With the Opus 20 quartets Haydn wrote undisputedly essential works to the establishment of his position as musical giant.

The opening theme is skittish and has an unusual contour. There is elaborate play of voice off voice. It slows briefly to medium dance tempo but resumes with a delicate counter melody that gives way to the opening theme. The following adagio is a refined speculation conducted by the first violin over quiet accompanying meditations of the other instruments. The simplicity of this movement contrasts to the frequent double stopping of the first movement. The minuet is fully danceable. The trio is boldly conceived as the violin plays on its G-string and the viola and cello accompany it on their lowest strings. The fugue finale is an exciting conclusion and another act of boldness. The return of the main theme near the end in inverted form is both amusing and startling.



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