Haydn briefly taught Ludwig van Beethoven when the young upstart went to Vienna in 1792 Haydn had seen his work and heard him play a few years previously and had offered to teach him there.He spent many years away from home and, apparently, neither of them ever opened each others’ letters. There is no suggestion that she knew, but they were never happy together and she bore him no children. The lady in question joined a convent and he married her sister instead. Like his friend, Mozart, and his one-time pupil, Beethoven, Haydn didn’t marry the woman he loved.

In his own words, Joseph Haydn wasn’t a good-looking fellow, but he could never understand why beautiful women found him attractive.Mozart died aged only 35 whereas Haydn lived until he was 77.

Unlike Mozart, who was a close friend of his, Haydn made a lot of money from his work and also unlike Mozart, he lived for a very long time.

His efforts were rewarded when his talent was spotted and he was offered a position with the Italian composer Nicola Popora.

After leaving the church choir at 16 when his voice finally broke, Haydn took up busking in the street with his violin.

Joseph’s father vehemently argued against the idea and so nature was allowed to take its course. Such was the beauty of his singing voice, the relative suggested that they castrate the child so that his voice might be preserved….he would become a ‘castrati’.

At the age of five, the young Joseph was sent to live with a relative who was choirmaster.

Franz joseph haydn facts