Sometimes affectionately referred to as “Papa Haydn,” Franz Joseph Haydn is often regarded as the father of two of the most important genres to come out of the classical era: the symphony and the string quartet. He invented neither genre, but his body of work was significant enough in both quality and quantity to earn him such a reputation. Haydn’s influence on fellow composers was also profound; he was another of the now-famous group of classical composers to come out of Vienna, and was a friend to Mozart and a teacher to Beethoven.

Haydn’s compositions were met with success during his lifetime. Though he is now more remembered for his instrumental works, his vocal compositions were equally famous, particularly early in his career. For many years, he served as Kappellmeister, or court composer, in the Esterházy court, a post vital to his development as a composer. Haydn would later say: “My prince was satisfied with all my works; I received approval. As head of an orchestra I could try things out, observe what creates a [good] effect and what weakens it, and thus revise, make additions or cuts, take risks. I was cut off from the world, nobody in my vicinity could upset my self-confidence or annoy me, and so I had no choice but to become original.”