Joseph Haydn

“My dear fellow, in all modesty, you must have heard of me! I am Joseph Haydn, composer! I have a bit of a following here in Vienna!”

—Joseph Haydn, Mario's Time Machine

Joseph Haydn was an Austrian composer and a contemporary of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The two shared a very friendly relationship, with Haydn offering him advice, and in turn, Mozart dedicating six string quartets to Haydn. Haydn also produced many works in his own right, notably the Surprise Symphony, and helped create the form of modern chamber music. In Mario's Time Machine, Mario meets him after traveling back in time to Vienna circa 1791 to bring a Flute to Mozart.

History

Mario's Time Machine

According to Mario's Time Machine, Joseph Haydn was in Vienna in 1791 (despite him having left Vienna in 1790 to journey to London) when he meets Mario. At the beginning of their conversation, Mario introduces himself and asks Haydn if he is a friend of Mozart's. Haydn tells him that yes, he considers Mozart to be a close friend, and he also mentions that he once told Mozart's father, Leopold, that Mozart was the greatest composer he knows. Mario, impressed, asks Haydn if he knows music, and Haydn modestly replies that he is a well-known composer in Vienna. Mario then asks him if he works and lives in Vienna, leading Haydn to mention that he is going to leave for London tomorrow and that he is going to miss Mozart and his wife, Constanze. Mario asks if he has ever collaborated with Mozart, and Haydn says that though they have not, he brings up the six quartets that Mozart dedicated to him, which Mozart produced before one of his famous operas, The Marriage of Figaro. Mario comments that Mozart must have been practicing music for quite a long time, and Haydn says that he has been working "since he was a baby", composing his first symphony at six and touring for concerts at seven, whereas Haydn composed his first symphony at twenty-eight. Mario is amazed and asks if Mozart has any children, and Haydn brings up Mozart's son, Carl. Haydn also mentions that he babysat Carl for Mozart and he asks Mario to return Carl's Toy to Constanze. Mario then asks if he has any other children, and Haydn replies that Mozart has unfortunately lost four of his children. He then excuses himself to look for his violin bow. Mario then gives him his Bow, and Haydn joyfully takes it, saying that he can now have his farewell dinner with the Mozarts stress-free. Mario asks if Mozart is going to play for him, and Haydn says that it would be a honor if he played, commenting that he believes that Mozart's music is going to be remembered for a long time. Mario tries to alleviate him by saying that his music is going to be remembered as well, but Haydn says that Mozart's music has a "heavenly" quality to it that surpasses Haydn's own music and makes it outstanding.