Joseph Haydn:
- Quartets Op. 74
In 1793, when Joseph Haydn returned home to Vienna after a visit to London, he wrote a set of six string quartets. This set was later broken up into two groups of three and sold to separate publishers, thus becoming the Op. 71 and Op. 74 quartets.
These works possess an almost orchestral sonority, with frequent modulations, dynamic variations and increasingly virtuosic writing reminiscent of the ‘London’ symphonies. Above all, they display the composer’s astonishing elegance, lyricism and amazing skill in combining the profound with light-hearted and comedic sounds.
In these excellent interpretations, the Takács Quartet display an absolute unanimity of tone and style and emerge as one of today’s greatest string ensembles.
Track listings are as follows:
String Quartet in C major Op 74 No 1
1. Allegro
2. Andantino grazioso
3. . Menuetto: Allegro-Trio
4. Vivace
String Quartet in F major Op 74 No 2
5. Allegro spiritoso
6. Andante grazioso
7. Menuetto-Trio
8. Presto
String Quartet in G minor ‘Rider’ Op 74 No 3
9. Allegro
10. Largo assai
11. Menuetto: Allegretto-Trio
12. Allegro con brio
Here is a brief video of the Takacs quartet playing Haydn:
http://youtu.be/lnRr0ScA2J0
And next, here is the Takacs Quartet talking about, and playing Franz Schubert
http://youtu.be/SchKHB6Jsks
Finally, here is one of the quartets on this recording: Haydn’s String Quartet op. 74 nº 3 in g minor; 4th movement: Allegro con brio, as performed by the Kódaly Quartet:
What a master Joseph Haydn was! And he gave us totally amazing compositions.
Tags: Joseph Haydn, String quartet Op. 74, Takacs String Quartet