Viennese Classic

Joseph Haydn's (1732 Rohrau/Lower Austria - 1809 Vienna) Oratorio Die Jahreszeiten (The Seasons) (1801) was probably inspired by the oratorios of Handel, which he had heard in London, just as his earlier work Die Schöpfung (The Creation, 1789). The text of the Jahreszeiten was written by James Thomson and was translated from English by Gottfried van Swieten. It describes typical events of country life throughout the year. Such subjects (along with the older oratorios) concur with the spirit of Catholic reformation from Haydn's youth which emphasized the spirit of a religion of nature. (E. Stadler)

The musical example is the choir Komm, holder Lenz from the section Spring Der Frühling in a historical recording; suitable pictures of the season can also be seen.