How Did Haydn's Music Develop

Joseph Haydn is regarded by most musicologists as one of the premiere composers of all time. When Haydn's musical output is studied he is consistently discussed as one of the prominent members of the musical canon. Many historians often overlook one of the most important reasons why Haydn's compositions developed over time. Some say that Haydn was influenced by composers such as Carl Emmanuel Bach, Nicola Porpora, and Johann Stamitz. There's is no doubt that these composers were indeed major influences on Haydn's compositional development, but Haydn was a product of his environment and working for Prince Paul Anton Esterhazy and Nicolaus Esterhazy were the underlying reason why Haydn's music developed over time into what we now recognize as masterworks. In a sense, Haydn isolation from the world while working …show more content…
Although much is unknown in regards to their working relationship, we do know that Haydn's earliest symphonies were written for Count Morzin. As we analyze the significance of the Esterházy court on Haydn's work, it is important to note that like Porpora and Carl E. Bach, like Count Morzin has his place in the development process of Haydn. In Haydn's biography Griesinger wrote, “ In the year 1759, Haydn was engaged as music director to Count Morzin in Vienna at a salary of 200 gulden, free lodging and board at the officers table. Here he was finally able to enjoy the happiness of a carefree existence; he was quite contented. The winters were in Vienna, the summers in Bohemia [. . .] As music director in the service of Count Morzin Haydn composed his first Symphony. 6 Like the Esterházy family, Count Morzin gave Haydn a stable environment where he would develop his own musical identity and according Robbins Landon a Haydn scholar, Haydn wrote his first eleven symphonies while employed by Count