Lesson 6

Classical (1750-1820)

Haydn, Mozart and the development of the symphony.

Give the People What They Want

Haydn and Mozart composed their music in a time whose people wanted, according to contemporary musical critics, noble, yet entertaining universal music that was accessible to most listeners. To understand how music transformed from the early to the late 18th century and how that affected these two great composers, read chapter 13 of A History of Classical Music, “Sonata, Symphony, and Opera in the Early Classic Period.”

Franz Joseph Haydn

It wouldn’t be Classical without Haydn and Mozart — this lesson will cover the lives of these two masters. We’ll also take a brief look at the development of the symphony.

Papa Haydn

Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven are the architects of the Classical music genre and its various forms. As the founding member of the Big Three Classical masters, Haydn is sometimes referred to as “Papa” Haydn or “the father of the symphony” for his exquisite symphonic compositions and for his development of the symphonic form.

In the Beginning: Choirboy (1732-1748)

Joseph Haydn was born in 1732, in the town of Rohrau, near Vienna, Austria. Music must have played an important part in the Haydn household, because two of Joseph’s younger brothers, Michael and Johann Evangelist, also became well-known musicians, though they were greatly overshadowed by their older brother’s talent and reputation.

When “Little Joe” was six, he was sent to the nearby town of Hainburg to sing in the church choir and begin elementary school. Within two years, the talented choirboy was invited to sing with the choir at St. Stephen’s cathedral in Vienna, where he continued his general education as well as lessons in voice, harpsichord, piano, and violin. Joseph remained with the choir until his voice changed and he lost his paid position.

Learning on the Job: Vienna (1748-1761)

In 1748, at the age of 16, Joseph Haydn was on the streets of Vienna looking for work. He managed to find a miserable, leaky room on the top floor of an apartment complex that he could afford. His choice in lodging, though barely tolerable on cold, rainy nights, came with a silver lining. Through one of the tenants in the better half of the complex, Joseph eventually met Nicola Porpora, a noted Italian composer and singing instructor who was in need of a harpsichordist. Haydn got the job and received free singing lessons in the Italian style while accompanying Porpora’s students. Joseph continued his “freelance” work until 1756, when he gained employment as music director for a wealthy nobleman, Count Ferdinand Maximilian von Morzin. Haydn became conductor of the Morzin orchestra in Lukavec (today’s Czechoslovakia), where he composed his first orchestral compositions, some of which would come to the attention of his next employer.

The Missing Skull

Three days after Joseph Haydn’s burial at the cemetery of Hundsthurm, his head was stolen from the grave. The culprits were supporters of a “skull theory” that claimed to see direct connections between talent, character, and the shape of the skull.

From Pauper to Prince: at the Esterhazy Court (1761 – 1766)

In 1761, at the age of 29, Joseph Haydn hit the big time. Count Morzin was no longer able to maintain his orchestra, and Joseph, by now a musician of some renown, was a free agent. He was immediately hired as second conductor in the court of Prince Paul Anton Esterhazy, who had heard Haydn’s work performed by the Morzin orchestra. Prince Paul died just over a year after Haydn came on board, but his brother Prince Nikolaus was one of the best things to ever happen to Joseph. Not only was Nikolaus generous, he was an enthusiastic musician and encouraged Joseph to write new and different types of compositions. Along with all of his other work, which was quite time-consuming, Haydn found time to write over 100 simple trios for the musician-prince.

In spite of the benefits, Joseph eventually tired of the sequestered life of a court musician, and began asking permission to travel to Vienna when the prince was traveling and not in need of his services. For one reason or another, the prince never said yes. When the prince died unexpectedly in 1790, Haydn was dismissed by the incoming prince, Anton. Not only did Haydn gain his freedom, he also received a handsome annual income (thanks to a gift from the estate of Prince Nikolaus) that allowed him to lead a life free of financial concern.

Haydn packed his bags and moved back to Vienna.

Haydn’s Cello Concerto in D (Opus 101) was written in 1783, and is considered one of the essential compositions in the cello repertoire:

Nos. 1 and 2: “Allegro Moderato” (disc 1, selection 4)

Haydn: Concerto For Cello And Orchestra Nos. 1 & 2
Yo-Yo Ma
Same Day Delivery in Manhattan.

Catalog Number: 36674
UPC: 74643667425
Format: CD
Release Date: Oct 25 1990
Label: SONY

Starting in 1786, Haydn wrote a number of symphonies for a Paris concert series. The first of these symphonies, Number 82, is nicknamed “The Bear” after 18th-century street musicians who worked with dancing bears.

“Symphony No. 82 in C, ‘The Bear’: Minuet” (disc 1, selection 3)

Haydn: The Paris Symphonies Nos. 82-87

Catalog Number: 438727
UPC: 28943872720
Format: CD
Release Date: Jan 18 1994
Label: POLYGRAM RECORDS

The English Years (1790-1795)

Haydn’s stay in Vienna was almost immediately interrupted by a visit from German violinist Johann Peter Salomon, who persuaded Joseph to join him on a trip to England for a concert tour. They arrived in January 1791, and the 59-year-old Haydn, after decades of composing and performing for limited audiences, finally knew public fame. His “Surprise” Symphony, No. 94, was written during his first year in England.

“Symphony No. 94 in G, ‘Surprise’: Adagio: Vivace Assai” (disc 1, selection 5)

Haydn: Symphonies Nos. 92, 94, & 96
Same Day Delivery in Manhattan.

Catalog Number: 46332
UPC: 74644633221
Format: CD
Release Date: Apr 5 1991
Label: SONY

His 18-month trip was a major success, and even included an honorary doctorate of music from the University of Oxford. He returned to Vienna in the middle of 1792, bought a house in the “suburbs” the following year, and spent most of his time composing and performing his works.

Sound Bite

“Symphony Number 104, ‘London’” (written in 1795) was the twelfth symphony he composed during his two visits to England, and the last symphony he wrote.

Disc 1, #4: “Symphony #104, ‘London’”

Symphonies/The Greatest Hits

Catalog Number: 3621
UPC: 15095362124
Format: CD
Release Date: Mar 3 1998
Label: INTERSOUND RECORDS

Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto in E-flat was written in 1796 for Haydn’s Viennese contemporary, trumpeter Anton Weidinger:

“Concerto in E-flat: Finale: Allegro” (disc 1, selection 3)

Classics For All Seasons: Spring

Catalog Number: 80321
UPC: 89408032127
Format: CD
Release Date: Mar 17 1992
Label: TELARC

The last years of Haydn’s life were spent composing mostly sacred music, once again as an employee of the Esterhazy Court.

In 1802 he completed his last work, a mass entitled Harmoniemesse. In December of 1803, he conducted his last concert. In 1808 Haydn was honored by the city of Vienna with a concert, conducted by Antonio Salieri, to celebrate his 76th birthday. Haydn was so frail by then that he had to be carried inside the concert hall on his favorite chair.

Franz Joseph Haydn died peacefully in his home in the suburbs of Vienna in 1809.

Haydn’s oratorio The Creation is one the master’s greatest works, featuring the text of the Book of Genesis as well as select verse from Milton’s Paradise Lost:

“Part I: 5, What Wonder Doth His Work Reveal” (disc 1, selection 5)

Haydn: The Creation
Robert Shaw

Catalog Number: 80298
UPC: 89408029820
Format: CD
Release Date: Oct 27 1992
Label: TELARC

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Here are a couple of things you should know before you begin reading about Mozart.

• In 1862, Ludwig von Kochel successfully catalogued the works of Mozart, assigning each composition a number. Since then, Mozart’s works have been referred to by their original title and their “K” (Kochel) number.
• I’m going to tell the Mozart story chronologically, mixing together biographical information with samples of his music.

Prelude to a Life in Music (1756-1761)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born to loving parents, Leopold and Anna Maria Mozart, in January 1756, in the principality of Salzburg. His older sister Maria Anna (born in 1751) was the only other child (out of seven) to survive beyond infancy.

Leopold was a gifted instrumentalist and composer in the Salzburg orchestra, and began Maria Anna’s musical and general education when she turned seven years old. During her clavier lessons, her curious three-year-old brother would totter in to watch and listen. Little Wolfgang soon was spending a good deal of time at the clavier, imitating what he had heard. Leopold realized that both of his children had an ear for music, and he expanded their musical education. It soon became obvious that the little boy had more than just an ear.

Intimations of Immortality (1761)

In January 1761, a few days before his fifth birthday, Wolfgang sat down at the clavier and began to work on a composition from his sister’s music book. His father recorded the event, noting that it took the young lad only 30 minutes to master the work. A few days later he repeated the amazing feat with a different composition. Soon he was writing his own little compositions (K. 1-5), very short and simple, but a prelude to what would eventually follow.

Out of Kindergarten and on the Road (1762-1766)

Mozart’s father began making arrangements early on to display his son’s genius. The first of many scheduled appearances by Mozart (and his sister Maria Anna) was in January 1762, at the Munich court of Maximilian III Joseph, Elector of Bavaria, when Wolfgang was just six years old. Although the Mozart children astounded the courtiers with their precocity, nothing much came of this visit. However, a trip to Vienna later that year, with performances before Empress Maria Theresa (mother of Marie Antoinette), would lead to other European engagements in the near future.

Some historians believe that Leopold Mozart was a self-serving, ambitious man who promoted his children against their better interests and to the benefit of his pocketbook and reputation. Others look a little deeper, both at the Mozart family and at the 18th century culture in which they lived. While Leopold and Anna Maria were strict parents, there were also good, loving parents who were concerned with the welfare of their children. The fact that Leopold was educating both daughter and son (at a time when education for girls was still considered questionable) provides a small insight into his attitude towards his children. No doubt fatherly pride played an important role in his efforts with Wolfgang and Maria Anna, but Leopold’s opportunity to give his children a head start in life, particularly in an era when little provision was made for those unable to fend for themselves, must be considered alongside his personal ambition.

When Wolfgang was seven, the family set out on a journey to Paris, arriving in November 1763. They entertained at the highest courts, had dinner with Queen Maria Leszczynska and Louis XV, and enjoyed a bit of life in the fast carriage-lane. Of special note, a few short compositions of Wolfgang’s were first published during this period (K. 6-9).

The family’s tour of Paris eventually led them to cities and royal performances throughout Europe and England. It was during their stay in London that Johann Christian Bach (son of J. S. Bach) befriended the family and Wolfgang began to write his first symphony, Sym. in E flat (K. 16), with the ready assistance of his father. At various times, financial lows and illness forced recuperative delays. Still, for the most part the trip was a musical and financial success, and the family returned to Salzburg in November 1766.

Discuss

Do you a have a favorite work by Mozart? What is it? Why? Go to the message board to discuss with your classmates.

Finding His Voice (1766-1778)

In Salzburg, the 15-year-old started composing in earnest, developing his art in new styles.

He wrote his first opera, La finta semplice (K. 51), in 1768 and in 1769 Wolfgang and Leopold began another journey, this time to Italy. While they were visiting Rome, the Mozarts heard Gregorio Allegri’s Miserere, a composition for quartet and five-part choir that was sung in the Sistine Chapel every year during Holy Week. At the time, the work was the exclusive property of St. Peter’s, and copies were never allowed out of sight. Wolfgang listened carefully, went back to his room, and copied it note for note. He returned for a second listen to check for errors, but could’ve saved the trip. It was perfect.

Here’s a sample from Mozart’s first opera, La finta semplice:

K. 51: “Sinfonia” (disc 1, selection 1)

Mozart: La finta semplice

Catalog Number: 422528
UPC: 28942252820
Format: CD
Release Date: Sep 12 1991
Label: POLYGRAM RECORDS

Here’s a sample of Allegri’s composition, Miserere, which Mozart committed to memory in full.

Gregorio Allegri: Tallis Scholars 25th Anniversary: “Miserere mei Deus” (disc 1, selection 1)

Tallis Scholars 25th Anniversary
The Tallis Scholars

Catalog Number: 454990
UPC: 28945499024
Format: CD
Release Date: Sep 15 1998
Label: POLYGRAM RECORDS

Mozart continued to compose and travel, increasing his fame while working as a freelance musician. In 1772, he obtained employment as a concertmaster in Salzburg. The pay wasn’t much, but it helped. Wolfgang, in fact, was always on the lookout for composing contracts, performance opportunities, and a paying permanent gig. His search took him and his mother to France in 1777 in hopes of finding something new and better. Unfortunately, he couldn’t find a lucrative full-time position, and worse, his mother died while they were in Paris.

Fame, Small Fortune, and a Good Wife (1778-1786)

Wolfgang returned to Salzburg with a heavy heart, but was eventually encouraged by a slow turn of happier events:

• 1779: Retained as court organist in Salzburg, (writing his famous Coronation Mass (K. 317) during this period)
• 1781: Commissioned to write a new opera, which resulted in the masterful Idomeneo (K. 366)
• 1781: Met Joseph Haydn in Vienna; they became good friends and sincere admirers of each other’s works
• 1782: Married Constanze Weber, composed Symphony No. 35, Haffner

Here’s a sample from Mozart’s Coronation Mass:

K. 317: “Mass in C Major: Kyrie” (disc 1, selection 1)

Mozart: Coronation Mass/Exsultate,Jubilate/Vesperae Solennes

Catalog Number: 445353
UPC: 28944535327
Format: CD
Release Date: Nov 22 1994
Label: POLYGRAM RECORDS

Here’s a link to a sample from Haffner, an optimistic symphony written while Mozart was courting Constanze Weber:

Disc 1, #5: “Symphony No. 35 in D,” K. 385

Mozart: The Greatest Hits

Catalog Number: 3603
UPC: 15095360328
Format: CD
Release Date: Apr 13 1994
Label: INTERSOUND RECORDS

The Great Operas

Mozart’s fame was now well established in Europe and England, and the demand for his compositions grew. In 1786 he composed his most successful opera, The Marriage Of Figaro (K. 492), for the Vienna Opera, followed by Don Giovanni in 1787. Shortly after this, Wolfgang and Constanze encountered some tight financial times and had to request a loan from a personal friend in order to maintain their lifestyle for a couple of years. His work continued, however, and the compositions from the last few years of his life are some of the greatest musical works in the world.

Here is a greatest hits collection featuring some of Mozart’s most enduring work:

Mozart: The Greatest Hits:

“Marriage of Figaro,” K. 492 Overture (disc 1, selection 3), and
“Eine Kleine Nachtmusik,” K. 525 (disc 1, selection 1)

Catalog Number: 3603
UPC: 15095360328
Format: CD
Release Date: Apr 13 1994
Label: INTERSOUND RECORDS

Requiem

From 1789 through 1791, Wolfgang traveled, composed, performed, and taught at a pace that eventually outdistanced his health.

In late November 1791, Wolfgang took to his bed, gravely ill. His doctors attended as best they could, while Constanze, her sister, and some of Mozart’s students comforted and encouraged him. He continued to work on his final composition, the Requiem Mass in D Mino (K. 626), sketching instructions for his students to complete.

In the early morning of December 5, 1791, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died of what was very likely a streptococcal infection. He was 35 years old.

Here’s a sample of Mozart’s final composition:

K. 626: “Introitus: Requiem” (disc 1, selection 1)

Mozart: Requiem

Catalog Number: 429160
UPC: 28942916029
Format: CD
Release Date: May 1 1990
Label: POLYGRAM RECORDS

Schumann on Mozart

Robert Schumann wrote: “There are things in the world about which nothing can be said, as Mozart’s C Major Symphony (No. 41), much of Shakespeare, and pages of Beethoven.” See Classical Music: The 50 Greatest Composers and Their 1,000 Greatest Works, pages 115-130 for more on the life and influence of Mozart.

Epilogue

Much has been written about Mozart’s poverty (including the play Amadeus), particularly regarding the last five years of his life. Most of this commentary is based upon the nature of a letter written by Wolfgang in 1788 to his friend Michael Puchberg, asking for money, and the circumstances surrounding Mozart’s burial. In truth, there is much evidence to show Mozart was never even close to penury at any time during his life, and he certainly wasn’t alone at his death or funeral.

We should remember that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a famous man who moved in a social class that was well above average. Tight financial times for someone in his social strata didn’t mean the same thing to someone living in poverty. His income during the last years of his life, while not specifically recorded, can be estimated based upon certain things that are known about his life and about life in Salzburg and Vienna at the time. Friederich Schiller (1759-1805), the famous German playwright and a contemporary of Mozart and Haydn, wrote that he could live comfortably in Vienna on 2,000 florins annually. Wolfgang’s payment for The Marriage Of Figaro was 450 florins (or nearly three months of comfortable living), and he received twice that amount for subsequent operas. Add to that his income from his concerts, pupils, and publishing, and an annual figure between 3,000 and 4,000 florins takes shape. According to records, this is the salary range of a royal court secretary — far from Skid Row.

Let me use a question-and-answer format to set the record straight about Mozart’s socioeconomic condition.

Why did Mozart ask his friend for a loan?

Obviously, Wolfgang’s income had decreased, and he needed the loan to maintain the standard of living to which he and Constanze were accustomed.

Why did his income decrease?

Remember that at this time the major source of Wolfgang’s income was commissions to write compositions.

Where did the commissions come from?

Mostly from the affluent nobility in and around Vienna and Salzburg.

What happened to the commissions?

They decreased in number for a while.

Why did they decrease?

Well, in a nutshell, Turkey declared war on Russia in August 1787. Austria and Russia had a treaty. When Turkey declared war on Russia, Austria was obliged to come to the party. When a war’s raging, spare money for luxuries like new operas or symphonies is usually tough to come by.

You get the picture. Mozart’s income declined because the bulk of his clients were off fighting a war, not because he fell out of favor. However, when the clients began to return, so did Wolfgang’s income. The final two years of his life were filled with travel (including the coronation of Emperor Leopold II), performances, teaching, and new compositions, for which he was well paid. The idea of “Mozart the pauper” is inconsistent with the affairs, activities, and evidence of his life during this period, and is more a romanticized story of an unappreciated genius.

Despite foul weather, Mozart’s funeral at St. Stephen’s church in Vienna was well attended, and his passing was greatly mourned. His grave, at the cemetery of St. Marx, was quite some distance outside the city and was shared with three other adults after the custom of the day (unless, of course, you were of a noble family). His burial was unaccompanied. Since the hearse had to travel some distance to the cemetery and didn’t arrive until after dark, his casket wasn’t buried until the next morning. Unfortunately, the grave was unmarked, and a few years later all the remains from that area of the cemetery were moved to an unknown site.

I Hear a Symphony

Mozart was well known for isolating himself while he wrote entire symphonies in his head, rarely requiring a musical instrument to complete the composition. When he was satisfied with the result of his cogitation, he’d sit down and write out the composition. Similarly, Beethoven wrote his Ninth Symphony when he was completely deaf.

The Symphony

One of the most popular and complex forms of Classical music is the symphony, which in modern times is loosely based on the four movements (fast, slow, moderate, and fast) of the sonata form.

This enduring musical form didn’t spring to life in a vacuum, and there wasn’t just one distinct line of musical activity that popped into the world as a symphony; rather, a number of influences created the form, blending together over a period of years through the masterful workings of gifted composers. The opera overture, trio sonata, and concerto grosso were all 18th-century vehicles that helped move the orchestral symphony down the road in its development, and musicians such as Vivaldi, Scarlatti, the Bach family, Handel, and many others played important foundational roles by adding their own contributions.

Even though travel and communication were still slow in the Classical era, musicians still made it a point to attend concerts and otherwise share their ideas with each other whenever possible. It wasn’t uncommon for composers to borrow liberally from each other’s stocks of ideas and techniques. In so doing, composers would often filter such influences through their own experience and compositional prejudices, transforming someone else’s ideas into their own sound signatures. Sometimes, however, they would just borrow an idea lock, stock, and barrel. (Plagiarism in the 18th century was more of a compliment than a misdemeanor.) This was how musical styles and forms developed: through the interaction between musicians.

The Big Three

Three names stand out as masters of the symphonic form, and as the most influential voices in the form’s development. The symphonies of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven had more to say about the direction the form would take, and said it better, than the combined works of their contemporaries.

Haydn

Known as “the father of the symphony,” Haydn experimented with the early orchestral forms, employing new techniques and styles throughout his 104 symphonic compositions. He taught both Mozart and Beethoven and led the way with his vivid imagination and sense of humor. His most famous symphonies are the Philosopher (1764), Farewell (1772), the twelve Paris works (1785-1789), Miracle (1791), Surprise (1792), Military (1794), Clock (1794), and London (1795).

Here are two of Haydn’s most admired symphonies:

“London: Adagio/Allegro” (disc 1, selection 4)

Symphonies/The Greatest Hits

Catalog Number: 3621
UPC: 15095362124
Format: CD
Release Date: Mar 3 1998
Label: INTERSOUND RECORDS

“Symphony No. 94 in G, ‘Surprise’: Adagio” (disc 1, selection 5)

Haydn: Symphonies Nos. 92, 94, & 96
Same Day Delivery in Manhattan.

Catalog Number: 46332
UPC: 74644633221
Format: CD
Release Date: Apr 5 1991
Label: SONY

Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus was considered the “perfecter” of the Classical symphony. As a result of his creative and playful genius, the 18th-century form reached its highest level of beauty and technical expression. Of his 41 symphonies, some of the most popular are the Haffner (K. 385, 1782), Linz (K. 425, 1783), Prague (K. 504, 1786), E-flat Major (K. 543, 1788), G Minor (K. 550, 1788), and Jupiter (K. 551, 1788).

Here are samples of two symphonies written during different developmental periods in Mozart’s life.

Symphonies/The Greatest Hits, “Symphony No. 40 in G Minor K 550: Molto allegro” (disc 1, selection 2)

Catalog Number: 3621
UPC: 15095362124
Format: CD
Release Date: Mar 3 1998
Label: INTERSOUND RECORDS

“Symphony No. 41 in C Major, K. 551, ‘Jupiter’: Allegro vivace” (disc 1, selection 1)

Mozart: Symphonien Nos. 40 & 41/Jupiter
Same Day Delivery in Manhattan.

Catalog Number: 445548
UPC: 28944554823
Format: CD
Release Date: Sep 19 1995
Label: POLYGRAM RECORDS

Beethoven

This passionate German composer was the titan of the symphony. Though he wrote only nine symphonies, all of them were creative, emotional, and technical masterpieces. Beethoven built a bridge between the Classical and Romantic eras and then dragged everybody across. His popular symphonies are the Eroica (No. 3, 1803), No. 5 (1807-1808), Pastoral (No. 6, 1808), and No. 9 (1822-1824).

Here are Beethoven’s symphonies numbers 5 and 6. I assume that you already know the familiar refrains of No. 9.

Symphonies/The Greatest Hits: Symphony No. 5: “Allegro con brio” (disc 1, selection 1)

Catalog Number: 3621
UPC: 15095362124
Format: CD
Release Date: Mar 3 1998
Label: INTERSOUND RECORDS

Symphony No. 6, Pathetique: Allegro ma non troppo (disc 1, selection 4)

Beethoven: The Greatest Hits

Catalog Number: 3602
UPC: 15095360229
Format: CD
Release Date: Apr 13 1994
Label: INTERSOUND RECORDS

Moving Forward

Now that we’ve learned about the music of the Classical period, in the next lesson we’ll turn our attention to Romantic music and take a close look at the life of Beethoven. But for now, be sure to check your assignment and complete this lesson’s quiz.

Assignment: Classical (1750-1820)

1. Select one symphony each by Haydn and Mozart and listen to the entire composition. Do you prefer one over the other? Go to the message board to discuss.
2. Read Chapter 14 of The History of Western Music.