Franz Joseph Haydn
1732 - 1809
Austrian Composer
Haydn was born in Rohrau, Austria. He was educated at the Cathedral Choir School of St Stephen's in Vienna. He became musical director for Count von Morzin's court musicians, for whom he wrote his earliest symphonies.

1761-90 he worked for the Esterhazy family as musical director which allowed him much time for compositions.

Haydn created the form of the classical symphony and string quartet as we know them today and he became one of the most important figures in the development of Classical music during the 18th century.

In his instrumental music he brought to mature realization the formal structural principles of the Classical style. Haydn's work includes 104 symphonies, 14 operas, and numerous string quartets, sonatas, concertos and oratorios.

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