Monday 20 October 2008

181. Joseph Haydn - String Quartets, op. 77 (1799)


















Recording

Title: String Quartets Opus 77
Performers: Quatuor Mosaiques
Year: 1989
Length: 1 hour

Review

Here we have the last string quartets by Haydn... and unfortunately there is only one more piece by him on the list. So his joie de vivre will end up in the earth like it does to us all. Cheery.

Frankly I was not as impressed by these two Quartets was I was by Opus 76, which sounded a lot more experimental and were also more attractive. These are the only two quartets in this Opus which was supposed to consist of 6 quartets, but Haydn just never got around to finishing it, and you can feel him a bit uninspired here.

Still, they are very good, only not as immensely impressive as his previous ones on this list. So if you are really in love with his String Quartets you could do worse than get this, but if not... leave it be.

Final Grade

8/10

Trivia

From Wikipedia:

The return to Vienna in 1795 marked the last turning point in Haydn's career. Although his musical style evolved little, his intentions as a composer changed. While he had been a servant, and later a busy entrepreneur, Haydn wrote his works quickly and in profusion, with frequent deadlines. As a rich man, Haydn now felt he had the privilege of taking his time and writing for posterity.

First Movement of the second quartet:


No comments: