Franz Joseph Haydn As a composer, Franz Joseph Haydn created many symphonies and refreshing pieces for the world to hear. He began his career after his voice broke; he decided to make a living off of teaching and playing violin. Haydn also studied counterpart and harmony. He became an assistant composer for Nicola Porpora and was named the court musician in the Esterházy family, and became accustomed to being isolated from other composers. Since he was isolated from the musical trends of the world, his works were unique, which is one of the reasons why he is the most influential composer in history. Symphony Number 94, otherwise known as the Surprise Symphony, created different opinions of Franz Joseph Haydn. The audience