His most notable compositions include various symphonies and string quartets. This earned him the nicknames “father of the symphony” and “father of the string quartet”. Haydn has also been credited with the development of the piano trio as well as being a major player in the evolution of the sonata form. Haydn's contributions were such that he became an influence for several composers, including Franz Schubert, Felix Mendelsshon and Johannes Brahms. But probably the most notable name with connections to Haydn was Ludwig van Beethoven, considered by some to be arguably the greatest composer in history. Beethoven was Haydn's student. In 1761 Haydn became a court musician in the palace of the influential Esterházy family. He held this position for 30 years. As well as gaining the family's trust and esteem, Haydn's popularity also increased outside the palace. But he felt alone inside the palace because he was isolated from his friends. In 1791 he left the palace and accepted an invitation to go to England where he wrote new symphonies and gave numerous concerts. Thanks to this, many of his works became famous. These works included the Rider Quartet and the Surprise, Military, Drumroll and London symphonies. His cello concertos were appreciated