Curtis Performs

 

Allegro spiritoso             

Andante

Menuetto: Poco allegretto

Finale: Fuga, allegro molto

 

Joseph Haydn’s six String Quartets, Op. 50, are dedicated to King Frederick William II of Prussia, one of the most prominent patrons of the arts in late 18th-century Europe. Haydn had some ideas for this set of quartets as early as 1784, but put off beginning serious work on them for several years as he pursued other projects. In 1787 he finally began work on the quartets. Around this time King Frederick wrote to Haydn, praising his recent “Paris” symphonies—Haydn had sent copies of the scores to the king—and enclosing a gold ring. Returning the favor, Haydn dedicated his new set of quartets to the king.

 

One of the most notable aspects of the Op. 50 quartets is the degree to which the cello takes a leading role in many passages. King Frederick was a talented amateur cellist, in addition to being a strong supporter of the arts who maintained a superb court orchestra and was a patron to Mozart and, later, Beethoven. By composing passages that featured the cello, Haydn ensured that the king would be appropriately featured if he were to perform the quartets with musicians from his court. It was a bold choice at the time; previously, most string quartets had followed a basic formula, with the first violin playing the majority of melodies and leading the group, while the second violin, viola, and cello played supporting roles. Throughout the Op. 50 quartets, Haydn strikes a balance between featuring the cello and placing it in the traditional supporting role, perhaps sensing that giving the cello too many exposed and difficult passages might risk putting the king in an embarrassing position if he struggled to keep pace with professional musicians.

 

This balance also reflects Haydn’s role in the development of the string quartet form. He was well respected in musical society, and his works were popular among the public, so he had a trendsetter’s freedom to experiment with musical forms. At the same time, many of his earlier works, such as the Op. 33 quartets, betray a caution not to stray unnecessarily far from the popular style, lest he alienate his audience or damage his reputation. With the Op. 50 quartets, Haydn took some of the earliest steps towards establishing the string quartet as a flexible ensemble at the cutting edge of musical developments. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, too, was conducting his own experiments with the string quartet around this time, including his infamous Dissonance Quartet, K.465, dedicated to Haydn; while Ludwig van Beethoven would soon go on to revolutionize the form far beyond what even Haydn, the father of the string quartet, could have imagined. This tradition of quartet innovation has echoed throughout music history to the present day.