Haydn: String Quartets, Op. 64 Doric String Quartet

• Franz Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809): String Quartet in C Major, Op. 64 No. 1, Hob. III:
• 1String Quartet in C Major, Op. 64 No. 1, Hob. III:65: I. Allegro moderato10:20
• 2String Quartet in C Major, Op. 64 No. 1, Hob. III:65: II. Menuetto. Allegretto ma non troppo04:29
• 3String Quartet in C Major, Op. 64 No. 1, Hob. III:65: III. Allegretto scherzando06:13
• 4String Quartet in C Major, Op. 64 No. 1, Hob. III:65: IV. Finale. Presto04:50
• String Quartet in B Minor, Op. 64 No. 2, Hob. III:
• 5String Quartet in B Minor, Op. 64 No. 2, Hob. III:68: I. Allegro spiritoso08:17
• 6String Quartet in B Minor, Op. 64 No. 2, Hob. III:68: II. Adagio ma non troppo05:40
• 7String Quartet in B Minor, Op. 64 No. 2, Hob. III:68: III. Menuetto. Allegretto03:00
• 8String Quartet in B Minor, Op. 64 No. 2, Hob. III:68: IV. Finale. Presto04:09
• String Quartet in B-Flat Major, Op. 64 No. 3, Hob. III:
• 9String Quartet in B-Flat Major, Op. 64 No. 3, Hob. III:67: I. Vivace assai08:55
• 10String Quartet in B-Flat Major, Op. 64 No. 3, Hob. III:67: II. Adagio06:02
• 11String Quartet in B-Flat Major, Op. 64 No. 3, Hob. III:67: III. Menuetto. Allegretto04:34
• 12String Quartet in B-Flat Major, Op. 64 No. 3, Hob. III:67: IV. Finale. Allegro con spirito08:02
• String Quartet in G Major, Op. 64 No. 4, Hob. III:
• 13String Quartet in G Major, Op. 64 No. 4, Hob. III:66: I. Allegro con brio08:06
• 14String Quartet in G Major, Op. 64 No. 4, Hob. III:66: II. Menuetto. Allegretto03:37
• 15String Quartet in G Major, Op. 64 No. 4, Hob. III:66: III. Adagio. Cantabile sostenuto06:13
• 16String Quartet in G Major, Op. 64 No. 4, Hob. III:66: IV. Finale. Presto05:55
• String Quartet in D Major, Op. 64 No. 5, Hob. III:
• 17String Quartet in D Major, Op. 64 No. 5, Hob. III:63 "The Lark": I. Allegro moderato09:17
• 18String Quartet in D Major, Op. 64 No. 5, Hob. III:63 "The Lark": II. Adagio cantabile06:32
• 19String Quartet in D Major, Op. 64 No. 5, Hob. III:63 "The Lark": III. Menuetto. Allegretto03:21
• 20String Quartet in D Major, Op. 64 No. 5, Hob. III:63 "The Lark": IV. Finale. Vivace02:18
• String Quartet in E-Flat Major, Op. 64 No. 6, Hob. III:
• 21String Quartet in E-Flat Major, Op. 64 No. 6, Hob. III:64: I. Allegro08:26
• 22String Quartet in E-Flat Major, Op. 64 No. 6, Hob. III:64: II. Andante04:32
• 23String Quartet in E-Flat Major, Op. 64 No. 6, Hob. III:64: III. Menuetto. Allegretto04:48
• 24String Quartet in E-Flat Major, Op. 64 No. 6, Hob. III:64: IV. Finale. Presto03:23
• Total Runtime02:20:59

Info for Haydn: String Quartets, Op. 64

This is volume three in the Doric String Quartet’s ongoing exploration of Haydn’s complete string quartets, already highly praised by major international media and regularly supported by concerts in the world’s greatest venues, from Carnegie and Wigmore halls to the Royal Concertgebouw. The Op. 64 Quartets date from a time of great change for Haydn, compared with the previously recorded Op. 20 and Op. 76. Not only was Haydn preparing for the greatest adventure of his life – what would turn out to be the first of two trips to London – at the time of their composition, in 1790, but they also appeared under a new publisher, Leopold Kozeluch’s firm Magazin de musique. Marked throughout by the virtuosity of the Doric String Quartet, the rhythmic energy as well as the poetic tenderness of the players, this recording showcases a highly characteristic side of Haydn’s music, the inexhaustible versatility and constant unpredictability of the materials.

"These are performances that take you inside the music, so that it’s almost possible to hear them with a performer’s ear and experience the delight as the notes leap off the page and into life – the expertly attuned recordings certainly help…Could there be a little more tenderness, sensuous warmth – especially in some of the slow movements? Perhaps, but it’s playing that convinces on its own terms, and technically it’s beyond criticism." (BBC Music Magazine)

"What treasures of invention, innovation, humour and beauty they contain. No 6 in E flat is a particular delight, but so is much else in these richly varied works, to which the excellent Doric players do ample justice." (Sunday Times)

"This is hugely enjoyable to be led through these subtle, wonderful works by such enthusiastic guides." (The Strad)

Doric String Quartet

The Doric String Quartet is now firmly established as one of the outstanding quartets of their generation. In 2008 they won 1st prize in the Osaka International Chamber Music Competition in Japan, 2nd prize at the Premio Paolo Borciani International String Quartet Competition in Italy, where they also received a special mention for their performance of Haydn, and the Ensemble Prize at the Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in Germany.

Now in its 12th season highlights over the last year have included a critically acclaimed Haydn evening at Wigmore Hall broadcast by BBC Radio 3, debut recitals in Paris (Auditorium du Louvre), Milan and Frankfurt, and visits to the Schwetzinger, Florestan, Isle of Man and East Neuk Festivals. Further afield the Quartet toured throughout Japan and returned to Israel and South East Asia. They have collaborated with Mark Padmore, Chen Halevi, Julius Drake, Piers Lane, Melvyn Tan, the Leopold String Trio and Florestan Trio.

During 2009/10 the Quartet return to Wigmore Hall four times, as Quartet and in recitals with Philip Langridge, Andrew Kennedy (for a world premiere) and Alasdair Beatson. Future engagements include recitals at the Konzerthaus in Berlin and in Lucerne, Brussels and Hamburg, return visits to Israel and Italy, and debut concerts in Australia, New Zealand, Spain, and the USA.

In November the Doric’s first commercial CD is released on the Wigmore Hall Live label of their Haydn concert at Wigmore Hall on 15 January 2009 and in 2010 they record their first CD for Chandos as part of a long-term collaboration.

Formed in 1998 at Pro Corda, The National School for Young Chamber Music Players, in Suffolk, from 2002 the Doric String Quartet studied on the Paris-based ProQuartet Professional Training Program, where they worked with members of the Alban Berg, Artemis, Hagen and LaSalle Quartets and with Gyorgy Kurtag. The Quartet continue to work with Rainer Schmidt (Hagen Quartet) at the Music Academy in Basel.

In 2000 the Doric String Quartet won the inaugural Bristol Millennium Chamber Music Competition which led to a seven year residency at the Wiltshire Music Centre combining a concerts series with education work across the region. They continue this relationship as ‘Artists in Association’. The Quartet went on to give recitals at the Purcell Room and Wigmore Hall under the auspices of the Park Lane Group, appeared at the ORF (Austrian Radio) Funkhaus in Vienna in 2003 and made their Edinburgh Festival debut in 2006.

Alex Redington and Jonathan Stone completed their postgraduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music in 2005 where they studied with Howard Davis. Simon Tandree studied in Saarbrücken and Detmold with Dietmut Poppen. John Myerscough graduated from Selwyn College, Cambridge in 2003 and is now a Fellow of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where he studies with Louise Hopkins.

The Doric String Quartet acknowledges the generous support of an Anonymous Foundation.

Booklet for Haydn: String Quartets, Op. 64