ClassicalJoseph Haydn
Joseph Haydn was born in a little village in Austria.
Joseph Haydn’s life
The big moments of this life, and what was happening in the world at the same time.
A life at a glance
- 1732👶 Birth
Born in Rohrau on 31 March, son of a wheelwright
- 1740📚 Trainingage 8
Choirboy at St Stephen’s Cathedral, Vienna
- 1749🎩 Careerage 17
Dismissed when his voice breaks; lives from lessons and odd jobs
- 1752🌍 Meanwhile
Franklin studies lightning with a kite
- 1759🎼 Workage 27
First symphony, for Count Morzin
- 1761🎩 Careerage 29
Enters the service of the Esterházy princes
- 1772🎼 Workage 40
‘Farewell’ Symphony
- 1776🌍 Meanwhile
United States Declaration of Independence
- 1781🎼 Workage 49
String Quartets Op. 33; friendship with Mozart
- 1783🌍 Meanwhile
First manned flight in a hot-air balloon
- 1791🧳 Journeyage 59
First triumphant trip to London; Oxford doctorate
- 1804🌍 Meanwhile
Napoleon crowned emperor
- 1809🕯️ Deathage 77
Dies in Vienna on 31 May, during the French occupation
Listen to the music
Press the big button to listen. Close your eyes: how does it make you feel?
How does this music feel to you?
How does this music feel to you?
How does this music feel to you?
Excerpts of up to 90 seconds, freely licensed recordings from Wikimedia Commons.
Once upon a time…
Joseph Haydn was born in a little village in Austria. His dad mended cart wheels and played the harp. At eight Joseph became a singer in the great cathedral of Vienna.
When his child’s voice changed, he was sent away and found himself with no money. But he did not give up: he taught himself and became head of music for a very rich prince in a huge palace.
Haydn had a great sense of humour. To tell the prince his musicians wanted to go home, he wrote a symphony in which they leave one by one, blowing out their candles. In another, a big timpani stroke wakes up sleepy listeners!
He wrote more than a hundred symphonies. People affectionately call him “Papa Haydn”.
Joseph Haydn’s instruments
Tap an instrument to hear it!
Cards to flip
Are you an expert on Joseph Haydn?
Answer the questions and win stars!
Same era · Classical
1714 – 1788ClassicalCarl Philipp Emanuel Bach
Carl Philipp Emanuel was one of the sons of the great Johann Sebastian Bach.
1714 – 1787ClassicalChristoph Willibald Gluck
Christoph Willibald Gluck was born in Bavaria, Germany, more than three hundred years ago.
1743 – 1805ClassicalLuigi Boccherini
Luigi Boccherini was born in Lucca, Italy.
1752 – 1832ClassicalMuzio Clementi
Muzio Clementi was born in Rome.
1756 – 1791ClassicalWolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria.