This is a wonderful coupling. Usually the two Op. 77 quartets appear only with the two movements of the incomplete Op. 103; here we also have Haydn’s delightful, miniature singleton quartet, Op. 42. As with other discs in this series, the performances are outstanding. The Auryn Quartet plays this music with a sort of joyous gusto and richness of tone that seems the very epitome of stylish quartet playing. All of the focus is on the delights of Haydn’s music, whether in the dashingly scherzo-like minuets, the perfect march tempo for the first movement of Op. 77 No. 1, or the soulful and singing slow movements.
There’s only one reservation, and that concerns the engineering. Though natural and well-balanced, there’s a measure of room ambience that adds a degree of resonance to the string sound that some listeners might find uncomfortable. Like the performances, this is, technically speaking, a superb production, but it has a strong point of view. Certainly no nuance gets lost in the process, and the sound never works against the players, but it is very much a part of the listening experience. That said, this is easily the best-ever complete Haydn quartet cycle, so go for it. [1/20/2011]
