String Quartets Opus 2 & 42: CDs & Vinyl

Haydn invented the string quartet, and in terms of both quality and quantity, his achievement in the medium has never been surpassed. There aren't many times in the subjective world of classical music when you can make a statement like that, but this is certainly one of them. There are ten early string quartets that more or less established the genre. This disc contains the last two of them, along with the short, charming Quartet Op. 42 which was not composed as part of a larger set. Although this is early Haydn, it would be wrong to say that it's in any way immature. The music has all the freshness of a composer embarking on new discoveries, and in these charming performances, it's a discovery that you will enjoy too.--David Hurwitz