.
Haydn's six "Sun Quartets" are a milestone accomplishment and help
establish him as the "father of the string quartet."
1776 - Haydn's patron, Prince Nikolaus I has Haydn write operas. Haydn writes eleven by 1784.
1779 - Prince Nikolaus allows Haydn to accept commissions from others
and to also sell his work to publishers.
c. 1784 - Haydn befriends Mozart, the two greatly admire each other's work and play together.
1785 - 1786 - Haydn writes the six "Paris" symphonies (Nos. 82 - 87)
1789 - The French Revolution begins. Within three years most of Europe will be at war until 1815.
1790 - Prince Nikolaus dies. His son, Prince Anton, assumes the patriarchy.
1791 - Released from his duties with the Esterházy family, Haydn makes two
successful visits to London (1791 - 1792 & 1794 - 1795).
He is lionized there and composes many of his best works, including the
famous London Symphonies (Nos. 93 -104).
1791 - Mozart dies in Vienna on December 5. Haydn, in London, is greatly upset.
1793 - Beethoven, now 22 and newly arrived in Vienna, studies with Haydn for several months.
1794 - Prince Anton dies. His son, Nikolaus II assumes the patriarchy.
1795 - Beethoven publishes his first professional work Three Piano Trios, Op. 1
1796 - Haydn returns to Vienna and is now a famous public figure. Over the next
six years he writes some of greatest music:
The six Erdődy String Quartets, Op. 76.
His last six masses, Nos. 9 -14
His last five piano trios, Nos. 41 45
The oratorios The Last Seven Words of Christ, The Creation, The Seasons
"Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser" (the "Emperor's Hymn")
1800 - Beethoven premiers his first symphony
1802 - Haydn, now in failing health (probably from arteriosclerosis), finishes his last major work,
the mass Harmoniemesse.
The Esterházy family gives his musical duties to other musicians, but allows Haydn to retain
his title of Kapellmeister for his remaining years and sees to his needs.
1803 - Haydn's last appearance as a conductor on December 26, a charity performance
of The Seven Last Words of Christ.
1808 - A huge tribute performance of The Creation is held on March 27. Antonio Salieri conducts,
Beethoven is there. Haydn is overwhelmed and leaves mid-performance from exhaustion.
1809 - Haydn's neighborhood is shelled by Napoleon's army on May 10.
Vienna falls to Napoleon on the 13th.
Joseph Haydn dies peacefully just after midnight on May 26.
1757 - Count Morzin becomes Haydn's first full-time employer.
1759 - Joseph Haydn writes his first symphony.
1761 - Haydn begins his long tenure as Kapellmeister for the Esterházy family.
Schloss Esterházy in Eisenstadt, Austria - 30 miles from Vienna
1762 - Christoph Willibald Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice transforms opera writing for the Classical Era.
Esterháza in Fertőd, Hungary, built by Prince Nikolaus Esterházy opened 1766.
c. 1768 - Haydn enters his proto-Romantic Sturm und Drang phase.
The quality of his symphonies improves greatly, as does his composing for
solo piano and piano trios.
1770 - Ludwig van Beethoven is born December 16, 1770 in Bonn, Germany.
The symphony begins its accent to becoming the most popular form of instrumental music.
1772 - Mozart's Symphony No. 14 from Dec. 1771 and seven more in 1772 mark the 16 year old's
emergence as a unique symphonic composer.
Haydn's six "Sun Quartets" are a milestone accomplishment and help
establish him as the "father of the string quartet."
1776 - Haydn's patron, Prince Nikolaus I has Haydn write operas. Haydn writes eleven by 1784.
1779 - Prince Nikolaus allows Haydn to accept commissions from others
and to also sell his work to publishers.
c. 1784 - Haydn befriends Mozart, the two greatly admire each other's work and play together.
1785 - 1786 - Haydn writes the six "Paris" symphonies (Nos. 82 - 87)
1789 - The French Revolution begins. Within three years most of Europe will be at war until 1815.
1790 - Prince Nikolaus dies. His son, Prince Anton, assumes the patriarchy.
1791 - Released from his duties with the Esterházy family, Haydn makes two
successful visits to London (1791 - 1792 & 1794 - 1795).
He is lionized there and composes many of his best works, including the
famous London Symphonies (Nos. 93 -104).
1791 - Mozart dies in Vienna on December 5. Haydn, in London, is greatly upset.
1793 - Beethoven, now 22 and newly arrived in Vienna, studies with Haydn for several months.
1794 - Prince Anton dies. His son, Nikolaus II assumes the patriarchy.
1795 - Beethoven publishes his first professional work Three Piano Trios, Op. 1
1796 - Haydn returns to Vienna and is now a famous public figure. Over the next
six years he writes some of greatest music:
The six Erdődy String Quartets, Op. 76.
His last six masses, Nos. 9 -14
His last five piano trios, Nos. 41 45
The oratorios The Last Seven Words of Christ, The Creation, The Seasons
"Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser" (the "Emperor's Hymn")
1800 - Beethoven premiers his first symphony
1802 - Haydn, now in failing health (probably from arteriosclerosis), finishes his last major work,
the mass Harmoniemesse.
The Esterházy family gives his musical duties to other musicians, but allows Haydn to retain
his title of Kapellmeister for his remaining years and sees to his needs.
1803 - Haydn's last appearance as a conductor on December 26, a charity performance
of The Seven Last Words of Christ.
1808 - A huge tribute performance of The Creation is held on March 27. Antonio Salieri conducts,
Beethoven is there. Haydn is overwhelmed and leaves mid-performance from exhaustion.
1809 - Haydn's neighborhood is shelled by Napoleon's army on May 10.
Vienna falls to Napoleon on the 13th.
Joseph Haydn dies peacefully just after midnight on May 26.
Bergkirche in Eisenstadt, site of Haydn's tomb
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