Joseph Haydn was an 18th century Austrian composer of the Classical period who played a major role in the development of chamber music. One of the most prominent composers of his time, he is fondly referred to as "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" in recognition of his immense contribution to musical form. Born as the son of a folk musician, he developed an early interest in music. His musically inclined parents recognized their young son’s talents and arranged for him to acquire musical training. He blossomed into a good singer and performed in a choir while he was a boy. He grew up to be a very talented singer and instrumentalist, but faced many struggles in his attempts to get established in a profession. Initially he worked in a string of jobs without much success before finally finding work as a valet–accompanist for the Italian composer Nicola Porpora from whom he learned the fundamentals of composition. Joseph Haydn did not receive a systematic training in musical theory; he self-educated himself by studying the works of prominent composers like Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, whom he later acknowledged as an important influence. Eventually he established himself as a famous composer in his own right and was appointed as a court musician of the wealthy Esterházy family.