Haydn and Mozart Haydn once told Mozart's father that his son was "the greatest composer known to me in person or by name; he has taste and, what is more, the greatest knowledge of composition," (Sadie). The student-teacher relationship between Mozart and his mentor was characterized by mutual respect: the younger Mozart dedicated six string quartets to his teacher, who deemed the master of that style. The intersecting lives of these two great composers are similar on many counts: both came from Viennese musical families, both exhibited talent at a very young age, and both struggled financially in spite of their awesome and acknowledged talents. Moreover, Mozart and Haydn traveled throughout Europe and though they never grew rich, they were both able to earn their livelihoods through music. In spite of these similarities, Mozart became by far the more renowned of the two composers, both in his day and in ours. Furthermore, their different personalities are reflected in their music and in their lives: Mozart demonstrated a hot-headedness in his compositions and in his life that Haydn...

Mozart also died at a very young age from mysterious causes while Haydn lived until he was 77.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the "Golden Hope of Austria," and Franz Joseph Haydn, the "Father of the Symphony," each graced the world with prolific and powerful musical compositions in a wide range of genres. In fact, both Mozart and Haydn composed symphonies, operas, chamber music, and church music. Haydn, however, delved deeper into sacred works than did Mozart, likely due to his religious background and interests: one of Joseph Haydn's first musical experiences was as a choirboy for the Viennese Cathedral, and late in his life Haydn composed some oratorios for the "love of nature and God," (Schneider). While it is impossible to judge the inner worlds of either Haydn or Mozart, it seems as if Haydn was the more spiritual man of the two.

Haydn was born the second of twelve children; his father was a wheelwright, or wagon maker, and he was also musically inclined. When Joseph was a boy, his family would play music together with the elder Haydn…