Presented by Leo Samama.
In the second half of the 18th century the production of string quartets exploded. The numbers of quartets being composed at that time provoke every description, literally many hundreds, if not thousands. And the publishers reaped profit from them. The influence of Haydn could be detected everywhere. But not just his. The French soon developed an elegant version in the form of the tuneful Quatuor concertante, and in Central Europe the Violin-Quartet was shortly popular thereafter, mainly because amateurs could play together with a violin playing professional. Three beautiful examples are on the programme, by Ignaz Pleyel, Pavel Vranicky and Joseph Martin Kraus.
Contemporaries of Haydn and Mozart. Part 1
Ignaz Pleyel – Quartet in D, Ben. 333
1. Allegro agitato – 2. Adagio non troppo – 3. Rondeau. Allegretto
Performers: Pleyel Quartett Köln
CD: CPO
Pavel Vranicky – Quartet in D, opus 16:6
1. Allegro vivace – 2. Poco adagio – 3. Allergro di molto
Performers: Stamic Quartet
CD: Supraphon
Joseph Martin Kraus – Quartet in G ‘Fugenquartett’, opus 1:3
1. Andante çomodo – 2. Romance – 3. Tempo di minuetto
Performers: Salagon Quartet
CD: Carus
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