Haydn: String Quartet, Op. 51 'Seven Last Words'

In ‘Haydn Year’ Altara is thrilled to release the 1st recording on its label of the Navarra Quartet. Features on Radio 3 and BBC Music Magazine, the CD also includes stunning reproductions of the dramatic artwork by world-renowned Australian artist Jamie Boyd, based on the Seven Last Words.

Haydn’s string quartets opus 51 are in more than one way unique in their genre as they are arrangements from a composition originally written for a grand orchestra. The exceptionally elevated quality of this music, with its deeply inspired origin are somewhat better served by the sober medium of a string quartet. Jaap Shröder and The Skálholt Quartet deliver a fine performance on period instruments.

Given the interest caused by Viennese performances of the oratorio, in July 1787 the publisher Artaria also brought out two instrumental versions of the work, one for string quartet and the other for piano.The result was a piece unique in the classical chamber music repertoire; seven slow movements preceded by an introduction and concluded with a tempestuous evocation of the earthquake that struck at the time of Christ's death.

Hadyn was convinced that the seven sonatas, combined with the contemplation of the text would create “the most profound impression in the soul” of even the most musically inexperienced listener. The Scaramouche Quartett, founded in 2008, dedicate itself to performing works of the Viennese Classical period with a sound characteristic of that era. To this end they perform on a collection of rare period instruments that are tuned to the customary “classical” tuning of around 1800.

The Leipzig String Quartet offers a fitting tribute to Joseph Haydn on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of his death with Vol. 1 of its own commemorative edition.