Composer of the Week

Donald Macleod documents a major change in Haydn's life, with the arrival on the scene of the new archbishop of Salzburg, Hieronymus Colloredo - later to become infamous as the man who gave Mozart a kicking. Colloredo instituted a radical programme of reform that kept Haydn busy producing new music for the liturgy. Perhaps as a direct result, he composed relatively little chamber music - the Notturno in G for string quintet is one of the finest examples. (Mozart is known to have played viola in at least one performance - in Munich, in 1777.).