Franz Joseph Haydn was born in 1732 in the tiny village of Rohrau, Austria. His parents lacked any formal musical training, but they were great enthusiasts of Austrian folk music. Recognizing their son’s unusual talent, they sent him at age six to live with a relative in a larger city so that he could benefit from musical training. 
 

As a child, Haydn learned to play the harpsichord and violin. He also sang in his church choir, and it did not take long for him to attract the attention of a Viennese music director who heard him sing. At the age of eight, Haydn moved to Vienna to sing in the choir of the prestigious St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna. Here he was among the musical elite, but his lifestyle was modest – he literally sang for his supper.
 

When Haydn’s voice changed during puberty, he could no longer sing in the church choir. As a teenager he cobbled together a living by teaching lessons and performing on the street. But Haydn did not enjoy a freelance lifestyle, so as his reputation increased he began to seek out noble patrons who could offer him a salary. In 1761 he secured a position that he would hold for rest of his life, supervising the musical activities at the estate of the wealthy Esterhazy family of Hungary.

Haydn was fortunate to earn this position, which afforded him a comfortable living and considerable artistic freedom. He enjoyed the respect and support of the Esterhazy family, who permitted him to write for publication in addition to the music that he wrote for them. His reputation among the broader musical community continued to thrive. However, he missed his friends in Vienna – one of whom was Mozart – and felt isolated at the distant Esterhazy palace.

In his late fifties, while still maintaining a professional relationship with the Esterhazy family, Haydn began to explore other musical centers – most notably London and Vienna, where he became a tutor to a young Beethoven. For the first time in his life, he secured his own home and established an independent life in Vienna, spending his summers at the Esterhazy estate.
 

Haydn’s great works included the oratorios The Creation and The Seasons, numerous symphonies including his famous Surprise Symphony, and numerous pieces of chamber music. He composed the melody that would later become the Austrian national anthem.