# Favourite Haydn string quartet opus



## Ramako

Which is your favourite opus of Haydn string quartets? I like the op. 33 best, because of their wit and clarity. The b minor of the set is possibly my favourite quartet ever written, and they seem so compelling to engage with in general. I especially like this recording of them:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Haydn-Strin...UK8E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343996893&sr=8-1

The Casals Quartet play almost all the repeats properly (possibly one of the reasons I like it so much) except for doing some strange things with the scherzi, (like doing the short repeat again second time round). Anyway, it is done with a great deal of energy, and I think they bring out what Haydn wrote very well, avoiding either mechanical playing, or overly Romantic interpretation.

I haven't included the op.3, because it's spurious, or the Seven Last Words because its just an arrangement. I thought I might as well separate 42, 77 and 103 though for no particularly good reason, and put together obvious sets of six that come in two threes because it was sensible.


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## Ukko

I enjoy all of the quartets from Op. 20 on. I am particularly fond of the Op. 50 by the Tokyo, and Op. 76 by several ensembles. There's nothing wrong with the Opp. 1,3 and 6 either, except that I think of them as divertimenti. Op. 3 is pleasant on the ear, whoever composed those pieces.


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## Arsakes

I haven't heard them all, but I like three opus from what I have:

1st: Op. 76 (Fifths, Emperor and Sunrise)
2nd: Op. 33
3rd: Op. 2


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## Adeodatus

Hard to narrow down my favorites when it comes to the Haydn string quartets, but there's just something about Op. 20 No. 5 that arrests me...I've had the Kodaly recording in rotation recently, and it's near-perfect. And I love the Minuet in No. 4.


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## Hausmusik

Agree with Adeodatus that it is hard to choose just a few individual favorites when it comes to a prolific genius like Haydn. However, taken as a whole, the six Op. 20 quartets and the six Op. 76 seem to me to stand apart from the other sets, both in terms of historical importance and seemingly unremitting musical ingenuity.


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## elgar's ghost

I wouldn't know which would be my favourites as I 'only' have op. 71 onwards, but I wonder if the op. 20 set was the most significant? As much as I enjoy the ones I've got I'm not racing to buy any more, but I'll probably get the op. 50 at some point because of its 'special case' status within Haydn's sq output (plus I like the oratorio version).


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## Novelette

This is a cruel question. Hard to choose among all of Haydn's incredible string quartets.

I think that the String Quartet #35 in F Minor, Op. 20 is my favorite of all of them, although only marginally: String Quartet #79 in D, Op. 76 is second. I adore the little bagatelle that is Op. 103; still, the Opus 20 are very mature works.


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## Adeodatus

I decided to spend the Christmas season savoring the opus 1 quartets--taking one a day, sitting with the music open and reading through the parts, listening to different versions. I have the Kodaly, the Buchberger, and the Aeolian. The experience was like sipping a cordial. These quartets--which I've tended to pass over in favor of the more mature works--warmed the blood nicely. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and have decided to spend the time before Lent going through the opus 2 quartets.

Opus 1, No. 3, in particular, causes me to smile--especially that zippy little presto at the end. It goes so fast, it's hard to even read along! Delightful!


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## Quartetfore

If I had to pick one movement out of all of Haydns quartets (I hope I never have to do it) it would be the beautiful slow movement of the op76#5


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## Novelette

Quartetfore, that is among my favorite quartets, the slow movement especially: enchanting and touching.

Does anyone else get the feeling that Vitamin C ripped off the first bars of the Adagio Cantabile movement from Haydn's String Quartet #32 in D Minor, Op. 43 for their "Graduation (Friends Forever)"?

Favorite slow movements: Adagio from String Quartet #29 in G, Op. 17/5; Adagio from String Quartet #35 in F Minor, Op. 20/5; Adagio ma non troppo from String Quartet #68 in B Minor, Op. 64/2; but my absolute favorite is the heart-wrenching Adagio Cantabile from String Quartet #70 in D, Op. 71/2.


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## clavichorder

Gonna have to think about this one. I generally have stronger feelings about his quartets than I do his earlier symphonies, and yet I don't know them on the whole as well, somehow...


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## KenOC

Am I alone in enoying all the neat nicknames? I mean, the "Frog", the "Razor", and so forth. Gotta love it!


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## Novelette

I love the "Razor" quartet, and the "Fifths"! Names are fun.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

I had to vote for op. 76 because it introduced me to Haydn's great quartet writing. But I love all of his quartets, you can find wonderful details in each one. Yesterday I received Op. 33 (Buchberger quartet) in the mail and I love how it's interpreted here. I like Op. 62 No. 2 in B minor as well as the 'original', Op. 33 No. 1 in B minor. I agree about the beautiful largo of Op. 76 no. 5, absolutely amazing. But don't get me started here, there's just so much greatness!


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## Guest

Which opus contains the most contrapuntal writing?


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## Ramako

Kontrapunctus said:


> Which opus contains the most contrapuntal writing?


Op. 20, with op. 17 following on behind. He reinterpreted what counterpoint could be in the op. 33 and after this largely followed this model.


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## Guest

Ramako said:


> Op. 20, with op. 17 following on behind. He reinterpreted what counterpoint could be in the op. 33 and after this largely followed this model.


Thank you! I'll look into them.

EDIT: Dang--I own a set of the Op.20 Quartets played by the Pellegrini Quartett! Note to self: Stop buying so many new recordings and listen to the ones you already have!


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## dahclassics

Oddly enough, it was the Sun, Op. 20, recorded by the Lindsays, that made me believe that string quartets could be an exciting form of art. 

I'm rather intrigued as to whether I would have liked them at all without this group's recordings. They sound fairly roughed-up--not with bum notes, mind you, but elegance is not their strong suite or their goal. When you get to the finales especially, the lead violinist "lets it rip", as it were. Haydn sounds more immediate in that context, as opposed to "monumental". The Lindsays make his art breathe and sweat. I think I like him better that way.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

I like the Buchberger interpretation of the Op. 33 a lot - I have their Op. 76, 54/55 and Op. 9 and so far their Op. 33 seems (at least to me) to be the strongest in this bunch. They just savour all the glorious detail. I love listening to the detail in Haydn's quartets - I even notice that my attention to visual beauty is hightened when I listen to them.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

but doesn't Op. 76 also contain a lot of contrapuntal writing? Just think of the fifths quartet and all the long development sections .


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## HaydnBearstheClock

P.S. @ Kontrapunctus - how do you like the Pellegrini set?


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## Guest

HaydnBearstheClock said:


> P.S. @ Kontrapunctus - how do you like the Pellegrini set?


Since I forgot that I even owned it, I just gave it a quick spin--sounds great from both a performance and sonic aspect. (It's a multi-channel SACD disc.)


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## HaydnBearstheClock

cool, I know I'll definitely get around to buying Op. 20 and I'm currently thinking of which interpreter to choose. I seem to enjoy the period instrument interpretations more so far.


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## DebussyDoesDallas

I have to abstain from voting because I really can't choose one. After 17, every opus number has one or two quartets and several movements that rank among my favorite, and every opus number has some movements I tend to skip over. No opus number thrills me front to back more than any other. 

If I put together a dream team opus, it would pluck individual quartets evenly from across the post 17 oeuvre, with an emphasis on the minor keys.


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## PaulmtAZ

I love them all


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## HaydnBearstheClock

Recently, Op. 77 has been rising in my books - The Buchberger recording of the two quartets is great, imo.


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## Headphone Hermit

Yikes - an impossible question for me to answer musically, so I'll go for op 77 'Lobkowicz' 

Simply for the pleasant memory of visiting the Lobkowicz Palace Museum whilst I was in Prague 2 years ago. It was minus 15 celcius and I was so frozen i'd have paid to visit pretty much anything - I had just visited the cathedral and just wanted to get warm for a while after freezing for a few hours so I wasn't expecting much .... and I had a great time in there. Two Canalettos were totally unexpected (I hadn't done any preparation as a tourist as it was a work trip) as was the musical exhibition there. Nice memories


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## DebussyDoesDallas

I voted for the most popular/predictable, opus 76, but most opus numbers 20 and after have at least one of my favorite quartets, and if I were to make a playlist of all my favorite movements, it would be pretty evenly distributed. 

But pound for pound, 76 is the one I could listen to front to back with a lot of highs and the fewest lows, and lots of variety. 

I have a special affinity for Haydn's minor key quartets, so second place would be tied among all those opuses with a minor.


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## PeterF

The Haydn String Quartets are among my most favorite of all works of chamber music.
If forced to select just one opus, it would be Op.76

In second place I would select Opus 64.


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## jmaloney

Op 77 are surely his greatest quartets, my favourite individual*ones are Op.50 no6 (Frog) and Op.33 no3 (Bird). The final few bars of the Frog are some of the most beautiful in all music, and as for the Bird, I can't do better than quote Rosemary Hughes 'Its crowning marvel is the grave and tender scherzo, all the instruments on their lowest string. Nowhere else in music perhaps does C major sound so dark.'


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## GKC

Your poll doesn't include the all-important choice: "the last opus no. I listened to".


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## Johnnie Burgess

Also misses the choice all of the above.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

The answer is: all of them .


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## clavichorder

This particular quartet has been my favorite for a long time: 




The D major one from Op 76.


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## kanishknishar

HaydnBearstheClock said:


> The answer is: all of them .


Wise words. I think this is the answer for all genres for Herr Haydn.


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## jegreenwood

71/74 because that's how I discovered the quartets.


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## Pugg

Herrenvolk said:


> Wise words. I think this is the answer for all genres for Herr Haydn.


I second this :tiphat:


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## HaydnBearstheClock

Herrenvolk said:


> Wise words. I think this is the answer for all genres for Herr Haydn.


Indeed. I jump from genre to genre with Haydn and wherever you go, he's got amazing music.


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## Kjetil Heggelund

Op. 51! "7 last words" should be on the poll  I love them all!


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## jurianbai

As I starting to "increase" my musical knowledge due to my flute learning, I revisited most of Haydn string quartet to seek some illumination. I found I really enjoy, and "understand" Opus 33 the most. Reading the post here I quite happyto see that my finding is concurrent with popular opinions.

Opus 33, my favorites:

1. No.5 in G in Op.33 "How do you do" 
2. NO.3 in C minor "Bird"
3. No.6 in D
4. No.2 in Eb "The Joke", easiest to follow, 
5. No.4 in Bb
6. No.1 in Bm, the shortest of them


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## BoggyB

Op. 76, no. 1 (I+II)


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## Johnnie Burgess

Kjetil Heggelund said:


> Op. 51! "7 last words" should be on the poll  I love them all!


This is a great string quartet by him.


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## Pugg

Op. 76 - "Erdödy Quartets" 33......................	58.93% still in front.


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## Johnnie Burgess

Pugg said:


> Op. 76 - "Erdödy Quartets" 33......................	58.93% still in front.


And with a huge lead.


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## Pugg

HaydnBearstheClock said:


> The answer is: all of them .


Still the best answer.


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## ArtMusic

Haydn's SQ are all epic original works.


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## Pugg

ArtMusic said:


> Haydn's SQ are all epic original works.


That's most of the time with this kind of poles.


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## Johnnie Burgess

ArtMusic said:


> Haydn's SQ are all epic original works.


One of the reasons he is the Father of the String quartet.


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## Manxfeeder

I chose Opus 76 because that was my introduction to the quartets. So as they say, you should always go home with the one who brought you to the party.


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## Johnnie Burgess

I heard one of opus 76 by the Cleveland Quartet on their final cd.


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## Pugg

Manxfeeder said:


> I chose Opus 76 because that was my introduction to the quartets. So as they say, you should always go home with the one who brought you to the party.


Very wise words spoken.


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## Johnnie Burgess

Herrenvolk said:


> Wise words. I think this is the answer for all genres for Herr Haydn.


Haydn was great in a lot of genres in classical music.:tiphat:


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## ncs

The two slow movements of op.54 no2 are otherworldly. Levon Chilingirian said in an interview that these two movements are his favorite! Wonder why so few voted for op.54?


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## Bettina

Op. 76 No. 2, "Fifths." I love how Haydn plays with that interval throughout the first movement--he really puts it through its paces!  I also enjoy the canon in the third movement. Overall, a very "learned" quartet.


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## silentio

Bettina said:


> Op. 76 No. 2, "Fifths." I love how Haydn plays with that interval throughout the first movement--he really puts it through its paces!  I also enjoy the canon in the third movement. Overall, a very "learned" quartet.


My favorite too. The Fifths is a proto-romantic work!


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## Pugg

Bettina said:


> Op. 76 No. 2, "Fifths." I love how Haydn plays with that interval throughout the first movement--he really puts it through its paces!  I also enjoy the canon in the third movement. Overall, a very "learned" quartet.


That disc played by the Album Berg Quartet, heaven.:tiphat:


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## ncs

Agree! The Alban Berg with the Fifths is the best recording of Haydn quartets!


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## LP collector

Listened last night to Op.64 No.2. Which has a highly original ghostly Adagio second movement.


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## Jake1963

Well put, Avatar. Op 20 is so earnest, intense (for Haydn) it recalls Beethoven's Razumovsky set, plus the 'Harp'. Op 33 are so joyful and bucolic. But after these, I am devoted to Op 54/55. His best of that phase, way ahead of Op 64, which was relavtively boring. 54/55 has beautiful melodies and unexpected chunky mixes (that is, less like Op 76, which is too elegant for me). I so agree by your grouping of the SQs. Of course, each of the 84 is marvelous. Just a matter of preference.


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## RogerWaters

I am currently listening to Opp. 20, 33, 50, 54/55, 64, 71/74, 76 and 77 played by the Auryn Quartet (who recently disbanded I have read) and they are superb. They will be replacing Quatour Mosaiques, who I find a tad harsh in sound (probably due to period instruments). Auryn play in a 'historically informed' way I guess you could say (restrained vibrato, appropriate phrasing) but don't use period instruments and are not as 'in your face' as the Mosaiques recordings. 

With that said, I haven't formed an opinion yet on which Op is my favourite, and I wonder how people who voted when the poll did the rounds have actually listened to all of them. 77 may be my preference at the moment.


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## hammeredklavier




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## Kreisler jr

RogerWaters said:


> They will be replacing Quatour Mosaiques, who I find a tad harsh in sound (probably due to period instruments). Auryn play in a 'historically informed' way I guess you could say (restrained vibrato, appropriate phrasing) but don't use period instruments and are not as 'in your face' as the Mosaiques recordings.


I wouldn't call the Auryn historically informed except the widest possible sense that is true of virtually every professional string quartet. This is not to say anything against their recordings but they are quite different in sound and style from any HIP quartet I heard, Festetics, Mosaiques, Schuppanzigh etc.


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## ORigel

77
76
33
20
54/55
51
64
71/74
50
103
42
17
The rest


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