Author Description

Hailed in Symphony magazine as "an invaluable aid to scholars," this new paperback edition offers a gold mine of information on the immensely prolific Austrian composer and the father of both the symphony and the string quartet--Joseph Haydn. In more than 900 alphabetical entries, Haydn's world is brought to vivid life. All of his music is highlighted, including his symphonies, concertos, masses, oratorios, operas, string quartets and other chamber works, sonatas, and miscellaneous choral pieces. The volume includes informative entries on Haydn's family, friends, patrons and contemporaries (Mozart and the young Beethoven among them) and it illuminates the many ideas, influences, and aesthetics that played a major role in his life. Published to coincide with the 200th anniversary of Haydn's death, this superb companion is an invaluable resource for students, teachers, and music lovers, offering a wealth of information, complemented by maps, family trees, a chronology, a list of works, and expert assessments of Haydn's compositions and increasing popularity.