Pappa Haydn.

Haydn’s String Quartets.

As a classical music lover for so many years, I learned many years ago about the violinist Ignaz Schuppanzigh, and I remembered his unusual name. I also knew that he had founded a string quartet in the early 1800’s, and that he was a good friend of Beethoven.

It is 2013 now, and I was surprised today that a new Schuppanzigh Quartet had emerged again.

Wikepedia refreshed my memory about old Ignaz, as follows:

“Ignaz Schuppanzigh (July 20, 1776 – March 2, 1830) was a violinist, friend and teacher of Beethoven, and leader of Count Razumovsky’s private string quartet. Schuppanzigh and his quartet premiered many of Beethoven’s string quartets, and in particular, the late string quartets. The Razumovsky quartet, which Schuppanzigh founded in late 1808, is considered to be the first professional string quartet. Until the founding of this quartet, quartet music was played primarily by amateurs or by professional musicians who joined together on an ad hoc basis.”

If you’d like to know more about Ignaz, click HERE.

On this CD we get to listen to the following:

  • Haydn: String Quartets, Vol. 3 – Nos. 25, 43, 59

Performed by the Schuppanzigh-Quartet

Here are the specific selections and their respective movements:

Franz Joseph Haydn: String Quartet No. 43 in G major, Op. 54, No. 1, Hob.III:58

I. Allegro con brio
II. Allegretto
III. Menuetto: Allegretto
IV. Finale: Presto

Franz Joseph Haydn: String Quartet No. 25 in C major, Op. 20, No. 2, Hob.III:32

I. Moderato
II. Capriccio: Adagio
III. Minuet: Allegretto
IV. Fuga a quattro soggetti

Franz Joseph Haydn: String Quartet No. 59 in G minor, Op. 74, No. 3, Hob.III:74, “The Rider”

I. Allegro
II. Largo assai
III. Menuetto: (Allegretto)
IV. Finale: Allegro con brio

Here is the Haydn String Quartet in Bb major, Op. 74, number 1; First movement. Allegro moderato (Performed by the Schuppanzigh Quartet, who play on original instruments)

 

 

And next, here is more of the chamber music magic by Joseph Haydn:

The Jerusalem Quartet performs Joseph Haydn’s String Quartet Op 77 number 1; first movement, Allegro moderato:

 

 

Tags: Joseph Haydn, string quartets Op. 20, Op. 54, Op. 74,Schuppanzigh String Quartet

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *