Emerging from its opening theme, the first movement of the Haydn quartet Opus 64 No 6 is filled with lyrical and inward-looking sounds. The widely modulating development works the main theme in gliding textures before becoming focused a little cadential figure that migrates from instrument to instrument.
Haydn then slyly reintroduces the opening theme in the key of G flat major, fooling his less musically sophisticated listeners into thinking that the recapitulation has begun. When the ‘real’ recapitulation does arrive a few bars later, Haydn continues to develop the theme in new textures.
The lyricism of the first movement deepens in the Andante, the expressive heart of the quartet. In the central episode, in B flat minor, the first violin uses the same impassioned gypsy vein Haydn had explored in the slow movements of Op 54 Nos 2 and 3.
The minuet features irregular phrasing, and the disruptive sforzando accents that emphasize the dissonances in the second half.
Even by Haydn’s standards, the Finale of Op 64 No 6 is astounding: It is a dazzling sonata-rondo that matches the finales of the London symphonies in humor, theatrical surprise and virtuosity.
What delightful music this is as performed by the Aeolus Quartet. Listen especially at the 11 minute point!
