The Early Music Show - Haydn and the Esterhazy Family - Episode 1

In a programme devoted to Haydn's 29-year tenure under the patronage of the Esterhazy family, Lucie Skeaping visits their Palace, at Esterhaza in northwestern Hungary. She is joined by musicologist and Haydn expert Balasz Mikusi, who guides her through the rooms of the house and through Haydn's life and music. Lucie also goes to the Vienna home of Michael Brussing - baryton player with the Esterhazy Ensemble, who have recently released their recordings of Haydn's complete baryton trios. Haydn entered the service of the Esterhazys in 1761, when he was hired as the vice-Kapellmeister by Prince Paul Anton, for their home in Eisenstadt. Initially, his main duties were to conduct the orchestra and to play the harpsichord and violin, but he was also required to act as librarian, supervisor of instruments, tutor and intermediary between the musicians and the Prince as well as composing on a daily basis. Officially, Haydn was supposedly subservient to the elderly Kapellmeister Gregor Werner, but it wasn't long before he became the main man, and when Prince Paul Anton died in 1762, Haydn became one of the most important servants at the court of the new Prince Nikolaus 'The Magnificent'. Just four years later, Prince Nikolaus designed and built his new palace, and it was during the ever-increasing 'summer' months there that Haydn began to flourish - composing most of his early symphonies as well as chamber music for the Prince's favourite instrument, the baryton. Haydn: Symphony No 1 in D (1st mvt) (excerpt) Academy of Ancient Music Christopher Hogwood (conductor) L'OISEAU LYRE 436 428-2, CD 1 Tr 1 Haydn: Symphony No 1 in D (3rd mvt) Academy of Ancient Music Christopher Hogwood (conductor) L'OISEAU LYRE 436 428-2, CD 1 Tr 3 Haydn: Symphony No 6 in D (Le matin) (1st mvt) Academy of Ancient Music Christopher Hogwood (conductor) L'OISEAU LYRE 433 661-2, CD 1 Tr 1 Haydn: Cello Concerto No 1 in C (3rd mvt) Pieter Wispelwey (cello) Florilegium CHANNEL CLASSICS CCS 7395 Tr 3 Haydn: Keyboard Sonata in C minor, H XVI 20 (2nd mvt: Andante con moto) Ronald Brautigam (fortepiano) BIS 1731-33, CD 5 Tr 7 Haydn: Trio for baryton, viola and cello No 1 in A (1st mvt) (excerpt) Esterhazy Ensemble Brilliant Classics 93907, CD 1 Tr 1 Haydn: Duet for two barytons, H XII 3 (3rd mvt) (excerpt) Esterhazy Ensemble Brilliant Classics 93907, CD 18 Tr 24 Haydn: Cassation for two barytons and violone, H XII 19 (1st mvt) Esterhazy Ensemble Brilliant Classics 93907, CD 18 Track 1 Haydn: Trio for baryton, viola and cello No 124 in G (3rd mvt) (excerpt) Esterhazy Ensemble Brilliant Classics 93907, CD 17 Track 18 Haydn: Octet (Divertimento) in A, H X III (1st mvt: Adagio) Ensemble Baroque de Limoges Christophe Coin (director) LABORIE LC 03 Tr 4 Haydn: Symphony No 45 in F sharp minor (Farewell) (4th mvt) (excerpt) Academy of Ancient Music Christopher Hogwood (conductor) L'OISEAU LYRE 443 477-2 Tr 4.