What Inspired Haydn's Creation

What Inspired Haydn's Creation

10th Grade · Music · 45 min

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Learning Objective

I can explain Haydn's inspirations for composing The Creation.

  • 1

    During his visits to London, Haydn was inspired to compose a large-scale sacred work after hearing grand oratorios by George Frideric Handel, particularly Messiah.

  • 2

    The libretto for 'The Creation' combined elements from the biblical Book of Genesis and John Milton's epic poem, Paradise Lost.

  • 3

    The intellectual spirit of the Enlightenment also shaped Haydn's vision, emphasizing reason, order, and the inherent beauty of the natural world.