28 moments

1. Birth in Rohrau

   1732-03-31 · Rohrau, Lower Austria, Austria

   

   Haydn was born in the Lower Austrian village of Rohrau, where he spent his earliest childhood.

2. Musical apprenticeship in Hainburg

   1738-01-01 · Hainburg an der Donau, Lower Austria, Austria

   As a child, Haydn left his parents' home to train as a musician in the household of Johann Matthias Frankh in nearby Hainburg. The source dates the move only as around his sixth birthday; 1738 is approximate.

3. Chorister at St Stephen's

   1740-01-01 · St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna, Austria

   Haydn moved to Vienna and began the nine-year period in which he served as a chorister at St Stephen's Cathedral.

4. Morzin employment in Pilsen

   1759-01-01 · Pilsen, Czech Republic

   Haydn held a conducting post for Count Karl Joseph Morzin in Pilsen, an early professional appointment before his Esterházy service. The source gives 1759 as the start of this employment but does not specify a more precise date.

5. Esterházy court appointment

   1761-05-01 · Schloss Esterházy, Eisenstadt, Burgenland, Austria

   

   Haydn entered Esterházy service as Vice-Kapellmeister, beginning the court career that structured much of his working life. The appointment date is exact; Schloss Esterházy is used as a representative Esterházy court location because the source describes his work as alternating among Eisenstadt, Fertőd, and Vienna.

6. Full Kapellmeister at the Esterházy court

   1766-01-01 · Schloss Esterházy, Eisenstadt, Burgenland, Austria

   

   After Gregor Joseph Werner's death, Haydn became chief Kapellmeister, responsible for chamber, church, and theatrical music at the Esterházy court. The source supplies the year but not an exact date; Eisenstadt is a representative principal Esterházy court location.

7. Opera director at Eszterháza

   1775-01-01 · Esterházy Palace, Fertőd, Hungary

   

   When opera became central to musical life at the Esterházy court, Haydn led its company at the Eszterháza theatre. The date is approximate, following the source's wording "Around 1775."

8. Meeting Mozart in Vienna

   1784-01-01 · Vienna, Austria

   Haydn's friendship with Mozart began in Vienna, where the two composers later played chamber music together. The source dates the meeting only as sometime around 1784.

9. Admission to Zur wahren Eintracht

   1785-01-01 · Vienna, Austria

   Haydn joined the Viennese Masonic lodge Zur wahren Eintracht, the same lodge to which Mozart belonged. The lodge's exact historic meeting site is not specified; city coordinates are used.

10. Departure for England

    1790-12-15 · Vienna, Austria

    Haydn left Vienna with Johann Peter Salomon to undertake his first English concert journey.

11. Arrival at Calais

    1791-01-01 · Calais, Hauts-de-France, France

    En route to England, Haydn reached Calais in time to cross the Channel on New Year's Day. The source establishes arrival by New Year's Day but does not give a precise arrival date.

12. First London residence

    1791-01-01 · Great Pulteney Street, London, England, United Kingdom

    

    At the start of his first English journey, Haydn stayed with Johann Peter Salomon in Great Pulteney Street and worked nearby. The source gives the arrival year but no more precise London arrival date.

13. Oxford concerts and doctorate

    1791-07-06 · Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford, England, United Kingdom

    

    Haydn appeared at Oxford during his first English visit; the university celebrations included three concerts in the Sheldonian Theatre.

14. Visit to William Herschel

    1792-01-01 · Slough, England, United Kingdom

    Haydn visited the astronomer and composer William Herschel at Slough during the first London journey. City coordinates are used because the source does not identify Herschel's exact house.

15. Vienna concert at Palais Lobkowitz

    1793-03-12 · Palais Lobkowitz, Vienna, Austria

    During a Vienna-based year between his English tours, Haydn gave a concert at Prince Lobkowitz's palace. The source identifies the host but not the address; coordinates represent Palais Lobkowitz at Lobkowitzplatz.

16. Conducting London symphonies in Vienna

    1793-03-15 · Kleine Redoutensaal, Hofburg, Vienna, Austria

    Haydn conducted three of his London symphonies at Vienna's small Redoutensaal.

17. Summer stay in Eisenstadt

    1793-05-01 · Schloss Esterházy, Eisenstadt, Burgenland, Austria

    

    Haydn spent part of the summer at the Esterházy seat in Eisenstadt before returning there again in early September. The beginning of the May stay is not given more precisely.

18. Christmas concerts at the Hofburgtheater

    1793-12-22 · Old Hofburgtheater, Vienna, Austria

    Before departing again for England, Haydn conducted the Tonkünstler-Societät's Christmas concerts in Vienna. This card records the first of the two dated concerts.

19. Second London arrival

    1794-02-04 · Bury Street, St James's, London, England, United Kingdom

    Haydn arrived in London for his second and final English concert journey and moved into a flat in St James's.

20. Return to Vienna

    1795-01-01 · Vienna, Austria

    After the second English journey, Haydn returned to Vienna and resumed part-time Kapellmeister duties for the Esterházy family. The source gives the year but no more precise return date.

21. Benefit concert with Beethoven

    1796-01-08 · Kleine Redoutensaal, Hofburg, Vienna, Austria

    Haydn and Beethoven played together at a benefit concert in the small Redoutensaal.

22. Residence at Windmühle

    1797-01-01 · Haydnhaus, Windmühle, Vienna, Austria

    

    Haydn moved with his wife into the Viennese suburb of Windmühle, at the house he had acquired and renovated. The chronology places this entry in 1797; the site is now known as Haydnhaus, Haydngasse 19.

23. World premiere of The Creation

    1798-04-30 · Palais Schwarzenberg, Vienna, Austria

    

    Haydn conducted the invited-premiere performance of The Creation at the Schwarzenberg Palace in Vienna.

24. World premiere of The Seasons

    1801-04-24 · Palais Schwarzenberg, Vienna, Austria

    

    Haydn conducted the first performance of The Seasons at the Schwarzenberg Palace.

25. Creation Mass performance in Eisenstadt

    1801-09-13 · Schloss Esterházy, Eisenstadt, Burgenland, Austria

    

    Haydn performed the Creation Mass at Eisenstadt during his late Esterházy service. The exact performance building is not specified; Schloss Esterházy is used as a representative court-site coordinate.

26. Last summer in Eisenstadt

    1803-01-01 · Eisenstadt, Burgenland, Austria

    

    Haydn's final summer at Eisenstadt came as declining health ended his active compositional and conducting life. The source does not specify a particular residence or dates within the summer.

27. Final public appearance

    1808-03-27 · Old University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    At a performance of The Creation organized in his honor, the frail Haydn was carried into the University of Vienna auditorium; this was his final public appearance.

28. Death at his Vienna home

    1809-05-31 · Haydnhaus, Windmühle, Vienna, Austria

    

    Haydn died at home in Vienna after the French bombardment of the city during Napoleon's 1809 campaign. The house is represented by the surviving Haydnhaus site in Vienna's former Windmühle suburb.