
What Inspired Haydn's Creation
10th Grade · Music · 45 min
Lesson Preview
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.

