In the name of all that’s holy – not only is it Easter; it’s also Haydn’s birthday!
Having done Easter morning radio broadcasts for 19 years – some of them lasting up to six hours – I became quite adept at pulling together varied and, I like to think, interesting, wholly enjoyable Easter programs.
One of the staples of these broadcasts was always Haydn’s Symphony No. 30, composed in 1765. The work was nicknamed “Alleluia,” for a Gregorian Holy Week plainsong chant quoted in its first movement.
Now that the kids are done with their egg hunts, it’s high time for a little Haydn seek.
Enjoy the symphony, happy Easter, and happy birthday, Franz Joseph Haydn!