Sibling rivalries
Donald Macleod takes a closer look at Haydn's family ties, including his younger brother and fellow composer Michael, with music including Haydn's sparkling Keyboard Concerto in D.
Donald Macleod takes a closer look at Haydn's family ties, including his younger brother and fellow composer Michael, with music including Haydn's sparkling Keyboard Concerto in D.
The streets must have seemed like they were paved with gold when Haydn visited London in 1791. He was feted and applauded everywhere he went as one of Europeβs leading composers. He hobnobbed with royalty, the Prince of Wales commissioned a portrait of him from leading society portraitist John Hoppner. Itβs still regarded as one of the best images we have today.
Haydn could hardly have imagined all this as a boy. His really is a rags-to-riches story. Born in 1732 in humble circumstances, Haydn's musical talent won him a position as a choir boy in Vienna's St. Stephen's Cathedral. However, he was forced to leave after his voice broke and, by the age of 17, he was on the streets, with only βthree miserable shirts and a worn-out coatβ to his name. Happily, his life did then take an upward turn. Haydn was employed by the EsterhΓ zys, one of the most powerful and influential families in the Hapsburg monarchy, for an astonishing 48 years.
But this week, Donald Macleod puts the public face of this internationally celebrated figure to one side. Heβs going to be looking at Haydn through a narrower lens, drawing a picture of the composer through the relationships he enjoyed with some of his closest family and friends.
In 1745 Michael joined Haydn as a chorister at St. Stephen's in Vienna. It wasn't long before the beauty of his voice put his elder brother's into the shade.
Piano Sonata No. 1 in G major, Hob.XVI:8
V. Allegro
Jean Efflam Bavouzet, piano
Mass in D minor, H.XXII:11 (Nelson Mass)
Gloria
Jonty Ward, treble
Hugh Cutting, alto
Nick Pritchard, tenor
Tom Edwards, bass
New College choir Oxford
New Century Baroque
Edward Higginbottom, director
Motetto "O ceolitum beati", Hob. XXIIIa:G9
Ann Monoyios soprano
Daniel RΓΌller, tenor
Soloists of TΓΆlzer Knabenchor
Matthias Ritter, alto
Jonas Will, alto
Tafelmusik
Bruno Weil, conductor
Keyboard Concerto No. 2 in D major, Hob.XVIII:2
I: Vivace
II: Un poco adagio
III: Rondo all ungarese
Alexandre Tharaud, piano
Les Violons du Roy
Bernard Labadie, conductor
Haydn: String Quartet, Op. 33 No. 2 in E flat major 'The Joke'
II: Scherzo
Doric String Quartet
Michael Haydn: Requiem in C minor
'Pro defuncto archiepiscopo Sigismundo',
VIa. Agnus Dei et Communio. Agnus Dei β Lux aeterna
VIb. Agnus Dei et Communio. Cum sanctis tuis
VII. Requiem aeternam: Requiem aeternam β Cum sanctis tuis
Carolyn Sampson, soprano
Hilary Summers, alto
James Gilchrist tenor
Peter Harvey, bass
Choir of The Kingβs Consort
The Kingβs Consort
Robert King, conductor
Producer: Johannah Smith
On radio
Music Played
-
Joseph Haydn
Keyboard Concerto No. 2 in D major, Hob.XVIII:2
Performer: Alexandre Tharaud. Ensemble: Les Violons du Roy. Conductor: Bernard Labadie.- ERATO : 2564626268.
- ERATO.
- 6.
-
Joseph Haydn
String Quartet, Op. 33 No. 2 in E flat major 'The Joke' (2nd mvt)
Ensemble: Doric String Quartet.- Chandos : 20129-2.
- Chandos.
- 6.
-
Michael Haydn
Requiem in C minor (Agnus Dei et Communio)
Singer: Carolyn Sampson. Singer: Hilary Summers. Singer: James Gilchrist. Singer: Peter Harvey. Choir: Choir of the Kingβs Consort. Ensemble: The Kingβs Consort. Conductor: Robert King.- HYPERION : CDA-67510.
- HYPERION.
- 7.
Broadcasts
- Wed 26 Apr 2023 12:00ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3
- Wed 15 Jan 2025 16:00ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3
Beethoven Unleashed β the box set
What was really wrong with Beethoven?
Composers A to Z
Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week
Five reasons why we love Parry's Jerusalem
What is the strange power of Jerusalem which makes strong men weep?
A man out of time β why Parry's music and ideas were at odds with his image...
The composer of Jerusalem was very far from the conservative figure his image suggests.
Composer Help Page
Find resources and contacts for composers from within the classical music industry.