Almost every composer or performer needs help to become famous. Sometimes it happens that even a musician with an exclusive talent remains unknown because he does not have any patron to promote his works. All the composers whose works are now considered the classics of world music once were fledgling talents unknown in the music circles.
Franz Joseph Haydn is one of the most prominent Austrian composers of the Classical Period. He is known as the ‘Father of Symphony’ and ‘Father of String Quartet’ for his great impact on the development of these genres. Haydn began his musical career in the choir under the direction of Georg von Reutter and when his voice changed due to physical maturation, he had the hardest times of his life. He worked as a music teacher, a street singer, and then an accompanist for Nicola Porpora, an Italian composer. He gradually acquired public recognition and in 1757, he became the Kapellmeister of Count Morzin’s small orchestra. However, his longest employment was under the patronage of the Esterhazy family (30 years). He composed music for every event in the court of the prince of Esterhazy and had everything he needed: a court orchestra and opera company.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is another famous Austrian composer. He was apt to music from his early childhood and started composing when he was five. He performed for the representatives of the European royal families. He became a court musician in Salzburg when he was 17 but was dismissed from that position for his passion for traveling. He rejected the security of the patronage system for the sake of his freedom to compose by inspiration and not order. Mozart also had hard times when he had to struggle for recognition and money. Now he is one of the most famous composers of the Classical Period.
Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the greatest European composers as well as a virtuoso pianist. He played an important role in the transition from the Classical to Romantic period of European music. He showed his musical talent from early childhood, his teacher was the famous Joseph Haydn. He began his career in the court of Bonn in Germany. Later Beethoven moved to Vienna where he spent the rest of his life. Beethoven acquired the reputation of a marvelous composer at an early age so patronage was unnecessary for him. His works sold well and guaranteed him a well-off living.
It is clear that patronage was an important point for gaining fame and recognition at that time though it was not always necessary. Joseph Haydn worked under patronage for the major part of his career. He had his own orchestra and guaranteed income. Mozart rejected such an opportunity to enjoy absolute personal freedom. Beethoven, in his turn, had a kind of patronage from Haydn that enabled him not to seek a patron among the aristocracy. I consider that he was the most fortunate among the above-mentioned composers.
Nowadays as well as centuries ago, young composers and performers need some support from a famous or influential ‘patron’ who has money and contacts to efficiently promote a talented musician in the fierce competition of modern show business. Now they are called ‘producers’, they find a talented youth, create a new style for him according to modern tastes and ‘sell’ this new image to the public. However, there are still musicians who fight their way to glory through the crowds of ‘cheap one-day stars’ widely promoted with the help of money. There are the composers and performers of modern classical music but they are mostly unknown to the general public as their style of performance is considered to be obsolete and preferred by a narrow circle of music lovers. They say that classic music belongs to the past but it is still alive for those who can hear it.