As the maxim says, those who know the rules are best placed to break them. Haydn, having co-authored the rule book for string quartets and the Classical style, throws convention aside in his daring G minor quartet. Rhythmic jokes, harmonic twists of the knife, and razor-sharp wit come together to give us Haydn at his best.

In 1876, afflicted by deafness, the Czech composer Bedřich Smetana wrote one of the most ambitious string quartets of the Romantic period, From My Life. A deeply personal statement, the quartet is imbued with the biographical vignettes of the title, from lively dances to heartfelt yearnings of mature love and tragedy. With Czech passion at the fore and virtuosic use of all the members of the quartet, this is a wonderful musical experience for new listeners and connoisseurs alike.

HAYDN String Quartet in G Minor Op 20 No 3 Hob III:33
SMETANA String Quartet No 1 From My Life

William Hennessy AM, Violin

Markiyan Melnychenkco, Violin

Merewyn Bramble, Viola

Michael Dahlenburg, Cello