Joseph Haydn's early quartets received mixed reactions from contemporaries, with some praising their 'unsophistication and geniality' while others criticized them for 'debasement of music to comical frivolities'.
Composition History
Joseph Haydn was not involved in the publication of his early chamber music, and publishers sometimes included works by other composers or incomplete arrangements under his name.
Performer Biography
The Auryn Quartet, founded in 1981, has maintained the same personnel for 27 years, which contributes to their 'unparalleled unity of interpretation'.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Joseph Haydn later distanced himself from his early quartets, considering his six quartets Op. 9 as his first 'fully-fledged contributions' to the genre.
Composition History
Joseph Haydn's early string quartets, known as 'Divertimenti a quattro', circulated throughout Europe in manuscript copies and later in print, establishing his fame.
Compositional Technique
Joseph Haydn's early quartets feature a prominent first violin part, sometimes with dazzling double-stopping and mini-cadenzas, reflecting their origins in high-class light music.
Compositional Technique
Unlike his later four-movement string quartets, Joseph Haydn's early 'Divertimenti a quattro' (Op. 1 and Op. 2) are typically in five movements, often with two fast movements framing a central slow movement and two minuets.
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