In 1802 an edition
of Haydn’s String Quartets was prepared which had the composer’s
approval. It began with the six quartets of opus 9, probably
written between 1768 and 1771, rather than with the quartets
included in Haydn’s opus 1 and 2; these were designated cassations,
serenades or divertimenti à quattro and it is clear
that Haydn viewed the opus 9 set as constituting the beginning
of his serious work as a composer of string quartets.
With opus 9 Haydn
went a long way towards establishing the four-movement form
as the norm for his – and other composer’s – string quartets.
All bar one (no.5) of the quartets now begin with a first
movement in sonata form, where their predecessors had begun
with a relatively simple dance; most are on the slow side,
with markings such as moderato and poco adagio.
All of the second movements are made up of a minuet and trio.
Each quartet has a slow third movement, lyrical and handsomely
ornamented. The finales are all rapid and animated, and on
the short side. The formal balance of some of the quartets
might, indeed, be said to suffer a little from the relatively
lightweight nature of these finales.
In these opus.9
quartets both the movements in sonata form and the minuets
are more fully developed than in the earlier quartets. There
is a greater seriousness now, though playfulness is not entirely
absent – these quartets could hardly be the work of Haydn
were that the case! The general level of achievement is perhaps
slightly uneven, but the best work here is very fine indeed,
on a par with much of what Haydn was later to do in the form.
Though the opus
9 quartets show Haydn moving towards a formal norm (with later
changes yet to come, such as the movement of the minuet from
second to third place in the sequence), they also demonstrate
very vividly how such a norm does not, for Haydn, necessarily
prevent a great variety of style and mood amongst the finished
works.
No.6 is perhaps
closest to the earlier divertimenti à quattro, though
even here the first two movements – an energetic opening presto
and a second movement with a pleasantly tender trio – are
far more than merely ‘entertaining’. The last two movements,
however, are disappointingly slight. At the other extreme
is no.4, perhaps the most completely successful of these six
quartets. This is a serious (though not solemn) work, its
opening moderato a substantial and powerful piece with
some striking dynamic contrasts, redolent of Haydn’s sturm
und drang manner, and a minuet which speaks of emotional
intensity more than of the elegance of the ballroom. The adagio
cantabile is a work of real beauty and by beginning
the finale with a fugue, Haydn gives to the movement the necessary
weight which not all of these opus 9 finales have. This is
a quartet to stand comparison with all but the very greatest
of Haydn’s works in the form, and the Buchberger Quartet do
it something like full justice, playing with the necessary
power and sensitivity throughout this relatively demanding
work.
Quartet No.1 is
an altogether less vehement work, its opening movement – the
main theme of which echoes one of C.P.E. Bach’s keyboard sonatas
– succeeded by a particularly danceable minuet; there also
a sense of the dance in the siciliano rhythms of the
adagio (in sonata form); only a slightly unsatisfying finale
disappoints. Just how various Haydn’s minuets can be is well
demonstrated by no.2, which is graced by a minuet which Robbins
Landon justly described as ‘ethereal’. No.2 also has a well
developed opening moderato and a lovely adagio
in which the first violin is foregrounded in an aria-like
solo. The 1775 violin played by Hubert Buchberger, made in
Cremona by Lorenzo Storioni, sounds particularly handsome
here. Once again, the finale is rather lightweight.
The Buchberger
Quartet give a fine performance of no.3, capturing the dignified,
yet lively vigour and spirit of its opening allegro molto,
and the wit and grace of its minuet and trio; their account
of the ornate and serious largo is played with winning sensitivity.
So too is the largo cantabile of no.5, where the theme
and variations of the opening movement are played with unaffected
grace. The closing presto carries more weight than
many of its fellows, and it closes the quartet satisfyingly
in this performance.
The Buchberger
Quartet was established in 1974, when its members were all
students at the Frankfurt Academy of Music and the Performing
Arts. That they have been playing together for a good while
is clear in all that they do, though they seem free of the
over-relaxed near complacency that can affect some long-established
quartets. Whether in the more concertante quartets
(such as no.2) or in those which put more stress on instrumental
interplay (such as no.3), their work is impressive. They are
evidently entirely at home with Haydn’s musical language and
make excellent guides through opus 9. Later sets in what is
presumably designed as a complete recording of the quartets
should be worth looking out for.
Glyn Pursglove
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