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Both the sound and the performance of these four quartets emerge crisp and brilliant on this release. All the sec, witty, minimalist virtues inherent but not always evident in the original recording have been revealed in this reprocessing. Opus 1 #5 shows that there is no such thing as immature Haydn. A jolly, very short allegro gives way to a minuet followed by a slow movement on muted strings with a pizzicato accompaniment. A four square allegro moderato ends with a more rapid variation. Opus 54 #3 begins with a mellow but not too rapid allegro, undergoes a highly modulatory development and a very irregular recapitulation. A walking andante featuring first violin figurations leads to a thrusting powerful minuet. The opening stealthy theme of the finale brings expectations of powerful developments ahead and so it is with this monothematic tour de force. Opus 55 #1 introduces one of Haydn's most wayward and roving first movements where sonata form waypoints are difficult to locate. A rather conventional slow movement leads to a charming, trilling minuet. The finale is rapid, clothed in textual and harmonic fantasy and filled with contrapuntal touches. Op 64 #4 propels a striding theme and subjects it to inexhaustible harmonic changes. A rather conventional (for Haydn) minuet leads to an andante with variations. The finale is very dynamic and swift and ends off balance (at least it caught this listener off balance). This series,
perhaps extending to eight volumes, will surely be one of the mainstays
of the Pristine Audio catalog. Those who have only heard these performances
in their flat EMI LP incarnation can have no idea of the artistic riches
that have been set free herein.
Notes and review: Bill Rosen
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