Haydn Timeline - Short

  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.   

                -   The piano is invented but has too many shortcomings for serious music.  By 1770 it is 
                    starting to be used quite a bit. 

  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.

  c. 1732  -    Francis Joseph Haydn (German: Franz Josef Haydn) is born (probably on March 31) 
                     in Rohrau, Austria.  Bach and Handel are 47.

      1740  -   Haydn, age 9, becomes a singer at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna.

St. Stephen's Church, Vienna

      1749  -   Haydn's voice breaks and he is dismissed from the St. Stephen's choir.  He 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.   George Frideric Handel writes his last piece 
                    of music the next year.

      1756  -   Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is born on January 27  (Haydn is almost 24).

      1757  -   Count Morzin becomes Haydn's first full-time employer.

      1759  -   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

Esterháza in Fertőd, Hungary, built by Prince Nikolaus Esterházy opened 1766.

 c. 1768  -   Haydn enters his proto-Romantic Sturm und Drang phase.  
                   He writes 6 minor key symphonies by 1772. 


     1770  -    Ludwig van Beethoven is born December 16, 1770 in Bonn, Germany.  

     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."

                    1772 is the end of the Sturm und Drang period.

      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 twelve  
                     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.  He 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  -   Back in Vienna from London, Haydn is now a famous public figure.  He is rehired by the 
                     Esterházy family. Over the next six years he writes some of greatest music:

                          The six Erdődy String Quartets, Op. 76.

                          His last six masses.

                          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