Quartet Op. 33 No. 2 in E-flat Major "The Joke"
Quartet Op. 33 No. 4 in B-flat Major
Quartet Op. 33 No. 6 in D Major

I've always greatly admired the Leipzig String Quartet. Ever since their formation in 1988, they've always been one of the most consistent yet versatile chamber music ensembles around. They've explored everything string quartet related from Robert Schumann, to August Klughardt, to Allan Pettersson and everything in between. All with the same care and attention to expressive detail.

Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) composed 68 string quartets, and one of the Leipzig String Quartet's lifelong goals was to perform and record all of them. They've been at it for just about as long as I've been running this review website, and yet I have never had the chance to stop and listen to any one of these recordings until now. You know how it is; you get caught up with so many other projects that you can't avoid sidestepping other important releases as they fly by. As the old saying goes: better late than never.

The first thing that stands out is their extremely stable ensemble playing. Not a note out of place or accent out of focus. You would think that this would generate a rather dreary performance but on the contrary, with everything in its place, they can readily focus on the music's expressive contours. Elegant phrasing, dance-like cadences, witty gestures, assured composure. All these elements come together to produce a naturally musical experience which seems to eschew the erudite form and structure imposed by Haydn.

All I can say is that I can't believe I waited this long to hear Haydn's quartets performed with such authenticity. Focus hard enough and you can visualize the Leipzig String Quartet members wearing powdered wigs.