This album was recorded by Chandos Records using 24-bit / 96 kHz technology, which offers a wider dynamic range and higher resolution than standard 16-bit recordings.
Composition History
Haydn promoted his Op. 33 string quartets by sending manuscript copies to influential figures before publication, describing them as 'written in a new and special way'.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Haydn took an artistic risk with Op. 33 by incorporating popular and 'downmarket' elements, which some critics at the time considered a 'debasement of music'.
Historical Context
The 1780s saw a significant rise in the popularity and commercial viability of the string quartet, with many young composers dedicating their first string quartet series to Haydn.
Performer Biography
The Doric String Quartet, formed in 1998, won First Prize at the 2008 Osaka International Chamber Music Competition and Second Prize at the Premio Paolo Borciani International String Quartet Competition.
Instruments
Hélène Clément, the violist of the Doric String Quartet, plays an instrument made by Francesco Guissani in 1843, which was previously owned by composers Frank Bridge and Benjamin Britten.
Compositional Technique
The Op. 33 quartets abandon the traditional minuet movement in favor of the scherzo, which reflects a new stylistic approach incorporating popular elements.
