In his G major String Quartet, K387, Mozart's writing is influenced by Bach's fugal style, a result of his exposure to Bach and Handel's music through Baron Gottfried van Swieten.
Interpretation
Siegmund Nissel, the second violinist of the Amadeus Quartet, described the first violin as the 'label', the cello as the 'bottle', and the inner voices as the 'content' or 'wine' of a string quartet.
Recording & Production
The historical recordings by audite are based on original analogue tapes from broadcasting archives, which achieve high quality even by today's standards.
Performer Biography
The Amadeus Quartet, active from the 1950s to the 1980s, maintained the same personnel for over forty years, a record rarely achieved by other quartets.
Recording & Production
The Amadeus Quartet's early recordings from 1950 show an experimental approach to dynamics, with widely separated forte and piano levels, sometimes resulting in a harsh tone.
Composition History
Mozart dedicated his set of six string quartets, known as the 'Haydn' Quartets, to Joseph Haydn, a remarkable gesture as dedications were typically made to patrons or commissioners at the time.
Interpretation
Norbert Brainin, the first violinist of the Amadeus Quartet, believed that to overcome routine, one must play a familiar work as if it were the first time, allowing for greater improvisation and freedom in interpretation.
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Mozart: The 6 Haydn Quartets & The 6 String Quartets
Mozart: String Quartet No. 14 in G Major, K. 387 "Spring" & String Quartet No. 19 in C Major, K. 465 "Dissonant"E
Mozart: String Quartets Nos. 20 & 21
Loewenguth Quartet, Vol. 1: Haydn & Mozart
Haydn, J.: String Quartets Opp.76, 77 & 103
Romanticism
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: The Late String Quartets Nos. 14-23
