List of string quartets by Joseph Haydn

The Austrian composer Joseph Haydn wrote 68 string quartets. (The number was previously thought to be 83, but this number includes some arrangements and spurious works.) Haydn's string quartets are usually referred to by their opus number, and not by the Dutch musicologist Anthony van Hoboken's catalogue numbers or their publication order in the First Haydn Edition (FHE).^{[ citation needed ]}

Opus 1 (1755–1757)

Source: "Haydn, (Franz) Joseph". Grove Music Online. ^[1]

• Quartet No. 1 in B♭ major ("La Chasse"), Op. 1, No. 1, FHE No. 52, Hoboken No. III:1
• Quartet No. 2 in E♭ major, Op. 1, No. 2, FHE No. 53, Hoboken No. III:2
• Quartet No. 3 in D major, Op. 1, No. 3, FHE No. 54, Hoboken No. III:3
• Quartet No. 4 in G major, Op. 1, No. 4, FHE No. 55, Hoboken No. III:4
• Quartet No. 5 in E♭ major, Op. 1, No. 0, Hoboken No. II:6 (also referred to as Opus 0)
• Quartet in B♭ major, Op. 1, No. 5, FHE No. 56, Hoboken No. III:5 (later found to be the Symphony A, Hob. I/107)
• Quartet No. 6 in C major, Op. 1, No. 6, FHE No. 57, Hoboken No. III:6

Opus 2 (1757–1759)

Source: "Haydn, (Franz) Joseph". Grove Music Online. ^[1]

The two quartets numbered 3 and 5 are spurious arrangements by an unknown composer.

• Quartet No. 7 in A major, Op. 2, No. 1, FHE No. 58, Hoboken No. III:7
• Quartet No. 8 in E major, Op. 2, No. 2, FHE No. 59, Hoboken No. III:8 (often includes a classical guitar)
• Quartet in E♭ major, Op. 2, No. 3, FHE No. 60 (arrangement of Cassation in E-flat major, Hob. II:21), Hoboken No. III:9
• Quartet No. 9 in F major, Op. 2, No. 4, FHE No. 61, Hoboken No. III:10
• Quartet in D major, Op. 2, No. 5, FHE No. 62 (arrangement of Cassation in D major, Hob. II:22), Hoboken No. III:11
• Quartet No. 10 in B♭ major, Op. 2, No. 6, FHE No. 63, Hoboken No. III:12

Opus 3 (spurious)

Main article: String Quartets, Op. 3 (attributed to Haydn)

The Opus 3 quartets are now commonly attributed to the ardent admirer and imitator of Haydn, Romanus Hoffstetter, though there is no universal agreement on this. ^[2] In the 1980s, Scott Fruehwald claimed to show that the quartets were not by Haydn, based on stylistic analysis. ^{[3] [4]} He also concluded that only the first two quartets were by Hoffstetter.

• Quartet in E major, Op. 3, No. 1, FHE No. 64 (spurious), Hoboken No. III:13
• Quartet in C major, Op. 3, No. 2, FHE No. 65 (spurious), Hoboken No. III:14
• Quartet in G major, Op. 3, No. 3, FHE No. 66 (spurious), Hoboken No. III:15
• Quartet in B♭ major, Op. 3, No. 4, FHE No. 67 (spurious), Hoboken No. III:16
• Quartet in F major, Op. 3, No. 5, FHE No. 68 (spurious), Hoboken No. III:17
• Quartet in A major, Op. 3, No. 6, FHE No. 69 (spurious), Hoboken No. III:18

Opus 9 (1769)

• Quartet No. 11 in D minor, Op. 9, No. 4, FHE No. 16, Hoboken No. III:22
• Quartet No. 12 in C major, Op. 9, No. 1, FHE No. 7, Hoboken No. III:19
• Quartet No. 13 in G major, Op. 9, No. 3, FHE No. 9, Hoboken No. III:21
• Quartet No. 14 in E♭ major, Op. 9, No. 2, FHE No. 8, Hoboken No. III:20
• Quartet No. 15 in B♭ major, Op. 9, No. 5, FHE No. 17, Hoboken No. III:23
• Quartet No. 16 in A major, Op. 9, No. 6, FHE No. 18, Hoboken No. III:24

Opus 17 (1771)

• Quartet No. 17 in F major, Op. 17, No. 2, FHE No. 2, Hoboken No. III:26
  1. Moderato
     
     
  2. Menuetto: Allegretto
     
     
  3. Adagio
     
     
  4. Finale: Allegro di molto
     
     
• Quartet No. 18 in E major, Op. 17, No. 1, FHE No. 1, Hoboken No. III:25
  1. Moderato
     
     
  2. Menuetto: Allegretto
     
     
  3. Adagio
     
     
  4. Finale: Presto
     
     
• Quartet No. 19 in C minor, Op. 17, No. 4, FHE No. 4, Hoboken No. III:28
• Quartet No. 20 in D major, Op. 17, No. 6, FHE No. 6, Hoboken No. III:30
• Quartet No. 21 In E♭ major, Op. 17, No. 3, FHE No. 3, Hoboken No. III:27
• Quartet No. 22 in G major, Op. 17, No. 5, FHE No. 5, Hoboken No. III:29

Opus 20, the "Sun" quartets (1772)

Main article: String Quartets, Op. 20 (Haydn)

The nickname "Sun" refers to the image of a rising sun on the cover page of the 1779 Hummel edition, the most widely-distributed at the time.

• Quartet No. 23 in F minor, Op. 20, No. 5, FHE No. 47, Hoboken No. III:35
• Quartet No. 24 in A major, Op. 20, No. 6, FHE No. 48, Hoboken No. III:36
• Quartet No. 25 in C major, Op. 20, No. 2, FHE No. 44, Hoboken No. III:32
• Quartet No. 26 in G minor, Op. 20, No. 3, FHE No. 45, Hoboken No. III:33
• Quartet No. 27 in D major, Op. 20, No. 4, FHE No. 46, Hoboken No. III:34
• Quartet No. 28 in E♭ major, Op. 20, No. 1, FHE No. 43, Hoboken No. III:31

Opus 33, the "Russian" quartets (1781)

Main article: String Quartets, Op. 33 (Haydn)

• Quartet No. 29 in G major ("How Do You Do?"), Op. 33, No. 5, FHE No. 74, Hoboken No. III:41
• Quartet No. 30 in E♭ major ("The Joke"), Op. 33, No. 2, FHE No. 71, Hoboken No. III:38
• Quartet No. 31 in B minor, Op. 33, No. 1, FHE No. 70, Hoboken No. III:37
• Quartet No. 32 in C major ("The Bird"), Op. 33, No. 3, FHE No. 72, Hoboken No. III:39
• Quartet No. 33 in D major, Op. 33, No. 6, FHE No. 75, Hoboken No. III:42
• Quartet No. 34 in B♭ major, Op. 33, No. 4, FHE No. 73, Hoboken No. III:40

Opus 42 (1785)

• Quartet No. 35 in D minor, Op. 42, FHE No. 15, Hoboken No. III:43
  1. Andante ed innocentemente
     
     
  2. Menuetto: Allegretto
     
     
  3. Adagio e cantabile
     
     
  4. Finale: Presto
     
     

Opus 50, the "Prussian" quartets (1787)

Main article: String Quartets, Op. 50 (Haydn)

• Quartet No. 36 in B♭ major, Op. 50, No. 1, FHE No. 10, Hoboken No. III:44
• Quartet No. 37 in C major, Op. 50, No. 2, FHE No. 11, Hoboken No. III:45
• Quartet No. 38 in E♭ major, Op. 50, No. 3, FHE No. 12, Hoboken No. III:46
• Quartet No. 39 in F♯ minor, Op. 50, No. 4, FHE No. 25, Hoboken No. III:47
• Quartet No. 40 in F major ("Dream"), Op. 50, No. 5, FHE No. 26, Hoboken No. III:48
• Quartet No. 41 in D major ("The Frog"), Op. 50, No. 6, FHE No. 27, Hoboken No. III:49

Opus 51 (1787)

• The Seven Last Words of Our Savior on the Cross, Op. 51 (transcription of work written for orchestra), Hob. No. III:50–56

Opus 54, 55, the "Tost" quartets, sets I & II (1788)

Named after Johann Tost, a violinist in the Esterhazy orchestra from 1783 to 1789. ^[5]

• Quartet No. 42 in C major, Op. 54, No. 2, FHE No. 20, Hoboken No. III:57

Opus 64, the "Tost" quartets, set III (1790)

Main article: String Quartets, Op. 64 (Haydn)

• Quartet No. 48 in C major, Op. 64, No. 1, FHE No. 31, Hoboken No. III:65
• Quartet No. 49 in B minor, Op. 64, No. 2, FHE No. 32, Hoboken No. III:68
• Quartet No. 50 in B♭ major, Op. 64, No. 3, FHE No. 33, Hoboken No. III:67
• Quartet No. 51 in G major, Op. 64, No. 4, FHE No. 34, Hoboken No. III:66
• Quartet No. 52 in E♭ major, Op. 64, No. 6, FHE No. 36, Hoboken No. III:64
• Quartet No. 53 in D major ("The Lark"), Op. 64, No. 5, FHE No. 35, Hoboken No. III:63

Opus 71, 74, the "Apponyi" quartets (1793)

Count Anton Georg Apponyi, a relative of Haydn's patrons, paid 100 ducats for the privilege of having these quartets publicly dedicated to him.

• Quartet No. 54 in B♭ major, Op. 71, No. 1, FHE No. 37, Hoboken No. III:69
  1. Allegro
     
     
  2. Adagio
     
     
  3. Menuetto: Allegretto
     
     
  4. (Finale): Vivace
     
     
• Quartet No. 55 in D major, Op. 71, No. 2 ("Razor"  [ de ]), FHE No. 38, Hoboken No. III:70
  1. Adagio – Allegro
     
     
  2. Adagio (cantabile)
     
     
  3. Menuetto: Allegretto
     
     
  4. Finale: Allegretto
     
     
• Quartet No. 56 in E♭ major, Op. 71, No. 3, FHE No. 39, Hoboken No. III:71
  1. Vivace
     
     
  2. Andante con moto
     
     
  3. Menuetto
     
     
  4. Finale: Vivace
     
     
• Quartet No. 57 in C major, Op. 74, No. 1, FHE No. 28, Hoboken No. III:72
  1. Allegro (moderato)
     
     
  2. Andantino (grazioso)
     
     
  3. Menuetto: Allegro
     
     
  4. Finale: Vivace
     
     
• Quartet No. 58 in F major, Op. 74, No. 2, FHE No. 29, Hoboken No. III:73
  1. Allegro spiritoso
     
     
  2. Andante grazioso
     
     
  3. Menuetto
     
     
  4. Finale: Presto
     
     
• Quartet No. 59 in G minor ("Rider"), Op. 74, No. 3, FHE No. 30, Hoboken No. III:74
  1. Allegro
     
     
  2. Largo assai
     
     
  3. Menuetto: (Allegretto)
     
     
  4. Finale: Allegro con brio
     
     

Opus 76, the "Erdödy" quartets (1797)

Main article: String Quartets, Op. 76 (Haydn)

• Quartet No. 60 in G major, Op. 76, No. 1, FHE No. 40, Hoboken No. III:75
• Quartet No. 61 in D minor ("Quinten", "Fifths"), Op. 76, No. 2, FHE No. 41, Hoboken No. III:76
• Quartet No. 62 in C major ("Emperor" or "Kaiser"), Op. 76, No. 3, FHE No. 42, Hoboken No. III:77
• Quartet No. 63 in B♭ major ("Sunrise"  [ de ]), Op. 76, No. 4, FHE No. 49, Hoboken No. III:78
• Quartet No. 64 in D major ("Largo" or "Friedhofsquartett"), Op. 76, No. 5, FHE No. 50, Hoboken No. III:79
• Quartet No. 65 in E♭ major, Op. 76, No. 6, FHE No. 51, Hoboken No. III:80

Opus 77, the "Lobkowitz" quartets (1799)

The Opus 77 quartets were commissioned by Joseph Franz von Lobkowitz, and dedicated to him in the first edition. Unlike the other quartets sets this one consists of just two quartets, not six; Haydn unable to complete the remaining ones because of old age and debility.

• Quartet No. 66 in G major, Op. 77, No. 1, FHE No. 13, Hoboken No. III:81
  1. Allegro moderato
     
     
  2. Adagio
     
     
  3. Menuetto: Presto
     
     
  4. Finale: Presto
     
     
• Quartet No. 67 in F major, Op. 77, No. 2, FHE No. 14, Hoboken No. III:82
  1. Allegro moderato
     
     
  2. Menuet: Presto
     
     
  3. Andante
     
     
  4. Finale: Vivace assai
     
     

Opus 103 (1803)

Main article: String Quartet, Op.103 (Haydn)

• Quartet No. 68 in D minor, Op. 103, Hoboken No. III:83 (incomplete). When the two quartets of Opus 77 were published, Haydn retained hopes of writing more, and he did finish the slow movement and minuet that comprise this quartet, but soon, advancing illness blocked all further progress. For three years, Haydn attempted to finish the quartet, often working just fifteen minutes at a time. Finally, in August 1805, Haydn threw in the towel and permitted his friend Georg August Griesinger to forward the unfinished quartet to Breitkopf and Härtel in Leipzig for publication. With the composer's permission, the first edition included a quotation from an earlier song Haydn had written: 'Hin ist alle meine Kraft, Alt und schwach bin ich' (Gone is all my strength, Old and weak am I)' ^[6]

In 2013, Haydn specialist William Drabkin composed a completion of this quartet. ^[7]

• 1. Andante grazioso
     
     
  2. Menuetto ma non troppo presto
     
     

List by keys

C	c	D	d	E♭	E	F	f	f♯	G	g	A	B♭	b
1/6 (3/2) 9/1 20/2 33/3 50/2 54/2 64/1 74/1 76/3	17/4	1/3 (2/5) 17/6 20/4 33/6 50/6 64/5 71/2 76/5	9/4 42 76/2 103	1/2 1/0 (2/3) 9/2 17/3 20/1 33/2 50/3 64/6 71/3 76/6	2/2 (3/1) 17/1 54/3	2/4 (3/5) 17/2 50/5 74/2 77/2	20/5 55/2	50/4	1/4 (3/3) 9/3 17/5 33/5 54/1 64/4 76/1 77/1	20/3 74/3	2/1 (3/6) 9/6 20/6 55/1	1/1 (1/5) 2/6 (3/4) 9/5 33/4 50/1 55/3 64/3 71/1 76/4	33/1 64/2

Recordings of complete cycles

Multiple recordings of Haydn's complete string quartets have been made over the years. The first complete set was made by the Tátrai Quartet for Hungaroton from 1964 to 1984 and issued as a boxed set in 2000. ^[8] During the 1970s, the Aeolian Quartet recorded a complete cycle for Decca, which was then reissued in 2009. From 1994 to 1999, the Angeles Quartet recorded a cycle for Philips Records, which received critical reviews. During the 1990s, the Tátrai Quartet completed a cycle for Hungaroton. From 1989 to 2003, the Kodály Quartet recorded a cycle for Naxos Records. More recently, from 2002 to 2008, the Buchberger Quartet recorded a cycle for Brilliant Classics on period instruments. The Auryn Quartet completed their cycle on modern instruments for Tacet in 2014.

References

1. Feder, Georg [in German]; Webster, James (24 April 2024). "Haydn, (Franz) Joseph". Grove Music Online (8th ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.44593. ISBN   978-1-56159-263-0.(subscription, Wikilibrary access, or UK public library membership required)
2. Badley, Allan. "About this Recording". Naxos online catalog for CD catalog listing 8.555704. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
3. Fruehwald, Scott (1988). Authenticity Problems in Joseph Haydn's Early Instrumental Works: A Stylistic Analysis. New York: Pendragon Press. ISBN   9780918728678.
4. Chew, Geoffrey (June 1994). "Review: Authenticity Problems in Joseph Haydn's Early Instrumental Works: A Stylistic Investigation by Scott Fruehwald". Notes . 50 (4): 1394–1395. doi:10.2307/898314. JSTOR   898314.
5. Berger, Melvin. Guide to Chamber Music. p. 202. New York: Dover, 1985. ISBN   9780709027287
6. Source for this paragraph: David Wyn Jones (2009) Life of Haydn, pp. 213-214. Cambridge University Press.
7. "Haydn's unfinished quartet finished". www.southampton.ac.uk. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
8. Jacobson, Bernard (March–April 2001). "Tatrai Quartet: Haydn Complete String Quartets (Review)". Fanfare . 24 (4).