Joseph Haydn was a composer born in Rohrau, Austria, in 1732. He was the son of a wheel maker, who taught himself to play the harp in an amateur and recreational way. His family was musically inclined and Haydn was immersed in music since early childhood, as they made it a family affair to sing together and sometimes even with neighbors. His father appreciated Haydn's fine vocal abilities and recognized that Rohrau was not an ideal place for Haydn to develop his musical skills. He was placed in the care of their relative Johann Matthias Frankh at his request around the age of six, never to return home. Frankh was a schoolmaster and choirmaster in Hainburg. It was under Frankh's care that he learned the basics of music and learned to play the violin and keyboard. Karl Georg Reutter, choirmaster of St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, also appreciated his singing. Reutter spotted Haydn as an altar boy and took him to Vienna, where he stayed for the next nine years and got lessons in violin, keyboard and singing. Haydn's voice naturally "broke" around 1749 and was consequently fired by St. Stephens, leaving him penniless and homeless on the streets of Vienna. There couldn't have been a better place in the world to be a broke musician than Vienna, where aristocratic families demanded excellent musicians for their lessons. He worked freelance, taking on several odd jobs to get by; he mentored children, played violin for street orchestras, and took the time to teach himself composition. He made a name for himself and first came to the attention of Count Ferdinand Maximillian von Morzin in 1759 and thus obtained stable employment at his court. His tenure there was short-lived and the Count's orchestra disbanded...... middle of paper ......fr and saw in him the potential to become the greatest composer of his time. His last period of productivity was devoted to the writing of oratorios. The most famous are "The Creation" and "The Seasons", first performed from 1798 to 1801. Franz Joseph Haydn died at the age of 77 in May 1809 after declining health. His legacy includes being considered the father of the string quartet, or at least promoting it after the obsolete trio sonata of the Baroque era; composed of two violins, a viola and a cello. The ensemble was created accidentally after being invited by a baron to his home near Vienna to listen to some casual music, at which time only the baron's pastor and manager, Haydn, and another amateur player were present (playing the parts two violins, a viola, cello). Haydn is today considered one of the best musicians of the classical period..