From what I learned in my music history class taught by Richard Taruskin (really big name in the musicological community) I know that under the patronage of Prince Esterhazy, Haydn would have to write music for special events---Meaning that if a Queen from another country was visiting, he would have had to compose something that very day to announce her arrival (I believe there is an actual example of this). In order to do this, he had to come up with a "system" of composing. Composers in that day did not view music as a "deep" and romantic form of expression and genius, but more of a craft. Composers like Haydn and Mozart did not compose "Classical" music, they composed "Gallant" music, which is almost like the party music of the day. It was about socializing and fun...Not deep thought. This is one reason for why they have A LOT of shorter pieces.
Beethoven is kinda the bridge between this style and the romantic style. (If we are going to look at music in terms of evolution...which has its problems.) By the 19th century you get fantasy novel writers such as E.T.A. Hoffmann that for some reason become the first music critics.
His writings are just loaddddded with all sorts of german romantic rhetoric and so provide a very biased picture of music.
The idea of such a thing as a musical "genius" is pretty much widespread at this point...although the real source of this idea is the renaissance composer Josquin Des Perez.
By these parameters, they more than likely DID view some of their works as better than others, though I do not have any direct quotations on my mind.
The best example I can think of is this:
String quartet number 13 by Beethoven. Originally, he composed the "Grosse Fugue" or "great Fugue" as the final movement. It is loaded with dissonances and chaotic movement, and most people that hear it cannot listen it from start to finish.
His publisher BEGGED him to write a different movement for the premier because he feared that the audience would not like or "get" it. So, in a rare instance of Beethoven "behaving" he actually DID!
The replacement movement is much tamer. When the piece premiered, the grosse fugue did not receive an encore....at this beethoven said:
"And why didn't they encore the Fugue? That alone should have been repeated! Cattle! Asses!"
This HINTS that Beethoven held the fugue in higher esteem than his replacement movement.
But what do I know, i'm another idiot college student.
