The introduction of Christianity into Hungary in the 10th century brought with it the use of Gregorian chants from Western Europe and secular music from the East.
Hungarian folk music also absorbed harmony styles from the Ottomans, who occupied the country in the 16th and 17th centuries. Princely courts often had orchestras and opera companies of their own, in which foreign musicians were employed. The best-known example is the Austrian composer Joseph Haydn, who worked for 30 years for the Esterházy family. German music continued to be the dominant influence on Hungarian music until the 20th century.
In the 19th century, Hungary produced its first important native-born composer, Ferenc Erkel, who composed the Hungarian national anthem and the first Hungarian opera. The Hungarian-born composer and pianist Franz Liszt spent most of his life in other countries.
