Elmann Creative Corner Some Great Composers

Joseph Haydn, an Austrian, lived from 1732 to 1809 and became known as the `` Father of Symphony. `` because, unlike his predecessors, he wrote for the orchestra rather than for human voices, and favoured the long three-movement form of composition known to-day as the symphony. Generally a symphony begins with a bold, lively movement, goes on to a slow one, and ends with another noisy and cheerful one, but Haydn allowed himself to vary the pattern at times. Also he favoured simple melodies instead of the elaborate weaving of several tunes into a single whole, which was Bach `s favourite method of composition. Haydn was happy and successful and full of fun. Once, to remind his employer that neither he nor his orchestra had had any holiday, he wrote a symphony in which the players became fewer and fewer until only two violins were left. As the musicians finished their part of the performance they blew out their lamps, rolled up their music and walked off stage. The audience was very surprised, but Haydn `s employer saw the point and good-naturedly granted everyone a holiday. Haydn also noticed that over-fed members of his audience were apt to doze off and snore during the slow quiet movement if the symphony, so he composed the `` surprise `` symphony, in which there is a sudden change from pianissimo ( or very soft ) in the slow movement to fortissimo (or very loud). The full blast of the orchestra came as a huge surprise, waking all the snorers up, and one man is said to have awakened from his dreams shouting. `` Don `t come in! `` Haydn visited England, where he was a great success. He returned to Vienna, however, and there he wrote his last work, an oratorio for orchestra and voices, called The Creation. He died at a ripe old age, much loved by all.