Compare and Contrast the Lives of Haydn and Mozart

Haydn and Mozart

Haydn once told Mozart's father that his son was "the greatest composer known to me in person or by name; he has taste and, what is more, the greatest knowledge of composition," (Sadie). The student-teacher relationship between Mozart and his mentor was characterized by mutual respect: the younger Mozart dedicated six string quartets to his teacher, who deemed the master of that style. The intersecting lives of these two great composers are similar on many counts: both came from Viennese musical families, both exhibited talent at a very young age, and both struggled financially in spite of their awesome and acknowledged talents. Moreover, Mozart and Haydn traveled throughout Europe and though they never grew rich, they were both able to earn their livelihoods through music. In spite of these similarities, Mozart became by far the more renowned of the two composers, both in his day and in ours. Furthermore, their different personalities are reflected in their music and in their lives: Mozart demonstrated a hot-headedness in his compositions and in his life that Haydn generally did not. Mozart also died at a very young age from mysterious causes while Haydn lived until he was 77.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the "Golden Hope of Austria," and Franz Joseph Haydn, the "Father of the Symphony," each graced the world with prolific and powerful musical compositions in a wide range of genres. In fact, both Mozart and Haydn composed symphonies, operas, chamber music, and church music. Haydn, however, delved deeper into sacred works than did Mozart, likely due to his religious background and interests: one of Joseph Haydn's first musical experiences was as a choirboy for the Viennese Cathedral, and late in his life Haydn composed some oratorios for the "love of nature and God," (Schneider). While it is impossible to judge the inner worlds of either Haydn or Mozart, it seems as if Haydn was the more spiritual man of the two.

Haydn was born the second of twelve children; his father was a wheelwright, or wagon maker, and he was also musically inclined. When Joseph was a boy, his family would play music together with the elder Haydn on the harp and the children singing. Through one of these family performances, one of Haydn's cousins recognized the young boy's talent and offered him a place at his musical academy. Haydn was only five when he first attended the school. Mozart's early musical talents were a little more dramatic and pronounced. Young Wolfgang played the clavier as early as three years old and first composed music when he was five years old. Mozart actually became famous at age six, when he began performing in public. However, both Haydn and Mozart deserve to be known as child prodigies.

Mozart by far accomplished more in his youth than did Haydn. With his older sister accompanying him, Wolfgang traveled throughout Europe in his early teen years, performing for various notable patrons including the Pope and the King and Queen of England. Mozart was also knighted by the papal authority. Haydn, although he was employed by Prince Anton Esterhazy for thirty years, never reached the level of notoriety and acclaim that Mozart reached. Haydn also traveled to London, where he wrote his "London Symphonies," but never performed in front of the King and Queen as his pupil did.