Over a 50-year period, Haydn composed more than 80 string quartets featuring a range and variety of structural invention exceeded only by Beethoven's works. In this volume, the composer's mastery of the form is strikingly evident, particularly in the six popular and much-recorded "Prussian Quartets." This volume contains the full scores of: Op. 42, in D minor (composed in 1785) Op. 50, Nos. 1-6 ("Prussian Quartets," composed in 1787 and dedicated to the Prussian King Friederich Wilhelm II) Op. 54, Nos. 1-3 (First set of "Tost Quartets" composed c.1788 and dedicated to the merchant Johann Tost) Large, readable noteheads, ample margins for notations, opaque paper and permanent binding make this a fundamental addition to music libraries and musicians' repertories.

Author Biography

Austrian composer Joseph Haydn (1732-1809), one of the most prolific and prominent musicians of the Classical era, wrote in every genre. Friend to Mozart and teacher of Beethoven, he standardized the four-movement structure of the quartet, the form for which he is best known.