Vienna

Donald Macleod explores Haydn’s trips from Esterhaza to Vienna and his attempts to join the Viennese musical scene from afar.

“Haydn! The admirable and matchless Haydn!” That is how the composer and writer on music Charles Burney described the composer. Over the course of this week, Donald Macleod explores how, before Burney came up with this effusive accolade, Haydn grew to become the most famous composer in the world, despite being holed up on a remote Hungarian estate, far from the musical in-crowds.

We will explore Haydn’s operatic successes, his attempts to infiltrate the Viennese musical world, and his relationship with the other great composer of his day – Mozart. Donald also discovers the contractual arrangement which allowed Haydn's music to spread throughout Europe and the circumstances which led to him leaving the employ of the Esterhazy family, just as his fame was hitting its height and Haydn himself was beginning to despair at being stuck in the Hungarian countryside.

In Tuesday’s programme, Donald explores Haydn’s trips from Esterhaza to Vienna and his delight at the luxury food and drink and musical delights on offer there. We’ll learn how Emperor Joseph’s reforms affected Haydn’s music making in the city and discover how, as a foreigner, Haydn found it difficult to break back into the Viennese musical scene, especially from afar.

Symphony no 60 – IV. Presto
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Simon Rattle, conductor

Piano Sonata no. 20 in C minor, Hob. XVI:20 I. Moderato
Paul Lewis, piano

Missa Cellensis Hob. XXII:8 - Gloria
Zurcher Sing-Akademie
Kammerorchester Basel
Rene Jacobs, conductor

Il Ritorno di tobia, Hob.XXI:1 – Anna, m’ascolta!
Simona Houda-Saturova, soprano (Raffaelle)
NDR Radio-Philharmonie
Alessandro de Marchi, conductor

Producer: Sam Phillips