Joseph Haydn - String Quartets, Op. 33, Nos. 3, 4 & 6 (Quatuor Terpsycordes)

Information

Composer: Joseph Haydn

• String Quartet in C Major, Op. 33 No. 3, Hob. III:39 "The Bird"
• String Quartet in B-Flat Major, Op. 33 No. 4, Hob. III:40
• String Quartet in D Major, Op. 33 No. 6, Hob. III:42

Quatuor Terpsycordes

    Girolamo Bottiglieri, violin

    Raya Raytcheva, violin

    Caroline Cohen-Adad, viola

    Florestan Darbellay, cello

Date: 2025

Label: Claves Records

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Joseph Haydn, a central figure of the Classical era, was pivotal in developing the string quartet alongside Boccherini, creating a genre where four instruments engage in equal dialogue without continuo. Once credited with 83 quartets, modern scholarship recognizes 68, spanning 1757–1803. Among these, the six Op. 33 quartets, composed in 1781, mark a “new and special” approach: they are lighter, more concise, and incorporate popular elements, especially in rondo-form finales, while concealing intricate thematic development. Celebrated for their wit and sophistication, these quartets influenced Mozart and inspired composers such as Hoffmeister and Pleyel, shaping the evolution of the string quartet.

The Terpsycordes Quartet, formed in Geneva in 1997, combines over 25 years of friendship and musical experience with a commitment to innovation and accessibility. Guided by Gábor Takács-Nagy and influenced by major quartets and composers such as Kurtág and Gubaidulina, the ensemble balances individual freedom with group cohesion, performing a repertoire spanning pre-classical to contemporary works. They have undertaken projects like a complete Haydn cycle on period instruments and recordings of Frank Martin’s works. Dedicated to education and social outreach, they bring chamber music to schools, underprivileged communities, and unusual public spaces, creating engaging, unconventional concert experiences for diverse audiences.

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