Haydn: String Quartets, Op. 54 & 55 - London Haydn Quartet (2 CDS)

String Quartet in G major Op 54 No 1[25'53]
CD1
1
Vivace assai[8'14]
2
Andante o più tosto allegretto[9'08]
3
Menuetto[4'12]
4
Vivace[4'19]
String Quartet in C major Op 54 No 2[23'25]
5
Vivace[9'16]
6
Adagio[3'03]
7
Menuetto: Allegretto[4'30]
8
Adagio – Presto – Adagio[6'36]
String Quartet in E major Op 54 No 3[29'25]
9
Allegro[10'49]
10
Largo cantabile[9'14]
11
Menuetto: Allegretto[3'26]
12
Presto[5'56]
String Quartet in A major Op 55 No 1[20'45]
CD2
13
Allegro[9'50]
14
Adagio cantabile[4'50]
15
Menuetto[3'17]
16
Vivace[2'48]
String Quartet in F minor 'Razor' Op 55 No 2[29'45]
17
Andante più tosto allegretto[10'27]
18
Allegro[8'56]
19
Menuetto: Allegretto[5'17]
20
Presto[5'05]
String Quartet in B flat major Op 55 No 3[23'59]
21
Vivace assai[8'13]
22
Adagio ma non troppo[7'20]
23
Menuetto[3'54]
24
Presto[4'32]

The London Haydn Quartet reaches the six great quartets published in 1788 as Opp 54 & 55 in another unmissable two-for-the-price-of-one set. Is it possible to have too much Haydn? The only sensible answer is ‘no’, especially when the music is performed with such intelligence and humanity as here.