Neil Stannard

Haydn Sinfonias for String Quartet Neil Stannard

Many of the symphonies of Joseph Haydn, delightful as they are with wind doublings, work very well as string quartets. Titled "Sinfonias" by the composer, these charming morsels provide an informing glimpse into the musical development of one of the Classical period's great composers, the composer credited with inventing the string quartet. Do we really need more Haydn quartets?, someone asked. Well, I responded, does one really need a slice of Sacher torte or a glass of schnapps? Or as my mother might say, "A gentleman never 'needs' another drink, but he perhaps 'cares' for one." Play through these movements and travel along in time with the composer as he almost single-handedly invents the classical style.