The String Quartets Op. 76 by Haydn are among the most renowned of Joseph Haydn’s sets of quartets, and they carry the stamp of their creator: No other set of eighteenth-century string quartets is so diverse, or so unconcerned with the norms of the time.
On a previous CD, the Chiaroscuro Quartet has recorded the first half of the Op. 76, including No. 3, the celebrated ‘Emperor’ quartet. The release has won great acclaim, and one of the critics wrote:
‘The Chiaroscuros’ account of the remaining three Op 76 quartets can’t come soon enough.’ Well, here it is: a CD which like its predecessor spans a wealth of moods and atmospheres: from the magical sunrise of the opening of 76/4 to the joyous minuet and boisterous finale of Opus 76/6.
Here is the Chiaroscuro Quartet with this music by Haydn:
