In 1785 a set of six quartets by Mozart were published with a dedication to Haydn. Mozart’s dedication describes them as the fruit of a long and laborious study, as he entrusts them as children to a father, and there is evidence both of the care that he took over these compositions and of the influence of Haydn, himself to be influenced by these works in his turn.
The Quartet in D minor, K.421, the second of the Haydn cycle, was written in the summer of 1783 and completed by the 17th of June. The first movement opens sotto voce, leading to a dramatic extension of range and dynamics and subtle interplay between the instruments. The first violin is entrusted with the F major second subject and thematic material is developed contrapuntally in the central section of the movement.
The F major Andante opens with a first violin melody and contains a more elaborate central section. It is followed by a Minuet of tragic implication, with a D major Trio of lively rhythm in which the first violin is accompanied by the plucked notes of the other instruments.
The last movement, marked Al1egretto ma non troppo has a gentle principal melody in dotted rhythm, punctuated by a repeated note figure that has continuing importance. There is a first variation in shorter notes, using a pattern based on the arpeggio. The second variation is syncopated and dynamically contrasted, the third allows prominence to the viola and the fourth offers a contrast of mood in D major. This leads to a final D minor allegro, ending in the major key to bring this wonderful work to a close
Here is the Consone Quartet from Wigmore Hall, London, to play this music for you:
