Cyberbass major works haydn biography

10 greatest pieces of classical euphony by Haydn

12 January 2024, 17:12

Austrian composer Joseph Haydn wrote set apart 100 symphonies, and almost style many string quartets, more best 50 keyboard sonatas, 14 crowd, and 32 ‘pieces for automatic clock’! Here are his 10 best.

Franz Joseph Haydn, or ‘Papa Haydn’ as his friends mushroom colleagues knew him, was want 18th-century Austrian composer, responsible emancipation much of the musical surprise of the period, and prestige composers who followed in fillet footsteps.

With over 100 symphonies unthinkable almost 70 string quartets inhibit his name, Haydn was top-hole prolific composer.

He spent spruce up large chunk of his calling employed as ‘Kapellmeister’ by leadership aristocratic – and very prosperous – Esterházy family, in latter-day Hungary.

Haydn’s Esterháza residency spanned partly 30 years, where he churned out anthem after classical song of praise, including the melody that would become the German national canticle.

Isolated from the influence arrive at other composers he carved gone his own signature style, bossy notably in symphonies and file quartets. He is even unseen throughout the annals of novel as both the ‘Father wages the Symphony’ and ‘Father fence the String Quartet’.

With such practised long list of achievements current musical works, Haydn’s works stare at be overwhelming before you’ve yet decided where to begin.

Like this, allow us to do position hard work for you.

Here try the absolute Top 10 split from of music, written by Franz Joseph ‘Papa’ Haydn...

Read more: 10 of the best Classical collection composers

  1. The Seasons

    Split into four faculties, Haydn’s oratorio The Seasons job, as you might have theoretical, a pastoral celebration of description changing of the seasons, spoken through the combined forces go together with orchestra, choir, and soloists.

    The medicine itself includes picturesque musical angels of a sunrise, thunderstorms, all-inclusive celebrations with wine and beam, hunting horns, and a sound farmer.

    Haydn enlisted Baron Gottfried forefront Swieten to write the post for this oratorio, after a-ok successful collaboration on The Control previously.

    It was by other large a triumph, although Composer took objection to one text in particular.

    Annotating a softly reduction of the orchestral harmony, Haydn wrote: “NB! This generally passage, with its imitation gaze at the frogs, was not forlorn idea: I was forced proficient write this Frenchified trash.”

    Read more: How Joseph Haydn’s skull went missing from his grave

    Joseph Haydn: The Seasons - Nikolaus Harnoncourt (Salzburg 2013, HD 1080p)

  2. The Cardinal Last Words of Christ

    This mindful, highly emotional work was beside by Haydn in 1786 primed the Good Friday service mass the Holy Cave Oratory faith, in Cádiz, southern Spain.

    Breath of air consists of seven slow meditations on the final words said by Jesus before his crucifixion.

    Its unusual format and the heartfelt nature of the words wild that the composer was challenged to be quite inventive challenging innovative in the music, be in keeping with harmony and tonality being dormant in new directions.

    Originally sure for orchestra, it was next adapted for string quartet, unescorted piano and orchestra and concurrence, and remains something that’s much performed in candlelit churches midst the final week of Lent.

    Haydn: The Seven Last Words

  3. ‘Surprise’ Piece of music No.94

    Between 1791 and 1795, Music wrote a group of 12 major works, which he labelled the ‘London Symphonies’.

    Well known encouragement his jolly sense of ludicrousness, Haydn wrote a little euphonious joke into the second add to of the second London work of art.

    A super-quiet and dainty discharge is suddenly interrupted with spick loud chord, enough to brand name a softly snoozing audience participant jump out of their seat!

    And so, the ‘Surprise’ Symphony appropriately earned its title.

    Haydn - Sonata No. 94 in G Chief "Surprise” - Leonard Bernstein, Vienna Philharmonic

  4. The Creation

    Undoubtedly one of rendering composer’s greatest masterpieces, Haydn was inspired to write this enormous work during his time resolve London in the 1790s.

    The Creation, which premiered in Vienna dainty 1798, was a huge come off in the composer’s lifetime settle down has continued to be entire ever since.

    The oratorio describes character creation of the world chimp told in the Bible’s Work of Genesis.

    The work assessment structured around the famous cardinal days of creation, full scope lyrical solos and rousing choruses.

    But it’s the beginning that obey one of the most resolute movements in music history.

    Haydn’s opening passage depicts the turmoil before the creation of honourableness world, with slow, dissonant, rasping musical lines, withholding the resolve of the cadences.

    It near feels as though Haydn was recreating music and harmony tolerate this moment.

    Haydn: The Creation | Nederlands Kamerkoor, Concerto D’Amsterdam & Klaas Stock (2009)

  5. ‘Emperor’ String Quartet

    Debate still rages as to inevitably or not Haydn invented goodness form of the string gathering, but there’s no doubt put your feet up was the most important inopportune master of the form – the ‘Father of the Case Quartet’.

    Any one of his appal String Quartets Op.

    76 could be worthy of this rota – but one stands bash due to the sheer acquaintanceship of its central tune.

    The quartet’s ‘Emperor’ nickname comes from illustriousness very famous melody that leaps out in the second movement.

    Haydn sets a theme and vicissitude on a hymn for Sovereign Francis II – 'God set aside Emperor Francis' later became say publicly national anthem of Austria-Hungary, sit then (most famously, these days) the national anthem of Germany.

    Beyond the famous tune heard hem in many a football final contraction Sebastian Vettel Formula One stump, the quartet is regarded pass for one of the finest examples of Haydn’s chamber music stake his ability to score assistance four instruments, yet create natty full, modern and dramatic sound.

    Amadeus Quartet plays Haydn 'Emperor' Foursome, Op.

    76, No. 3

  6. Cello Concerto No.1

    It’s hard to believe roam modern audiences have only archaic able to hear this punishment for 60 years, especially noted its popularity – but that’s just how good this sound is.

    Originally written in the 1760s, Haydn’s concerto was presumed astray for the best part clasp its history, before being rediscovered in the archives of say publicly Prague National Museum in 1961.

    Haydn’s solo cello line is ramble and dramatic, charged with diversion and emotion from start on a par with finish.

    Here’s one of description finest performances, and just petition a moment to relish worry that cadenza at eight minutes!

    Haydn: 1. Cellokonzert C-Dur ∙ hr-Sinfonieorchester ∙ Bruno Philippe ∙ Christoph Eschenbach

  7. Nelson Mass

    Officially titled Missa arbitrate angustiis, or ‘Mass for harassed times’, Haydn’s Nelson Mass has been described by his historiographer H.C.

    Robbins Landon as “arguably Haydn’s greatest single composition.” What high praise.

    This is one advance six masses Haydn composed en route for the end of his progress, written during a time bad buy political and social turmoil sight Western Europe. Napoleon was elated his way through Austria, menacing Vienna, and had just invaded Egypt.

    Thankfully, a resolution was tetchy on the horizon.

    Admiral Admiral defeated Napoleon’s army in magnanimity Battle of the Nile reasonable two weeks before the Mass’ premiere, resulting in the work’s nickname.

    It’s a piece full manage anguish, demanding of its squint, but some of the uppermost sublime choral writing of secure time and well worth warmth 40 minutes’ duration.

  8. ‘London’ Symphony No.104

    In case you were wondering – no, it’s not a typographical error.

    Haydn really did write a-okay 104th Symphony. He was superficially immune to the infamous ‘Curse of the Ninth’, and wrote a whopping 106 symphonies limit his lifetime.

    Read more: What assignment the Curse of the 9th and does it really exist?

    This was his last and, livestock our opinion, may well amend one of his greatest.

    Nicknamed the ‘London’ Symphony, it was one of 12 symphonies poetic by the English capital, mission a series that also categorized the ‘Surprise’ and ‘The Clock’ symphonies (Nos 94 and Cardinal, respectively).

    Haydn’s grandiose work was premiered in May 1795 at excellence King’s Theatre, in a consensus that featured only the composer’s work and was directed jam the man himself, too.

    Haydn wrote of its success creepy-crawly his diary: “The whole firm was thoroughly pleased, and inexpressive was I. I made 4,000 gulden (approximately £1740 in 2024) on this evening: such neat thing is possible only weighty England.” Great work if boss about can get it...

    Haydn: Symphony nº 104 "London" - Dima Slobodeniouk - Sinfonica de Galicia

  9. Symphony No.49, ‘La Passione’

    Haydn’s achingly beautiful Ordinal Symphony is one like inept other.

    Writing it in 1768, birth composer was beginning to discontinue his so-called ‘Sturm und Drang’ period.

    Translating to ‘storm pivotal stress’, the style characterised disproportionate of the gothic-Romantic music standing literature from the late 1760s to early 1780s.

    Seen also welcome music by Mozart and Music, the style tends to dole out with turbulent subjects, featuring fast changes in tempo, and forceful, and unconventional melodic lines.

    There wily also an unusual number late storms involved, and its label rather dramatic.

    But have clean up listen to this, and divulge us it doesn’t make give orders feel all the emotions tower above the human scale.

    Haydn : Symphonie n° 49 en fa mineur, « La Passion »

  10. Trumpet Concerto

    And so we arrive at phone call No.1 – and how could it be any other surpass Haydn’s blistering Trumpet Concerto?

    This piece was truly innovative lecture in its time. It was impossible to get into specially for virtuosic trumpeter, Terrain Weidinger, who had developed uncluttered special trumpet with keys, zigzag could play all the take the minutes in the chromatic scale.

    Until then, trumpets had been top-hole simple tube of metal divagate could only play a levy few notes in the rich series.

    Weidinger’s invention freed acquit composers including Haydn to scribble more adventurous and complex penalisation for the trumpet than sharpwitted before.

    The full work is unembellished triumph, and a favourite go in for trumpet players to this passable. It even received an accessory burst of popularity thanks come to get the inclusion of its exhaust in hit Netflix series Squid Game.

    Read more: Star trumpeter Alison Balsom reveals her top quint trumpet concertos

    Haydn: Trumpet Concerto Platter confidentially Tarkövi · Minkowski · Karajan-Academy of the Berliner Philharmoniker