The group selected was The Angeles String Quartet, formed in 1988 by four of the finest string players in Los Angeles. They have appeared in concert and gained rave reviews throughout the USA.
Haydn, often referred to as the father of the string quartet form, is the undisputed master of the genre, not only for the number of quartets he composed, but for their perfection and irresistible charm. They epitomise the spirit of classicism: balance, sensibility, economy of means for the highest musical achievements. As noted in the booklet accompanying the recording, Haydn “raised the string quartet from its humble beginnings in the outdoor serenade to a vehicle for the most sophisticated and challenging musical discourse”. Composers from different eras looked to them as inspiration for their work, particularly Mozart, Schubert and Bartók.
“The remarkable thing about [their] performance was the air of delighted discovery brought to them. Haydn rejoiced in a degree of sophisticated detail beside which most renditions would sound rather crude and obvious”
The Boston Globe