Franz Joseph Haydn: The Story of the Choir Boy Who Became a Great Composer

The story of how a poor Austrian choir boy became classical music's most joyful genius - and why his spirit still inspires two centuries later.Young Joseph Haydn had nothing but a beautiful voice and an unbeatable determination. At eight years old, he left his humble village for Vienna, joining the choir at St. Stephen's Cathedral with nothing but promise and poverty to his name. When his voice changed and the choir dismissed him, he could have given up. Instead, he slept in attics, taught himself composition through sheer stubbornness, and eventually earned the position of music director for a noble Hungarian family - where he would compose the symphonies that earned him the title 'Father of the Orchestra.' The narrative follows Haydn through his friendships with Mozart and Beethoven, his travels across Europe, and his creation of masterworks like 'The Creation.' This is a book about the power of relentless joy in the face of hardship, and thetransformative magic of music.