Six Quartets, Op. 20
Classical
| May 2011
Reviews
Larry Koran
Reviewed 2011-07-08
Reviewed 2011-07-08
Haydn, Franz Joseph. Six Quartets, Op. 20 (Daedalus Quartet)
Label: Bridge
Reviewed by Larry K.
2011-07-09
These quartets (from 1772) are often considered the first quartet masterworks. Haydn looks ahead to the Romantic period and back to the Baroque. The idea of a dialogue between equal voices is promoted by the use of counterpoint. Haydn was now Kapellmeister at the Esterhazy castle, but these quartets exhibit not only beautiful, aristocratic music and music of delight, but also dark music evoking tears. Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms studied these quartets. No. 1 mixes the serious and the comic. The cello opening melody of No. 2 initiates the most dramatic of the set. No. 3 uses phrases of unconventional length (5 bars, 7 bars). No. 4 has surprising twists and turns in the last mvmt. No. 5 is the darkest of the set, but the 3rd mvmt is sweet and tender. No. 6 is the sunniest of the set, and is full of musical jokes.
Disc A (67:15)
Quartet in Eb Major, Op. 20, No. 1, Hob. III:31 (19:39)
1. Allegro moderato (6:32)
2. Menuet: Un poco allegretto (3:44). Jaunty.
3. Affettuoso e sostenuto (5:35). Exquisite slow mvmt.
4. Finale: Presto (3:42)
Quartet in C Major. Op. 20, No. 2, (Hob. III:32 (20:56)
5. Moderato (7:19)
6. Capriccio: Adagio (6:05)
7. Menuet: Allegretto (3:46)
8. Fuga a 4 soggetti: Allegro (3:39)
Quartet in G Minor, Op. 20. No. 3, Hob. III:33 (26:22)
9. Allegro con spirito (6:26). Stern theme, off-kilter humor.
10. Menuet: Allegretto (4:23)
11. Poco adagio (9:55). A muted, ringing bell.
12. Finale: Allegro di molto (5:26). Dissolves into thin air.
Disc B (6253)
Quartet in D Major, Op. 20, No. 4, Hob. III:34 (22:54)
1. Allegro di molto (7:59). Pulsations give humor.
2. Un poco adagio e affettuoso (8:58). Melancholic theme and variations.
3. Menuet all zingarese: Allegretto (1:31). In good humor
4. Presto scherzando (4:41). Good humor continues.
Quartet in F Minor, Op. 20, No. 5, Hob. III:35 (21:57)
5. Moderato (7:40)
6. Menuet (4:52)
7. Adagio (6:07). Sweet and tender
8. Finale: Fuga a 2 soggetti (3:04)
Quartet in A Major, Op. 20, No. 6, Hob. III:36 (17:44)
9. Allegro di molto e scherzando (6:00)
10. Adagio (6:12)
11. Menuet (2:15)
12. Fuga a 3 soggetti (2:59)
Label: Bridge
Reviewed by Larry K.
2011-07-09
These quartets (from 1772) are often considered the first quartet masterworks. Haydn looks ahead to the Romantic period and back to the Baroque. The idea of a dialogue between equal voices is promoted by the use of counterpoint. Haydn was now Kapellmeister at the Esterhazy castle, but these quartets exhibit not only beautiful, aristocratic music and music of delight, but also dark music evoking tears. Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms studied these quartets. No. 1 mixes the serious and the comic. The cello opening melody of No. 2 initiates the most dramatic of the set. No. 3 uses phrases of unconventional length (5 bars, 7 bars). No. 4 has surprising twists and turns in the last mvmt. No. 5 is the darkest of the set, but the 3rd mvmt is sweet and tender. No. 6 is the sunniest of the set, and is full of musical jokes.
Disc A (67:15)
Quartet in Eb Major, Op. 20, No. 1, Hob. III:31 (19:39)
1. Allegro moderato (6:32)
2. Menuet: Un poco allegretto (3:44). Jaunty.
3. Affettuoso e sostenuto (5:35). Exquisite slow mvmt.
4. Finale: Presto (3:42)
Quartet in C Major. Op. 20, No. 2, (Hob. III:32 (20:56)
5. Moderato (7:19)
6. Capriccio: Adagio (6:05)
7. Menuet: Allegretto (3:46)
8. Fuga a 4 soggetti: Allegro (3:39)
Quartet in G Minor, Op. 20. No. 3, Hob. III:33 (26:22)
9. Allegro con spirito (6:26). Stern theme, off-kilter humor.
10. Menuet: Allegretto (4:23)
11. Poco adagio (9:55). A muted, ringing bell.
12. Finale: Allegro di molto (5:26). Dissolves into thin air.
Disc B (6253)
Quartet in D Major, Op. 20, No. 4, Hob. III:34 (22:54)
1. Allegro di molto (7:59). Pulsations give humor.
2. Un poco adagio e affettuoso (8:58). Melancholic theme and variations.
3. Menuet all zingarese: Allegretto (1:31). In good humor
4. Presto scherzando (4:41). Good humor continues.
Quartet in F Minor, Op. 20, No. 5, Hob. III:35 (21:57)
5. Moderato (7:40)
6. Menuet (4:52)
7. Adagio (6:07). Sweet and tender
8. Finale: Fuga a 2 soggetti (3:04)
Quartet in A Major, Op. 20, No. 6, Hob. III:36 (17:44)
9. Allegro di molto e scherzando (6:00)
10. Adagio (6:12)
11. Menuet (2:15)
12. Fuga a 3 soggetti (2:59)
Recent airplay
Quartet no. 3 in G, op. 20 no. 3
Mixed Up Class — Sep 14, 2020
Disc A: Quartet In Eb Maj, Op. 20, No. 1, I Allegro (6:32)
feelin' the music — Aug 09, 2011
Quartet In C Maj, Op. 20, No. 2, Iv Fuga (3:39), Quartet In C Maj, Op. 20, No. 2, Iii Menuet (3:46), Quartet In C Maj, Op. 20, No. 2, Ii Capriccio (6:05), Quartet In C Maj, Op. 20, No. 2, I Moderato (7:19)
slowburner bricolage — Jul 28, 2011
Quartet In C Maj, Op. 20, No. 2, Iv Fuga (3:39), Quartet In C Maj, Op. 20, No. 2, Iii Menuet (3:46), Quartet In C Maj, Op. 20, No. 2, Ii Capriccio (6:05), Quartet In C Maj, Op. 20, No. 2, I Moderato (7:19)
consummate classical — Jul 27, 2011
Track listing
| 1. | Disc A: Quartet In Eb Maj, Op. 20, No. 1, I Allegro (6:32) | ||
| 2. | Quartet In Eb Maj, Op. 20, No. 1, Ii Menuet (3:44) | ||
| 3. | Quartet In Eb Maj, Op. 20, No. 1, Iii Affettuoso E Sost. (5:25) | ||
| 4. | Quartet In Eb Maj, Op. 20, No. 1, Iv Finale, Presto (3:42) | ||
| 5. | Quartet In C Maj, Op. 20, No. 2, I Moderato (7:19) | ||
| 6. | Quartet In C Maj, Op. 20, No. 2, Ii Capriccio (6:05) | ||
| 7. | Quartet In C Maj, Op. 20, No. 2, Iii Menuet (3:46) | ||
| 8. | Quartet In C Maj, Op. 20, No. 2, Iv Fuga (3:39) | ||
| 9. | Quartet In G Min, Op. 20, No 3, I Allegro (6:26) | ||
| 10. | Quartet In G Min, Op. 20, No 3, Ii Menuet (4:23) | ||
| 11. | Quartet In G Min, Op. 20, No 3, Iii Poco Adagio (9:55) | ||
| 12. | Quartet In G Min, Op. 20, No 3, Iv Allegro Di Molto (5:26) | ||
| 13. | Disc B: Quartet In D Maj, Op. 20, No. 4, I Allegro (7:59) | ||
| 14. | Quartet In D Maj, Op. 20, No. 4, Ii Un Poco Adagio (8:28) | ||
| 15. | Quartet In D Maj, Op. 20, No. 4, Iii Menuet (1:31) | ||
| 16. | Disc B: Quartet In D Maj, Op. 20, No. 4, Iv Presto (4:41) | ||
| 17. | Quartet In F Min, Op. 20, No. 5, I Moderato (7:40) | ||
| 18. | Quartet In F Min, Op. 20, No. 5, Ii Menuet (4:52) | ||
| 19. | Quartet In F Min, Op. 20, No. 5, Iii Adagio (6:07) | ||
| 20. | Quartet In F Min, Op. 20, No. 5, Iv Finale, Fuga (3:04) | ||
| 21. | Quartet In A Maj, Op. 20, No. 6, I Allegro (6:00) | ||
| 22. | Quartet In A Maj, Op. 20, No. 6, Ii Adagio (6:12) | ||
| 23. | Quartet In A Maj, Op. 20, No. 6, Iii Menuet (2:15) | ||
| 24. | Quartet In A Maj, Op. 20, No. 6, Iv Fuga (2:59) |