“F.J. Haydn... Most underrated composer, in my view.”
I second that, and I’ve often wondered why that is.
Didn’t Mendelssohn spark a Bach revival?
From the link: Johann Sebastian Bach's stature as a composer of such extraordinary genius and widespread influence is so firmly established in Western culture that it is difficult to imagine that only a little over a century-and-a-half ago, his music and reputation languished in obscurity, virtually unknown to all but a few specialists. It was through Mendelssohn's recognition of Bach's genius and his efforts in making Bach's works accessible to a wider public that these works are today recognized as summits of musical expression.
As far as Mendelssohn's own work is concerned, I really like the latter half of the 12 string symphonies he wrote at around age 14. Historians usually give those works the short shrift, probably because of his age. They sound great to me every time I put them on, regardless of my mood.
Same goes for pretty much everything Haydn ever composed. I don't know why H doesn't get the respect he deserves. I'd guess that somewhere along the line an influential reviewer or two deemed him a lightweight and thus influenced the opinions of the impressionable.
Mozart and Beethoven were awed by Haydn.