Whilst it used to be common practice to compose for God and the current rulers, the Viennese Classical era broke with this tradition and its music was written for a wide audience. At that time, a market for freelance composers also emerged, which Haydn knew how to take advantage of. With the help of the newly-established music publishers, he was able to compose “on a freelance basis” and sell his works to international clients.

Considering Haydn grew up in very modest circumstances, he enjoyed a remarkable career. The four houses where he once lived are depicted on the left side of the room and provide a good illustration of his journey. He grew up in the humble farmhouse, in what is now Lower Austria, as the child of a simple agent of Count Harrach. The boy’s talent was quickly recognised, and after recieving basic musical training from his uncle, young Joseph came to Vienna’s St. Stephen’s Cathedral as a chorister. As a result of an unfortunate escapade and his voice breaking, he lost his place in the choir. There followed several years of hardship that young Haydn had to overcome in the attic of Michaelerhaus. But on the genteel floors below lived people who could help him: the Habsburg Court poet and opera librettist, Pietro Metastasio, whose servant and pupil he became, and especially Princess Esterházy, with the help of whose sons Haydn soon reinvented himself as Court Musical Director.

The Esterházy’s palace in Eisenstadt is the third depicted building. Under Count Nikolaus I., who is pictured above the sedan chair in the left-hand corner of the room, Haydn was able to develop his musical talent for 30 years. Thanks to a decent pension and two hugely successful concert tours to London, he could even afford ownership of a home in his old age – the final building pictured here, is still standing today and open to visitors (Vienna Museum – Haydn’s House).

As you can gather from the display on the front wall of the room, Haydn was a highly disciplined person who adhered to a very strict daily routine. It was probably due to his perfect organisational skills that he was able to accept composition commissions alongside his full-time employment with the count, thereby making an international name for himself. This reputation also preceded him to England, where he became the star of the London music scene during his concert tours. Naturally, he also gained inspiration for his work in England: the melody of the Emperor’s Hymn is said to be derived from the English anthem “God Save the King”, and Leopold Haschka’s original text also resembles its English counterpart. Even the piece considered to be Haydn’s most famous work, “The Creation”, was written following his trip to London – the scene behind the string quartet depicts the performance of the Oratorio in honour of Haydn’s 76th birthday, and to its right, you can see the picture again, with an added detailed caption.

Haydn reached a ripe old age for his time, but during his final years, he was no longer able to compose. Haydn’s final string quartet, Op. 103, which he himself called “my last child”, consists of just two movements – you’ll find the score in the display cabinet. Instead of a final movement, Haydn attached his last visiting card with the words: “All my strength has gone; old and weak am I.”