Not for the first time I find myself coming back to this blog. This time I really will make a determined effort to keep posting regularly.
What better place to start that with the late Haydn quartets. I've just been listening to the two op 77 quartets. I only intended to listen to the first movement of op 77 no 1 but found myself totally engaged and listened through to both of them plus the fragment published as op 103.
These quartets are to me the epitome of the Viennese classical style. Everything is so effortless and under control yet full of surprises. I think that I know these quartets well (I remember studying them at University nearly 40 years ago) but there are still harmonic twists and turns which still catch me out. If I had to single out one movement it would be the slow movement of op 77 no 2. This starts utterly simply with a simple melody over a walking bass and develops into the most sublime glorious outpouring of pure musical eloquence. Of course such simplicity and apparent effortlessness can only be achieved though great artistry and years of experience and that is exactly what Haydn brings. And even here, with music I know and love so well, I still heard a few bars of viola counterpoint towards the end that I had not recalled before.
Much as I love playing the bassoon I do miss the opportunity to have played string quartets. I've played them as piano duets which is fun, but not quite the same thing.
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