Exploring Haydn Quotes

“It's just one of those remarkable historical ironies that Haydn, superbly trained as a singer in the St. Stephens cathedral choir of Vienna, followed by several more years as apprentice/assistant to the renowned Italian singing teacher Porpora, ultimately became famous as a composer of instrumental music, whereas Mozart, the great piano virtuoso of his age, wrote the first important operas in the modern repertoire and is arguably most highly acclaimed as a writer for the voice.”
― David Hurwitz, Exploring Haydn: A Listener's Guide to Music's Boldest Innovator

“Haydn was quite simply the greatest variation writer who ever lived.”
― David Hurwitz, Exploring Haydn: A Listener's Guide to Music's Boldest Innovator

“Russian composer Rimsky-Korsakov considered Haydn to be the most accomplished symphonic orchestrator who ever lived, and as the creator of such colorful works as -Sheherazade- and the -Capriccio espagnol-, he should know.”
― David Hurwitz, Exploring Haydn: A Listener's Guide to Music's Boldest Innovator