Joseph Haydn, the composer, believed music could provide a universal voice for the common person and dissolve socio-cultural boundaries by placing different musical 'worlds' alongside one another.
Interpretation
The Maxwell Quartet, who grew up surrounded by Scottish folk music, aims to highlight the folk-like qualities in Haydn's quartets by pairing each with traditional Scottish tunes.
Album & Artwork
The album concludes each Haydn quartet with a Scottish epilogue, featuring traditional tunes like 'The Beauty of the North' and 'Griogal Cridhe' (Gregor's Lament).
Composition History
Haydn's Op. 71 string quartets, along with Op. 74, were written in 1793 after his return to Vienna from a London visit that cemented his international fame.
Performer Biography
The Maxwell Quartet consists of four friends who started playing together in 2010 and won the First Prize and Audience Prize at the Trondheim International Chamber Music Competition in 2017.
Compositional Technique
The Op. 71 quartets showcase Haydn's virtuosity and his exploration of a new 'concert-hall style,' with all three opening with an attention-grabbing 'beginning before the beginning'.
