More than any other composer, Franz Joseph Haydn deserves to be called the father of music's "Classical" style. As he came of age in the mid-18th century, musical thinking was in the midst of profound changes. The compositional forms and procedures of the Baroque era began to seem old-fashioned and composers sought fresh modes of musical expression. Out of their search emerged brand new musical forms, most notably the symphony and string quartet, and a new style that valued poetic melodies and harmonies over "learned" counterpoint.

Haydn played a crucial role in establishing the new classical forms. For all practical purposes he invented the string quartet as a musical form, and his contributions to the symphony helped develop that format from a modest off-shoot of the opera overture into the most potent and attractive type of instrumental music available to composers.

The Musically Speaking Conductor's Guides are your link to an appreciation of the greatest classical music ever performed. Let Maestro Gerard Schwarz enrich your classical music listening enjoyment by illuminating the great works of the Masters with revealing commentary and educational insight.