Patronage played an important role in the Classical Era. How
did Patronage affect the music of Haydn and Mozart?
Music historians usually or traditionally date the Classical era in
music from 1750 to 1810 or 1820. The Classical era in music occurred at a particular time in history called the Age of Enlightenment. This was the time of intellectual, political, social and scientific developments. The Enlightenment valued individual faith and practical morality over the church, preferred naturalness to artificiality, and promoted universal education and a growing social equality 1 Some important composers of the classical era were Haydn and Mozart . During the classical era, many changes took place in compositions as well as performances. Some characteristics of classical pieces were: Balance, order, clarity, of melodic line, short clear-cut phrases, lighter musical texture , Alberti bass, broken chords. Some Examples are: (A) Adagio from sonata in C minor- Mozart (B) Menuetto from sonata in E Major- Haydn In these piano pieces of the classical period we can hear light chords, Alberti bass combined with broken chords in the accompaniment with graceful melody in right hand. Ornaments, thrills/mordent, often decorate melodies. HAYDN: Franz Joseph Haydn ( 1732-1809), born in Rohrau, Lower Austria and trained as a choirboy at St. Stephens Cathedral, Vienna, spent most of his career ( from 1761 ) in the service of the Esterhzys, a family of wealthy princes with castles in Eisenstaedt, near Vienna, and later also at Esterhazy, now Hungary. The Esterhazys family maintained an opera company, a marionette theater, a chapel, and an orchestra, for which Haydn conducted performances, composed new music as required, trained the musicians, and took care of the instruments. Haydns works : Over hundred symphonies, concertos for various instruments, string quartets, piano trios, keyboard works, including some 49 sonatas and other vocal music Mozart:
1 A history of Western music 9th edition Chapter 20/ Pg463. Musical
taste and style in the enlightenment. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart( 1756-1791) was born in Salzburg, Austria, the son of Leopold Mozart, a noted violinist-composer attached to the chapel of the Archbishop of Salzburg. At the tender age of three, Mozart was already learning to play violin from his mentor and teacher, his father Leopold Mozart. Mozart began composing at the age of six and had the ability to reproduce complete works after hearing them only once. Mozart served at archbishops court in Salzburg for a while, but resigned in 1781 while on a court visit to Vienna, remaining there to establish himself as an independent musician. Despite his early death, his oeuvre comprises more than six hundred compositions, including scared music, operas, lyrical dramas and other stage works, ballet music, concert arias, songs and canons, dances, symphonies, divertimenti, serenades and chamber music for widely different ensembles, concerti and sonatas.2
During the classical era, musicians and composers such as Mozart
and Haydn worked under the patronage system. This was a system where musicians and composers were at the service of very rich and noble people and had to compose music for their patrons for each and every occasion. There were advantages and disadvantages to the patronage system. Some advantages were working and financial stability, free house, free food and opportunity to do music everyday having the best instruments and good musicians. Some disadvantages were no opportunity for composers like Haydn and Mozart to express their musical talent freely. They had to compose any music their patrons wanted. Music had to be composed for audiences by taking into consideration rules and conventions define in contracts by patrons.
When listening to Haydns different music compositions it can be
noted that patrons have really influenced him, but in a challenging way. Even though there were all sorts of rules and conventions; Haydn was using his creativity and talent at his best to compose. Not only the patrons were satisfied with the final work but Haydn too. Haydn has been called the father of the symphony, not because he invented the genre but because his symphonies set the pattern for latter composers.3 Haydns mature style was unique. He composed in a way so as to please the patrons, listeners and his musicians. An example of Haydns mature style is the theme for the rondo-form finale of his Strings Quartet in Eb Major. Op.33 No.2 The Joke4
2 Harper Collins College outline/Introduction to music
3 History of Western music 9th edition/Symphonic form 4 History of Western music 9th edition/Haydns style Some interesting features of this wonderful piece played by a string quartet are: Adagio phrases starts at forte, some passages used piano (P) and some use of frequent staccato creating pieces light and playful, chromaticism, and melodic dissonance, use of acciaccaturas, and finally four bar silence at Bar 166 of the piece making it very surprising at the end.
Mozart the music prodigy in comparison to Haydn, also worked
under patrons but was also a freelance musician and composer. He was very talented and was able to compose music by ear. He was more interested in working for himself than others. Due to financial problems Mozart was forced to work with patrons so as to have financial support. One of his patrons, Gottfried Van Sweiton had influenced Mozart positively. Handel and Bach were Sweitons favourite composers therefore often Mozart was given the job of transcribing fugues and other pieces. Mozart was given the opportunity to study different forms of music as well as contrapuntal technique. An example of Mozart composition is the fugue of the unfinished in C major, which in some parts seems to be the same as Allemande and Bachs G minor English suite. Compared to Haydn, Mozart took the decision in working for himself (Freelance).
In conclusion, expectations of patrons and audiences has made a
big change in the life of musicians such as Haydn and Mozart making them composing music of different style and character for the patrons and for the audience. Even sometimes it was very hard and demanding for composers to create melodies for others, they received the opportunity of growing musically and sharing their passion to others.