MICHAEL HAYDN (1737-1806)

Michael Haydn is best known as the younger brother of Josef Haydn, also a
composer but whose music has not survived the test of time, which is a pity.
Like Josef, he was born in the same place on the Austro-Hungarian borders and
one of twelve children, most of whom died in infancy. His father was a
wheelwright, later the local mayor. Big brother Josef was born in 1732. Michael,
called Hanssmichl by his father, received his first musical training in his home
village of Rohrau and in nearby Hainburg, where he was a choirboy.
In 1745, aged 8, he followed in Josef’s footsteps and became a chorister in St.
Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna. The choir was led by its kapellmeister, Georg von
Reutter, with whom both of the boys found themselves in frequent trouble and
often punished. On a visit in Vienna late in his life, Michael passed the choir
school in company with some good friends and said: "In that dear house over
many a year I collected a thrashing every week". On his first appearance before
Empress Maria Theresa, she was so moved by his beautiful voice, that she
presented him with 24 ducats. He sent half of the money back to his father and
gave the other half to Reutter for safekeeping and never saw it again.
At St. Stephens he studied violin and organ with Reutter and received basic
introductory instruction in theory and practice of music. More important was the
fact that he there had the opportunity to hear and perform music of the leading
composers of that time. He became skilled enough in the organ aged 12 to act
as a stand in (or sit in) organist of St. Stephen's. He remained a chorister until
15, but stayed on at St. Stephen's until about five years later (1757). He general
education was at the Jesuit Seminary, studying history, geography and the
classics. One of his fellow students in about 1753-4 was Albrechtsberger, the
famous teacher of counterpoint from whom Beethoven took lessons. He taught
himself composition from a music manual and soon showed unusual promise.
His first known work dates from 1754, his Missa in Honorem Sanctissimae
Trinitatis, which is said to outshine brother Josef's first works in this genre. This
I can well imagine to be so as I have a disc containing two other masses by
Michael in my collection and they are superb. In 1759 he wrote a Mass in C major
for the Benedictine Monastery of Gottweig. The first masses by Josef did not
appear before 1762.
In 1760 Michael was appointed Kapellmeister to the Bishop of Grosswardein,
which of course everyone has heard of. It was then in Hungary and now in
Rumania. Here he had to rely on supplementing his earnings to make a living
by composing. At some point during 1763 he appeared in Salzburg, where he
was to remain until his death. He was appointed conzert-meister and court
composer to the Archbishop and quickly rose to a position of prominence in the
Salzburg Kapelle. What is best known about him is that he would take over from
Mozart after he had been “given a kick in the arse” by Archbishop Colenso. This
reverend gentleman has gone down in history as a vile bully towards Mozart.
Yet Michael Haydn got on very happily, staying there for forty three years.
In 1768 Michael married Maria Magdalena Lipp, daughter of the second organist
of the Cathedral, who herself was a singer at the Salzburg Court, and had been
a soloist in Mozart's early operas. Their one daughter died before she was a year
old.
Michael was on good terms with the young Mozart who occasionally in his
letters made some rude remarks about Michael but who was very impressed
with Michael's music. Theirs was not a teacher/pupil relationship, but Mozart
often studied Michael’s works and would find inspiration from them. They
collaborated on one work and helped each other out by supplying works for the
other. They maintained contact even after Mozart had left Salzburg for Vienna.
Mozart’s symphony No.37 is no longer in the catalogue. It is now known to be
by Michael Haydn but that Mozart wrote the first movement introduction.
The relationship with Mozart’s dad, Leopold, was a little difficult. Michael was
highly qualified for the post in Salzburg and, give him his due, Leopold was
generally positive and supportive towards him. However, when Wolfgang was
in need of some help, Leopold could become equally negative, accusing Michael
of heavy drinking, and withdraw his support, doubtless because of family
loyalties.
In 1781 Michael took up the post of organist of the Cathedral after Mozart
permanently left for Vienna. He was also teaching at the chapel boy's college
and in 1787 when Leopold Mozart died, Michael succeeded him as violin
instructor for the court.
The most famous of Michaels pupils was Weber to whom he taught counterpoint
around 1798. Another was Anton Diabelli now best known for writing the theme
for variations by several composers and for which Beethoven wrote thirty-three.
In December 1800 Salzburg became occupied by the Napoleonic forces and
Michael had some of his property seized and a month’s salary stopped. To help
him out, Josef sent him money and a gold watch and Empress Maria Theresa
commissioned him to write first a mass and later a Requiem. Around this time,
Michael visited Josef in Eisenstadt. It was the first time the brothers had met in
thirty years. Michael was offered a position of second kapellmeister which he
turned down. He had been top dog in Salzburg and returned there hoping
conditions would improve. They did, but not nearly as much as he had expected.
In a letter to Josef in 1804, Michael clearly expressed his regrets for having
turned down the Prince's 'generous offer'. He had also received an offer from
Florence from the Grand Duke of Tuscany.
His reputation as a composer grew far beyond the confines of Salzburg and
Austria. For example, in 1804 he became a member of the Royal Swedish
Academy of Music. His catalogue lists 360 works. His repute in his time was
largely from his masses and other religious works but he wrote symphonies and
concertos, different to and overshadowed by those of big brother Josef. Michael
died in Salzburg in 1806.