# Haydn String Quartets: Opus 50



## Ramako

The Op. 50 are nicknamed the 'Prussian' quartets. They were written for the king of Prussia, who was a cellist. The cello part is written accordingly, including opening the first quartet on its own (Rosen sees the simplicity of its opening as a joke on not taxing the royal abilities - take it or leave it). Written 5 years after the op. 33, these works follow in their footsteps, though they are more expansive in some ways.

As always, please comment on the works, recordings etc.

Previous: Opus 1, Opus 2, Opus 3, Opus 9, Opus 17, Opus 20, Opus 33

Next: Opus 54&55


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## HaydnBearstheClock

the frog is just hilarious, had to vote for it .


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## Ukko

My favorite set is the one by the Tokyo Quartet (DG), recorded in 1974&76. The CD issue is unfortunately quite rare (mine is from the LPs - which are not rare).

I can also recommend the set that The Tátrai Quartet made for Hungaroton, (P) 1994. Amazon.com doesn't have it, but copies should be locatable.


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## Ramako

Hilltroll72 said:


> My favorite set is the one by the Tokyo Quartet (DG), recorded in 1974&76. The CD issue is unfortunately quite rare (mine is from the LPs - which are not rare).
> 
> I can also recommend the set that The Tátrai Quartet made for Hungaroton, (P) 1994. Amazon.com doesn't have it, but copies should be locatable.


Thanks Hilltroll, I shall probably look out for those. I have never got on with the op. 50, and for the time being I'm putting it down to the performers rather than the pieces.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

Ramako said:


> Thanks Hilltroll, I shall probably look out for those. I have never got on with the op. 50, and for the time being I'm putting it down to the performers rather than the pieces.


You never liked the Op. 50? It was actually one of the sets that really got me into Haydn's quartets (Op. 76 being the other one) - try listening to the Buchberger Quartet version, maybe you'll like their approach .


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## Itullian

cant choose. I like them all.


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## Ramako

HaydnBearstheClock said:


> You never liked the Op. 50? It was actually one of the sets that really got me into Haydn's quartets (Op. 76 being the other one) - try listening to the Buchberger Quartet version, maybe you'll like their approach .


The problem might be that the set I got with the Buchberger only had half of the op. 50 for some bizarre reason, so I have half of it with the buchbergers, but the other half with someone else. I've been meaning to either complete the set or get a new one for some time, but haven't done so


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## Ukko

Ramako said:


> Thanks Hilltroll, I shall probably look out for those. I have never got on with the op. 50, and for the time being I'm putting it down to the performers rather than the pieces.


That could easily be the case; interpretation, the 'feel', makes a big difference. During the time that the Tokyo set was a 'new thing', their interpretations were often compared to those by the Quartetto Italiano, with some rather emphatic preferences expressed both ways.


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## Mandryka

There are so many good recordings of these quartets, all different, and all well worth having. The music is so wonderful it has brought out the best from musicians. Even the Festetics are excellent here, as are the Tatrai and the Amati. I haven't heard theTokyo play op 50 though I know they have a good reputation.


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## Ukko

Mandryka said:


> There are so many good recordings of these quartets, all different, and all well worth having. The music is so wonderful it has brought out the best from musicians. Even the Festetics are excellent here, as are the Tatrai and the Amati. I haven't heard theTokyo play op 50 though I know they have a good reputation.


Hah. Thanks for mentioning the Festetics; I wondered if they had recorded this opus. The Mosaïques did too, to some acclaim. My HIP-indoctrinated friends have complained for years that the Apponyi did not.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

Ramako said:


> The problem might be that the set I got with the Buchberger only had half of the op. 50 for some bizarre reason, so I have half of it with the buchbergers, but the other half with someone else. I've been meaning to either complete the set or get a new one for some time, but haven't done so


Did you get the full Buchberger set? That is quite strange. Yes, it's definitely nicer to have a more consistent reading of the quartets, but then again, variety's not bad either. I think the Nomos Quartet has a reasonably-priced set, did you listen to some samples of that one?


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## Ramako

HaydnBearstheClock said:


> Did you get the full Buchberger set? That is quite strange. Yes, it's definitely nicer to have a more consistent reading of the quartets, but then again, variety's not bad either. I think the Nomos Quartet has a reasonably-priced set, did you listen to some samples of that one?


I got the Haydn Edition, in which all the quartets were played by the buchberger, however there are some gaps in strange places (like having only half of the op. 50 for example). I bought the other half by the Kodaly, who I generally am not fond of, so it was a bit of a cop out really.

I've found a Tatrai recording for Hungaroton, and I think I'm going to get it, and the buchberger too: even though I already have half of it, it annoys me to have an almost complete set like that. I think I'll try to plug the other gaps too as this reveals them.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

Ramako said:


> I got the Haydn Edition, in which all the quartets were played by the buchberger, however there are some gaps in strange places (like having only half of the op. 50 for example). I bought the other half by the Kodaly, who I generally am not fond of, so it was a bit of a cop out really.
> 
> I've found a Tatrai recording for Hungaroton, and I think I'm going to get it, and the buchberger too: even though I already have half of it, it annoys me to have an almost complete set like that. I think I'll try to plug the other gaps too as this reveals them.


Yeah, although I first got to know Haydn's quartets through the Kodaly recordings, right now I seem to prefer other ensembles.


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## jurianbai

I like no.4 in F#, if ever it got a nickname then surely it will go popular, as the later 'Dream' and 'Frog'... . Wonderful Opus of string quartet to have.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

jurianbai said:


> I like no.4 in F#, if ever it got a nickname then surely it will go popular, as the later 'Dream' and 'Frog'... . Wonderful Opus of string quartet to have.


I remember hearing the fuga in the F# minor quartet for the first time - I knew the fugue was more of a baroque technique and was fascinated by how well Haydn put it into the context of a classical string quartet. I then went on to hear all the fugue finales in Op. 20 and was impressed by these as well.


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## Vaneyes

I like 'em all. For recs. of, I've settled in with Lindsay Qt. :tiphat:


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## DebussyDoesDallas

No. 3 -- The outer movements make me grin and jump around.

I highly recommend the Prazak Quartet disc of 3, 5, & 6. Wonderful sound and spirit. It's pricey on Amazon but I got mine at the Berkshire Record Outlet for a discount price.


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## PaulmtAZ

I have to go back and listen to this set now.


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## Novelette

Itullian said:


> cant choose. I like them all.


I have the same difficulty with Haydn in general--namely, choosing which of his works are favorites. Haydn is the composer to whom I most frequently return, almost daily. String quartets, symphonies, piano trios, masses, operas, piano sonatas. There's just something about Haydn's works that have an unceasing appeal: no matter how many times I've listened to a work, I never tire of it. The piano sonatas have featured very much in my own playing repertoire lately, as well.

Of these string quartets, they're all wonderful!


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## KenOC

Novelette said:


> I have the same difficulty with Haydn in general--namely, choosing which of his works are favorites. Haydn is the composer to whom I most frequently return, almost daily. String quartets, symphonies, piano trios, masses, operas, piano sonatas. There's just something about Haydn's works that have an unceasing appeal: no matter how many times I've listened to a work, I never tire of it. The piano sonatas have featured very much in my own playing repertoire lately, as well.
> 
> Of these string quartets, they're all wonderful!


Such truth. With Haydn, you can dip in anywhere and ALWAYS be pleasantly surprised. If you've heard it before, you will likely have forgotten just how good it is.


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## Guest

I haven't heard these ones yet. Nevertheless, I should hope "The Frog" is the best.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

arcaneholocaust said:


> I haven't heard these ones yet. Nevertheless, I should hope "The Frog" is the best.


The 'Frog' is a funny one indeed, and an awesome quartet to boot .


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## HaydnBearstheClock

Novelette said:


> I have the same difficulty with Haydn in general--namely, choosing which of his works are favorites. Haydn is the composer to whom I most frequently return, almost daily. String quartets, symphonies, piano trios, masses, operas, piano sonatas. There's just something about Haydn's works that have an unceasing appeal: no matter how many times I've listened to a work, I never tire of it. The piano sonatas have featured very much in my own playing repertoire lately, as well.
> 
> Of these string quartets, they're all wonderful!


My thoughts exactly, Novelette! I listen to Haydn every day and still keep on discovering new things that I haven't noticed before. For example, in symphony no. 99, I recently paid specific attention to the rhythmatic line in the 1st movement (a kind of a 'tick-tock'), and how it's transported throughout the different parts of the movement. I love finding these little subtleties that Haydn loved inserting into his compositions.


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## Roi N

I voted for the B Flat because of its harmonies. So proggresive you'd think its an 1850 work. But 'The Dream' came in close second, I can't believe no one voted for it!
BTW, great performances of all the Haydn quartets can be heard from the 'Attaca' quartet. Just look them up on Youtube.


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## PeterF

My favorite ( at present) is Op.50/3 by the Prazak Quartet. Also I would say Op.50/1 by the Kodaly Quartet, and Op.50/6 by the Prazak Quartet would get high marks from me.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

The Nomos-Quartett has an excellent recording of the Op. 50 quartets - a very clean, harmonious quartet sound.


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