"The Seasons" was the last big work that Haydn composed. He composed it in 1801. By this time he was the most famous composer in Europe. Mozart had died ten years earlier, and Beethoven was a young man who was just starting to become famous. Haydn was nearly 80 years old and his health was not good. Although he lived another eight years "The Seasons" was the last big work he wrote. Soon after he had composed it he stopped composing altogether.