Question

What is the difference between Haydn and Mozart string quartets

Answer 1

Mozart and Haydn are two of the greatest composers the world has known. Both were born in Austria and are considered as friends, though, Haydn was the older of the two, and lived longer than Mozart who died at a young age of only 35. Mozart is revered by musicians the world over and his symphonies are believed to be master pieces. Haydn, though believed to be a very good musician, remained in the shadows of Mozart all his life, and even today, his name is taken as an afterthought, whereas Mozart is known to all music lovers across the world.

• Mozart lived for only 35 years while Haydn lived for 77 years.

• The music of Haydn feels similar to that of Mozart, and in part, this is true because both were friends and had great influences on each other.

• Haydn was a countryman while Mozart was brought up in towns.

• Mozart was a child prodigy while Haydn was a famous composer when Mozart came along the scene.

Answer 2

Mozart’s style is more vocal. His melodies are more lyrical, frequently with a melodic note that wistfully hangs on a note that is not native to the chord underneath it. It gives his music a sighing quality. It is balanced within an inch of it’s life, as though nothing could be changed without changing the whole symmetry. Think of Michelangelo’s David.

Haydn has a more clear, articulated classicism. He breaks the melodies into more compact ideas and smaller chunks. It is a more motivic approach. It also has a slightly more rhymically driven sensibility. Where Mozart was devoted to opera, Haydn’s vocal work tended much more toward the choral oratorio.