Ludwig van Beethoven was a pupil of Joseph Haydn for just over a year - from November 1792 to January 1794. However, he is said to have said that he learnt nothing from him, or at least that is how the story was told for a long time. Scholars have since dispelled this legend. In fact, traces of the influence of the famous "father" of the symphony can still be found in Beethoven's late works.
Haydn, who was considered one of the most important living composers at the time, probably met Beethoven in Bonn on 26 December 1790 on his return from a triumphant stay in England and accepted him as a pupil. After a second meeting in Bonn in 1792, Beethoven moved to Vienna to take lessons from Haydn - or to receive "Mozart's spirit from Haydn's hands", as the patron Ferdinand Ernst von Waldstein put it. Beethoven had originally wanted to study with the Viennese classicist, who died young.
Haydn's lessons were different to what we might initially imagine. Beethoven did not receive composition lessons in which he honed his own works. The joint meetings can rather be characterised as a dialogue at eye level in the style of a "master class". In addition, Beethoven copied and analysed the pieces of his prominent teacher.
This was a costly endeavour: Lessons with Haydn were not cheap. At some point, Beethoven was in debt to his mentor. However, as Haydn was convinced of Beethoven's talent, he asked his sovereign for greater financial support. He justified his decision with the following words: "Connoisseurs and non-connoisseurs alike must impartially admit that Beethoven will in time take the place of one of the greatest composers, and I will be proud to call myself his master."
Although Beethoven's salary was not subsequently increased, he was at least given permission to remain in Vienna, where he gradually became a favourite with the public. The relationship between the two composers now began to deteriorate. Haydn apparently had no sympathy for the sometimes gruff manner of his former protégé and is said to have criticised his tendency towards the "strange". Immediately after his second major trip to London (from January 1794 to August 1795), he attended a performance of Beethoven's Trios for piano, violin and cello op. 1 - and advised his delighted pupil not to publish the third piece. A criticism which Beethoven interpreted as envy and jealousy - and which Haydn later retracted.
The fact that Beethoven was not resentful is shown by the fact that he dedicated his three piano sonatas op. 2 to him a year later. However, Beethoven did not fulfil the title of "Haydn's pupil" that his former teacher had allegedly requested. His emancipation from him was already complete.
