"The Creation"
Following the death of Prince Nikolaus Esterházy in 1790, Haydn made two extended trips to London where he was greeted with great acclaim. During his second trip to London, he had the opportunity to hear some of Handel's oratorios. Upon his return to Austria, Haydn began to compose his own oratirio, "The Creation." Based on the biblical Genesis text, "Die Schöpfung" is a portrayal of chaos when the heavens and earth were without form and voice; that is, before God declared "fiat lux!" (Let there be Light!). Haydn finished this oratorio in 1798. It is one of his best work in many respects.