Haydn's first String Quartets, Opp. 1 and 2, were commissioned by Baron Karl Joseph Weber von Fürnberg, who happened to have four string players available.
Compositional Technique
Haydn considered his String Quartets Op. 33, written in 1781, to be in an "entirely new, special style," marking a new compositional level after a ten-year break from writing quartets.
Cultural Impact
The second 'Serenata' movement of Haydn's Quartet Op. 3 No 5 was once so popular that it was the most-recorded Haydn piece around 1950, appearing in countless radio and musical request shows.
Composition History
Haydn's work The Seven Last Words of Our Saviour on the Cross was originally conceived for large orchestra, commissioned for a Good Friday service in Cádiz, Spain.
Interpretation
The Amadeus Quartet members found Haydn's music, particularly the quartets, to be more difficult to play than Romantic works, requiring a 'tightrope act'.
Recording & Production
All recordings in this CD edition are being released for the first time, including three String Quartets from Opp. 9, 20, and 33 played by the Amadeus Quartet.
Performer Biography
The Amadeus Quartet, featured on this album, consisted of Norbert Brainin (violin I), Siegmund Nissel (violin II), Peter Schidlof (viola), and Martin Lovett (cello).
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