Classical Music Festival

Joseph Haydn: "There was no one near to confuse me, so I was forced to become original." He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. and for much of his career he was the most celebrated composer in Europe.

Te Deum was composed around 1799, but its first recorded performance was not until 1800 at Eisenstadt, the home of the Esterhazy family, to celebrate Lord Nelson's (and, inevitably, Lady Hamilton's) arrival there. The Sinfonia Concertante was written in early 1792 during the first of the composer's two visits to London. It is believed that Johann Peter Salomon asked Haydn to compose the work because of the success of similar works written by Pleyel and performed in a rival concert series. Haydn composed the Concerto per il Clarino (Hob. VIIe/1) (Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major) in 1796 for the trumpet virtuoso Anton Weidinger. Joseph Haydn was 64 years of age. A favorite of the trumpet repertoire, it has been cited as "possibly Haydn's most popular concerto".