Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)

The streets must have seemed like they were paved with gold when Haydn visited London in 1791. He was feted and applauded everywhere he went as one of Europe’s leading composers. He hobnobbed with royalty, the Prince of Wales commissioned a portrait of him from leading society portraitist John Hoppner. It’s still regarded as one of the best images we have today.

Haydn could hardly have imagined all this as a boy. His really is a rags to riches story. Born in 1732 in humble circumstances, Haydn's musical talent won him a position as a choir boy in Vienna's St. Stephen's Cathedral. However, he was forced to leave after his voice broke and, by the age of 17, he was on the streets, with only “three miserable shirts and a worn-out coat” to his name. Happily his life did then take an upward turn. Haydn was employed by the Esterhàzys, one of the most powerful and influential families in the Hapsburg monarchy for an astonishing 48 years.

But this week, Donald Macleod puts the public face of this celebrated figure to one side. He’s going to be looking at Haydn through a narrower lens, drawing a picture of the composer through the relationships he enjoyed with some of his closest family and friends.

Music Featured:

Piano Trio No 4 in F major, Hob.XV:39 Signor voi sapete, Hob.XXIVb:7 Symphony No 1 in D major, Hob 1/1 (1st mvt) Salve Regina in E major, Hob. XXIIIb:1 (I. Salve Regina) Horn Concerto No 1 in D, Hob.VIId:3 Vada adagio, signorina, Hob.XXIVb:12 L'isola disabilitata, Act 2, sc 12 Sonata No 46 in A flat major Hob XVI/46 II (3rd mvt) L’infedeltà delusa, Act I. Scene 1: Introduction: Bella sera The Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross (Sonata No 2) Armida, Act 1: Parti Rinaldo - Se pietade avete Mass in D minor, H.XXII:11 “Nelson Mass” (Gloria) Motetto "O ceolitum beati", Hob. XXIIIa:G9 Keyboard Concerto No 2 in D major, Hob.XVIII:2 String Quartet in E flat major, Op 33, No 2 'The Joke' (2nd mvt) Michael Haydn: Requiem in C minor (excerpts) String Quartet in G major, Op 33, No 5 (2nd & 4th mvts) Symphony No 82 in C major, 'The Bear' (1st mvt) Missa Cellensis in honorem Beatissimæ Virginis Mariæ, Hob. XXII:5 (excerpts) String Quartet in D major, Op 64, No 5, 'The Lark' (1st mvt) Piano Trio No 39 in G major, Hob.XV:25 'Gypsy' (3rd mvt) Symphony No 91 in E flat major (2nd mvt) Piano Sonata No 59 in E flat major, HobXVI:49 (1st mvt) Piano Trio No 40 in F sharp minor, Hob: XV:26 (2nd mvt) Die Schöpfung, Part 3, (No 30)

Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Johannah Smith

For full track listings, including artist and recording details, and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after broadcast) head to the series page for Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001l4cf

And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z