Haydn - Mentor

Kate Molleson looks at five people who influenced Mozart and his music. Today – a mentor and a father figure. Mozart was nearly 30 years old when he befriended Joseph Haydn. Mozart was the former child genius, the wildly talented but weirdly boorish whizkid who had just moved to Vienna. Haydn, aged 52, was the establishment, and the most famous composer in the world. Mozart admired his work hugely, and their friendship would directly inspire some of Mozart’s greatest string writing. At a time in the younger composer’s life when things with his actual father Leopold had become difficult, Mozart even started calling Haydn ‘Papa’.

String Quartet no. 20 in D Major, K499 ‘Hoffmeister’
II. Menuetto. Allegretto
The Alban Berg Quartet

Symphony no. 36, K425 ‘Linz’
IV. Finale. Presto
Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Sir Charles Mackerras, conductor

String Quartet no. 19 in C major, K465 ‘Dissonance’
I. Allegro Moderato
Belcea Quartet

Fantasia in C minor, K475
Leif Ove Andsnes, piano

Symphony no. 41 in C Major, K551 'Jupiter'
IV. Finale. Molto Allegro
NDR Radiophilharmonie
Andrew Manze, conductor