Mozart’s “Haydn Quartets” came after a period of ten years where he did not compose any works for the literature; it has been suggested that he waited until he’d reached a more mature position in life and his writing for the form would reflect that maturity. According to the excellent liner notes accompanying this disc – in his now famous dedication of the six quartets to Haydn – he confesses that even though composition was usually an effortless activity for him, these works came from the ‘fruit of long, painful work.’ Despite their dedication, these quartets are far from Haydnesque copies; they may in fact represent the finest examples in the literature.
The Prazak Quartet offers excellent performances here; Czech players just seem to have a preternatural affinity for chamber music, but the Prazak Quartet elevates their artistry on this disc to another level entirely. These gentlemen play with a fluidity and style that is just about unmatched in the chamber music arena. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the recording is drop-dead gorgeous; this disc is a textbook example of what SACD should be all about. The surround channels are used judiciously; just enough information is presented to bring the sounstage further into the room, and offer an excellent sense of the recording venue. Five stars – hopefully Volume 2 is not too far off! Very highly recommended!
— Tom Gibbs
