In 1909, to commemorate the centenary of Haydn’s death, an initiative was started by one of the leading French music journals, the Revue musicale mensuelle de la S.I.M - a composition project with the six most important French composers of the time, Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy, Paul Dukas, Reynaldo Hahn, Vincent d’Indy and Charles Widor. The result was “Hommage à Joseph Haydn”, 6 compositions for pianoforte, commissioned by Jules Écorcheville.

For the bicentenary in 2009 a similar but even more ambitious composition project has been chosen entitled: D2H - DedicatedToHaydn.

The foundation stone for the project was laid in June 2005 when Dr. Walter Reicher, Director of the Haydn Festival Eisenstadt, and Harald Kosik, the pianist of the Haydn Trio Eisenstadt, discussed for the first time the possibility of a large-scale project with new music for “Haydn 2009”. They both soon realised that the best starting point would be the 1909 idea, and Harald Kosik took on the task of drawing up a concept and directing the project.

In the meantime many people, both in Austria and abroad, are working on the project. D2H has become a special example for worldwide cooperation, working towards a common cultural project.

Joseph Haydn sent his musical message out into the world from Eisenstadt, and he will receive an answer in the form of 18 musical statements to arrive in Eisenstadt for 2009.

“My language is understood the world over” is the best-known Haydn quotation and has been taken as the motto for DedicatedToHaydn.

The whole world understands his language. So 6 Austrian composers (Haydn's national environment), 6 European composers (Haydn's international environment) and 6 composers from all other continents around the world have been invited to compose a Piano Trio to commemorate the bicentenary of Joseph Haydn’s death.

The works are commissioned by the HAYDN FESTIVAL EISENSTADT.

Haydn spent the largest part of his life in Eisenstadt at the court of Prince Esterházy and is buried in a tomb in the Bergkirche (hill church) in Eisenstadt.

The 18 new works invoke some aspect of the life or work of Joseph Haydn.

The composers are called upon to commemorate Haydn in their own way and dedicate the new composition to him.

The performed length of the works is no longer than 7-10 minutes.