Status Updates From Great Masters: Haydn - His ...

"Haydn was the one living composer that Mozart openly admired. Mozart once deftly defended a Haydn string quartet against the criticism of Leopold Kozeluch, a piano teacher at the Viennese court."

Prince Nicholas Esterházy provided pensions to elderly employees and supported their widows and he paid for any medications required by his employees. He also sent employees to a spa to receive treatment on his expense.

In 1762, Haydn’s benefactor, Prince Paul Anton Esterházy, died at age 51. His successor was his younger brother, Nicholas. He was nicknamed “The Magnificent” because of his love of splendor and display. For shock value Nicholas had a coat made which was covered in diamonds. Goethe described Nicholas as: "Not particularly tall but well-built, in spirit vivacious & distinguished and at the same time without coldness."

https://www.classical-music.com/featu...

Robert Greenberg does this for dramatic effect and I fully understand why and also felt entertained but it is only a rumour that his wife was using her husband’s manuscript scores as pastry linings and hair curlers. It is not that he is unfair per se and I enjoy his lectures and also Mr Greenberg says that there are two people to make a good marriage. But Haydn liked Maria Anna's younger sister Therese first.

When Haydn was learning composition:

According to Haydn the sonatas by C.P.E Bach (the so-called Hamburg Bach because he lived in Hamburg) opened up an entirely new musical world to him. "I did not leave the keyboard until I had mastered them all. In numerable time I played them for my own delight, especially when I felt depressed and discouraged by worries and always I left the insturment in high spirits."

"Georg Christoph Wagenseil was considered the most important Viennese
composer from 1740–60. This symphony is typical of Wagenseil’s mature work: brilliant, concise, and full of rhythmic and dynamic contrasts."

Symphony in B Flat Major, WV 438, Movement 3.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuvUs...

"Haydn was known as Papa Haydn, a designation bestowed on him by
the appreciative musicians who worked for him. Haydn took care of them and looked out for their best interests at a time when musicians were poorly treated. He was known for his kindness, generosity and extraordinary sense of humor."

First of eight lectures done. I gotta say, he might be flamboyant but I kinda like his style. :D

Oh my ... there is a lot of "oooh"-ing and "OH!"-ing and lots of other Os.*lol* He definitely has a DISTINCT lecture style. *chuckles*

But if we remember that this IS a lecture and not a book, it's actually fine. And, as I had hoped, the great thing is that many examples (audio snippets of the pieces) are included in the lecture.

Greenberg's always had an abundance of character but there's no way he wasn't on the sauce when he recorded these lectures!