This book sets out to challenge the widely-held view of Haydn as an inspired instrumental musician who composed in isolation from eighteenth-century enlightened thinking. By means of both documentary and musical investigation the author seeks instead to present him as a culturally and politically sensitive representative of the Age of the Enlightenment. Of fundamental importance in this survey is Haydn's relationship with his audience, which, it is argued, had a significant bearing on the nature of the works. The author suggests that Haydn was well acquainted with the contemporary view that works of literature or music should serve a moral function and he points to numerous instances in the late symphonies where this end is effectively pursued.
Sixty examples of Haydn's music are presented in this book. His music is examined in relation to its 18th-century cultural background, looking at morality, literary influences and the composer-audience relationship. Exploring his symphonies, the book covers musical imagery and melodic sources.
