Hyperion proudly presents the Complete Haydn String Quartets on period instruments in one 20CD box. These acclaimed performances from The London Haydn Quartet combine historically informed performance practice with performing editions published during Haydn’s own lifetime. The release celebrates the 25th anniversary of the formation of The London Haydn Quartet. ‘No one who loves this glorious music could have hoped for a better finish … the more I returned to these performances, the more I found myself warming to their fantasy, their disciplined spontaneity and their cumulative insights’ (Gramophone) Inside, the 10x double-CD sets are presented in strikingly handsome double wallets throughout, each featuring opulent paintings by Samuel Scott on front and back. Each wallet offers a track listing, with many presenting facsimiles of the original scores and frontispieces. The 52-page booklet brings together all the individual album booklet essays by Richard Wigmore, from the first release (2007) to the last (2023). A digital version of the booklet is attached. Haydn is revered as the father of the string quartet. In number, scope and imagination, Haydn’s quartets define the genre. Even Mozart dedicated six of his own string quartets to Papa Haydn. The set begins with Haydn’s Opus 9 quartets, widely considered—including by the composer himself—as the start of his development of this new genre.

Tracklist:

Volume 1 - Op 9

performed from the Longman and Broderip edition published in London in 1790

CD1: No 4 in D minor · No 1 in C major · No 3 in G major

CD2: No 2 in E flat major · No 5 in B flat major · No 6 in A major

Volume 2 - Op 17

performed from the Welcker edition published in London in c1774

CD3: No 4 in C minor · No 3 in E flat major · No 2 in F major

CD4: No 1 in E major · No 5 in G major · No 6 in D major

Volume 3 - Op 20 ‘Sun’

performed from the Artaria edition published in Vienna in 1801

CD5: No 1 in E flat major · No 2 in C major · No 3 in G minor

CD6: No 4 in D major · No 5 in F minor · No 6 in A major

Volume 4 - Op 33 ‘Russian’ 

performed from the Schmitt edition published in Amsterdam in 1782

CD7: No 2 in E flat major ‘The Joke’ · No 4 in B flat major · No 1 in B minor

CD8: No 6 in D major · No 5 in G major ‘How do you do?’ · No 3 in C major ‘The Bird

Volume 5 - Op 50 ‘Prussian’

performed from the Artaria edition published in Vienna in December 1787

CD9: No 1 in B flat major · No 2 in C major · No 3 in E flat major

CD10: No 4 in F sharp minor · No 5 in F major ‘The Dream’ · No 6 in D major ‘The Frog’

Volume 6 - Opp 54 & 55

performed from the Longman & Broderip edition published in London in July 1789

CD11: Op 54 No 1 in G major · Op 54 No 2 in C major · Op 54 No 3 in E major

CD12: Op 55 No 1 in A major · Op 55 No 2 in F minor ‘Razor’ · Op 55 No 3 in B flat major

Volume 7 - Op 64

performed from the Forster edition published in London

CD13: No 1 in C major · No 2 in B minor · No 3 in B flat major

CD14: No 4 in G major · No 5 in D major ‘The Lark’ · No 6 in E flat major

Volume 8 - Opp 71 & 74

performed from the Artaria (Vienna) and Sieber (Paris) editions published in 1796

CD15: Op 71 No 1 in B flat major · Op 71 No 2 in D major · Op 71 No 3 in E flat major

CD16: Op 74 No 1 in C major · Op 74 No 2 in F major · Op 74 No 3 in G minor ‘Rider’

Volume 9 - Op 76

performed from the Longman, Clementi & Co (London) and Artaria (Vienna) editions published in 1799

CD17: No 1 in G major · No 3 in C major ‘Emperor’ · No 5 in D major ‘Largo’

CD18: No 2 in D minor ‘Fifths’ · No 4 in B flat major ‘Sunrise’ · No 6 in E flat major

Volume 10 - Opp 77 & 42 & Seven Last Words

Op 42 performed from the Hoffmeister (Vienna) edition published in 1785

Op 77 performed from the Artaria (Vienna) edition published in 1802Seven Last Words performed from the Artaria (Vienna) edition published in 1798

CD19: Op 77 No 1 in G major · Op 77 No 2 in F major · Op 42 in D minor

CD20: The Seven Last Words of our Saviour on the Cross Op 51