Haydn: String Quartets Op.76

Franz Joseph Haydn (Composer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Composer: Franz Joseph Haydn
• Audio CD (February 22, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Asv Living Era
• ASIN: B00003XB6K
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #69,038 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Chamber music making of the highest order, August 17, 2000

By 

Sheng-chi Shu (Singapore) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Haydn: String Quartets Op.76 (Audio CD)

The Op 76 set of 6 string quartets marks the summit of Haydn's chamber music. Composed between 1796-1797 and dedicated to Count Erdody, it shows Haydn at the absolute peak of his powers, creatvity and imaginations. When the English historian and musician Dr Charles Burney first heard the quartets in 1799, he came out with these paens of superlatives which the works fully deserves: "They are full of invention, fire good taste, and new effects, and seem the production, not of a sublime genius who has written so much and so well recently, but one of the highly cultivated talents, who has expended none of his fire before."

The quartets receive superb performances from the Linsays String Quartets, the leading British chamber music ensemble of our day. Indeed, they do full justice to Haydn's creative imagination, visions, breaths and humour. They may not possess the tonal sheen and glamour of their counterparts, say the Alban Berg Quartet, yet they illuminate the score from within and constantly penetrate to the heart of the music. The largo of op 76 no. 5, the real core of the whole set, serves as a template for the rest. The Lindsays faithfully observes the cantabile e mesto, giving the movement a rapt intensity and depth of feeling, yet never ever indulging in sentimentality. The same could be said of the famous 'Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser' poco adagio cantabile from the 'Emperor' quartet. Taken the set as a whole, the first movements breath with majestic gravitas, the slow movements sings. The minuets truly dance, exuberantly and sometimes rustically. The finales are either invigorating (as those of nos 2, 5, and 6) or given mesmerizing pathos when required (as those in nos 1, 3, and 4). The music sound fresh and newly-minted, as though the listener are experiencing them for the first time.

The Op 76 set has really fared very well on compact disc in recent months, not just do we have these wonderful and endearing performances here, the leading period instrumental group Quartuor Mosaiques on naive astree (E8665) has also offered their unique, distinguished interpretation and insights to these evergreen works. Haydn lovers are indeed spoilt for choice.

2 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Haydn: String Quartets Op.76, October 28, 2010

By 

Bjorn Viberg (European Union) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Haydn: String Quartets Op.76 (Audio CD)

Haydn: String Quartets Op.76 is a very nice recording played by the String quartet group known as The Lindsays on this ASV Ltd. recording from 2000. They have written very interesting, well-written and informative liner notes. The booklet is available in English, French and German. I agree with BBC Music Magazine and I too think this is a very rewarding performance to listen to. Highly recommended indeed. 5/5.