Haydn The London 71

Herbert von Karajan was an Austrian conductor. He was principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic for 34 years. During the Nazi era, he debuted at the Salzburg Festival, with the Vienna Philharmonic, the Berlin Philharmonic, and during World War II he conducted at the Berlin State Opera. Generally regarded as one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century, he was a controversial but dominant figure in European classical music from the mid-1950s until his death. Part of the reason for this was the large number of recordings he made and their prominence during his lifetime. By one estimate, he was the top-selling classical music recording artist of all time, having sold an estimated 200 million records.

Herbert von Karajan was an Austrian conductor. He was principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic for 34 years. During the Nazi era, he debuted at the Salzburg Festival, with the Vienna Philharmonic, the Berlin Philharmonic, and during World War II he conducted at the Berlin State Opera. Generally regarded as one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century, he was a controversial but dominant figure in European classical music from the mid-1950s until his death. Part of the reason for this was the large number of recordings he made and their prominence during his lifetime. By one estimate, he was the top-selling classical music recording artist of all time, having sold an estimated 200 million records.

These must be the least well known of Haydn’s later quartets, poorly represented over the years in recital programmes and on disc, yet they show Haydn at the height of his powers. When he first came to London in 1791 his string quartets proved popular items in his public concerts; back in Vienna preparing for his second London visit, he designed these new works especially for public performance, with attention-grabbing opening gestures and brilliant concertante writing for all four instruments. The set’s third quartet is particularly strong – the far-reaching developments of its first movement’s main theme remind one of the great Salomon symphonies, as does the picturesque Andante with variations.

The six quartets, Op. 71 Nos. 1-3 and Op. 74 Nos. 1-3, belong to the period of Haydn's first visit to London, which lasted from January 1791 to June 1792. The autographs are actually dated 1793, but Haydn himself included them in the list of works he had composed while in england, and there are reasons for believing that this latter suggestion is the more likely. One reason is the occasional evidence that Haydn was trying to reproduce orchestral effects: the splendour of Salomon's orchestra was still ringing in his ears and he may, half consciously, have tried to imitate it in his quartets. a second and more important one is the fact that each of the six works is prefaced, unlike any of Haydn's other quartets, by an introductory passage or motif, however short, that remains distinct from the first movement even though it may exert some influence over it. This unique feature unquestionably derives from the 12 ''London'' Symphonies, all but one of which begin with a slow introduction.

The six quartets, Op. 71 Nos. 1-3 and Op. 74 Nos. 1-3, belong to the period of Haydn's first visit to London, which lasted from January 1791 to June 1792. The autographs are actually dated 1793, but Haydn himself included them in the list of works he had composed while in england, and there are reasons for believing that this latter suggestion is the more likely. One reason is the occasional evidence that Haydn was trying to reproduce orchestral effects: the splendour of Salomon's orchestra was still ringing in his ears and he may, half consciously, have tried to imitate it in his quartets. a second and more important one is the fact that each of the six works is prefaced, unlike any of Haydn's other quartets, by an introductory passage or motif, however short, that remains distinct from the first movement even though it may exert some influence over it. This unique feature unquestionably derives from the 12 ''London'' Symphonies, all but one of which begin with a slow introduction.

In September 1790, following the death of his princely employer, court composer Haydn and his entire orchestra were sacked. As he was considering this change in circumstances, Haydn received an unexpected visit from Johann Peter Salomon, a German impresario based in London, who made him a tempting offer: an opera, six symphonies and twenty other pieces to be written for the city, and a guaranteed income from a new concert series. So it was that, on 2 January 1791, Haydn arrived in England for the first of two visits that would leave an indelible mark both on the musical life of his host country and on the composer himself.

Count Anton George Apponyi was a relative of Haydn's patrons the Esterhazys. Although commissioned by Count Apponyi, the quartets that bear his name were actually inspired by a series of successful public concerts of Haydn's music in London organized by Johann Peter Salomon. These concerts made Haydn an international music superstar and brought about a decided change in the composer's style. The emotional, virtuosic and powerful music found in these quartets presages the spirit of the Romantic period. Following on their decidedly symphonic reading of Haydn's Seven Last Words, the Pražák Quartet is fully in tune with the grand gestures found in these first three of the six Apponyi quartets.