Evidence for this claim is that two symphonies now convincingly attributed to Michael Haydn were long thought to be the work of Mozart. Haydn’s best symphonies, for example, are the equal of the lesser (early- or middle-period) symphonies composed by his more famous brother and by Mozart. Yet no full-length biography of Michael Haydn has ever been appeared in the English language, and perhaps at best merely a quarter of his works has been recorded since the invention of the gramophone record. Born in the small Austrian village of Rohrau, Johann Michael Haydn (1737-1806) followed his elder brother’s career path into the world of music, securing for himself at the age of twenty-five the post of Kappellmeister, a position he held for forty-three years until his death. Michael Haydn was a contemporary of his Mozart (1756-1791), composed in the same classical style, and produced roughly the same number of works as the great master.
Yet if none of Salieri’s or Hasse’s works achieves true greatness, those of a few other forgotten composers occasionally do. One such is Johann Michael Haydn, the younger brother of the famous Franz Josef Haydn. Even in the cases of Salieri and Hasse, decidedly second- or even third-rate composers, there are enjoyable orchestral and chamber works, sacred works and operas that one may listen to with pleasure.
The great light of Mozart has dimmed to darkness the twinkling talents of his contemporaries.ĭespite some exaggerated claims made for the oeuvres of such minor composers by their partisans, typically there are at least some bits and pieces worthy of being remembered, played, recorded, and heard occasionally. “This boy will cast us all into oblivion,” German composer Johann Adolf Hasse is said to have uttered upon witnessing a performance by the young Mozart. The 1984 film Amadeus brought to the general public’s attention that many minor composers of music-such as Antonio Salieri, the rival of Wolfgang Mozart depicted in the movie-have been forgotten by history.
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