List of string quartets by Joseph Haydn


The Austrian composer Joseph Haydn wrote 68 string quartets. Haydn's string quartets are usually referred to by their opus number, and not by the Dutch musicologist Anthony van Hoboken's catalogue numbers or their publication order in the First Haydn Edition.

Opus 1 (17551757)

Source: "Haydn, Joseph". Grove Music Online.
  • Quartet No. 1 in B major, Op. 1, No. 1, FHE No. 52, Hoboken No. III:1
  • Quartet No. 2 in E major, Op. 1, No. 2, FHE No. 53, Hoboken No. III:2
  • Quartet No. 3 in D major, Op. 1, No. 3, FHE No. 54, Hoboken No. III:3
  • Quartet No. 4 in G major, Op. 1, No. 4, FHE No. 55, Hoboken No. III:4
  • Quartet No. 5 in E major, Op. 1, No. 0, Hoboken No. II:6
  • Quartet in B major, Op. 1, No. 5, FHE No. 56, Hoboken No. III:5
  • Quartet No. 6 in C major, Op. 1, No. 6, FHE No. 57, Hoboken No. III:6

Opus 2 (17571759)

Source: "Haydn, Joseph". Grove Music Online.
The two quartets numbered 3 and 5 are spurious arrangements by an unknown composer.
  • Quartet No. 7 in A major, Op. 2, No. 1, FHE No. 58, Hoboken No. III:7
  • Quartet No. 8 in E major, Op. 2, No. 2, FHE No. 59, Hoboken No. III:8
  • Quartet in E major, Op. 2, No. 3, FHE No. 60, Hoboken No. III:9
  • Quartet No. 9 in F major, Op. 2, No. 4, FHE No. 61, Hoboken No. III:10
  • Quartet in D major, Op. 2, No. 5, FHE No. 62, Hoboken No. III:11
  • Quartet No. 10 in B major, Op. 2, No. 6, FHE No. 63, Hoboken No. III:12

Opus 3 (spurious)

The Opus 3 quartets are now commonly attributed to the ardent admirer and imitator of Haydn, Romanus Hoffstetter, though there is no universal agreement on this. In the 1980s, Scott Fruehwald claimed to show that the quartets were not by Haydn, based on stylistic analysis. He also concluded that only the first two quartets were by Hoffstetter.
  • Quartet in E major, Op. 3, No. 1, FHE No. 64, Hoboken No. III:13
  • Quartet in C major, Op. 3, No. 2, FHE No. 65, Hoboken No. III:14
  • Quartet in G major, Op. 3, No. 3, FHE No. 66, Hoboken No. III:15
  • Quartet in B major, Op. 3, No. 4, FHE No. 67, Hoboken No. III:16
  • Quartet in F major, Op. 3, No. 5, FHE No. 68, Hoboken No. III:17
  • Quartet in A major, Op. 3, No. 6, FHE No. 69, Hoboken No. III:18

Opus 9 (1769)

  • Quartet No. 11 in D minor, Op. 9, No. 4, FHE No. 16, Hoboken No. III:22
  • Quartet No. 12 in C major, Op. 9, No. 1, FHE No. 7, Hoboken No. III:19
  • Quartet No. 13 in G major, Op. 9, No. 3, FHE No. 9, Hoboken No. III:21
  • Quartet No. 14 in E major, Op. 9, No. 2, FHE No. 8, Hoboken No. III:20
  • Quartet No. 15 in B major, Op. 9, No. 5, FHE No. 17, Hoboken No. III:23
  • Quartet No. 16 in A major, Op. 9, No. 6, FHE No. 18, Hoboken No. III:24

Opus 17 (1771)

  • Quartet No. 17 in F major, Op. 17, No. 2, FHE No. 2, Hoboken No. III:26
  • # Moderato

  • # Menuetto: Allegretto

  • # Adagio

  • # Finale: Allegro di molto

  • Quartet No. 18 in E major, Op. 17, No. 1, FHE No. 1, Hoboken No. III:25
  • # Moderato

\layout
  • # Menuetto: Allegretto

  • # Adagio

  • # Finale: Presto

  • Quartet No. 19 in C minor, Op. 17, No. 4, FHE No. 4, Hoboken No. III:28
  • Quartet No. 20 in D major, Op. 17, No. 6, FHE No. 6, Hoboken No. III:30
  • Quartet No. 21 In E major, Op. 17, No. 3, FHE No. 3, Hoboken No. III:27
  • Quartet No. 22 in G major, Op. 17, No. 5, FHE No. 5, Hoboken No. III:29

Opus 20, the "Sun" quartets (1772)

The nickname "Sun" refers to the image of a rising sun on the cover page of the 1779 Hummel edition, the most widely-distributed at the time.
  • Quartet No. 23 in F minor, Op. 20, No. 5, FHE No. 47, Hoboken No. III:35
  • Quartet No. 24 in A major, Op. 20, No. 6, FHE No. 48, Hoboken No. III:36
  • Quartet No. 25 in C major, Op. 20, No. 2, FHE No. 44, Hoboken No. III:32
  • Quartet No. 26 in G minor, Op. 20, No. 3, FHE No. 45, Hoboken No. III:33
  • Quartet No. 27 in D major, Op. 20, No. 4, FHE No. 46, Hoboken No. III:34
  • Quartet No. 28 in E major, Op. 20, No. 1, FHE No. 43, Hoboken No. III:31

Opus 33, the "Russian" quartets (1781)

  • Quartet No. 29 in G major, Op. 33, No. 5, FHE No. 74, Hoboken No. III:41
  • Quartet No. 30 in E major, Op. 33, No. 2, FHE No. 71, Hoboken No. III:38
  • Quartet No. 31 in B minor, Op. 33, No. 1, FHE No. 70, Hoboken No. III:37
  • Quartet No. 32 in C major, Op. 33, No. 3, FHE No. 72, Hoboken No. III:39
  • Quartet No. 33 in D major, Op. 33, No. 6, FHE No. 75, Hoboken No. III:42
  • Quartet No. 34 in B major, Op. 33, No. 4, FHE No. 73, Hoboken No. III:40

Opus 42 (1785)

  • Quartet No. 35 in D minor, Op. 42, FHE No. 15, Hoboken No. III:43
  • # Andante ed innocentemente

\layout
  • # Menuetto: Allegretto

  • # Adagio e cantabile

  • # Finale: Presto

Opus 50, the "Prussian" quartets (1787)

  • Quartet No. 36 in B major, Op. 50, No. 1, FHE No. 10, Hoboken No. III:44
  • Quartet No. 37 in C major, Op. 50, No. 2, FHE No. 11, Hoboken No. III:45
  • Quartet No. 38 in E major, Op. 50, No. 3, FHE No. 12, Hoboken No. III:46
  • Quartet No. 39 in F minor, Op. 50, No. 4, FHE No. 25, Hoboken No. III:47
  • Quartet No. 40 in F major, Op. 50, No. 5, FHE No. 26, Hoboken No. III:48
  • Quartet No. 41 in D major, Op. 50, No. 6, FHE No. 27, Hoboken No. III:49

Opus 51 (1787)

Opus 54, 55, the "Tost" quartets, sets I & II (1788)

Named after Johann Tost, a violinist in the Esterhazy orchestra from 1783 to 1789.
  • Quartet No. 42 in C major, Op. 54, No. 2, FHE No. 20, Hoboken No. III:57
  1. Vivace
\relative g
  1. Adagio
\relative c'
  1. Menuetto: Allegretto
\relative e'
  1. Finale: Adagio – Presto – Adagio
\relative g
  • Quartet No. 43 in G major, Op. 54, No. 1, FHE No. 19, Hoboken No. III:58
  • # Allegro con brio
\relative d'
  • # Allegretto
\relative c'
  • # Menuetto: Allegretto
\relative d'
  • # Finale: Presto
\relative b'
  • Quartet No. 44 in E major, Op. 54, No. 3, FHE No. 21, Hoboken No. III:59
  • # Allegro

\new StaffGroup <<
\new Staff \relative e
\new Staff >>
  • # Largo cantabile
\relative e
  • # Menuetto: Allegretto
\relative dis
  • # Finale: Presto
\relative gis'
  • Quartet No. 45 in A major, Op. 55, No. 1, FHE No. 22, Hoboken No. III:60
  • # Allegro
\relative a'
  • # Adagio cantabile
\relative a'
  • # Menuetto
\relative cis
  • # Finale: Vivace
\relative b
  • Quartet No. 46 in F minor, Op. 55, No. 2, FHE No. 23, Hoboken No. III:61
  • # Andante o più tosto allegretto
\relative c
  • # Allegro
\relative f
  • # Menuetto: Allegretto
\relative c'
  • # Finale: Presto
\relative gis'
  • Quartet No. 47 in B major, Op. 55, No. 3, FHE No. 24, Hoboken No. III:62
  • # Vivace assai
\relative bes
  • # Adagio ma non troppo
\relative bes'
  • # Menuetto
\relative bes
  • # Finale: Presto
\relative bes''

Opus 64, the "Tost" quartets, set III (1790)

  • Quartet No. 48 in C major, Op. 64, No. 1, FHE No. 31, Hoboken No. III:65
  • Quartet No. 49 in B minor, Op. 64, No. 2, FHE No. 32, Hoboken No. III:68
  • Quartet No. 50 in B major, Op. 64, No. 3, FHE No. 33, Hoboken No. III:67
  • Quartet No. 51 in G major, Op. 64, No. 4, FHE No. 34, Hoboken No. III:66
  • Quartet No. 52 in E major, Op. 64, No. 6, FHE No. 36, Hoboken No. III:64
  • Quartet No. 53 in D major, Op. 64, No. 5, FHE No. 35, Hoboken No. III:63

Opus 71, 74, the "Apponyi" quartets (1793)

Count Anton Georg Apponyi, a relative of Haydn's patrons, paid 100 ducats for the privilege of having these quartets publicly dedicated to him.
  • Quartet No. 54 in B major, Op. 71, No. 1, FHE No. 37, Hoboken No. III:69
  • # Allegro
\relative f
  • # Adagio
\relative f
  • # Menuetto: Allegretto
\relative bes
  • # : Vivace
\relative f'
  • Quartet No. 55 in D major, Op. 71, No. 2, FHE No. 38, Hoboken No. III:70
  • # Adagio – Allegro
\relative d
  • # Adagio
\relative e'
  • # Menuetto: Allegretto
\relative a'
  • # Finale: Allegretto
\relative a'
  • Quartet No. 56 in E major, Op. 71, No. 3, FHE No. 39, Hoboken No. III:71
  • # Vivace
\relative g
  • # Andante con moto
\relative f'
  • # Menuetto
\relative bes'
  • # Finale: Vivace
\relative as'
  • Quartet No. 57 in C major, Op. 74, No. 1, FHE No. 28, Hoboken No. III:72
  • # Allegro
\relative b'
  • # Andantino
\relative d'
  • # Menuetto: Allegro
\relative g
  • # Finale: Vivace
\relative c
  • Quartet No. 58 in F major, Op. 74, No. 2, FHE No. 29, Hoboken No. III:73
  • # Allegro spiritoso
\relative f'
  • # Andante grazioso
\relative f
  • # Menuetto
\relative c'
  • # Finale: Presto
\relative a
  • Quartet No. 59 in G minor, Op. 74, No. 3, FHE No. 30, Hoboken No. III:74
  • # Allegro
\relative g
  • # Largo assai
\relative gis'
  • # Menuetto:
\relative e
\relative g

Opus 76, the "Erdödy" quartets (1797)

  • Quartet No. 60 in G major, Op. 76, No. 1, FHE No. 40, Hoboken No. III:75
  • Quartet No. 61 in D minor, Op. 76, No. 2, FHE No. 41, Hoboken No. III:76
  • Quartet No. 62 in C major, Op. 76, No. 3, FHE No. 42, Hoboken No. III:77
  • Quartet No. 63 in B major, Op. 76, No. 4, FHE No. 49, Hoboken No. III:78
  • Quartet No. 64 in D major, Op. 76, No. 5, FHE No. 50, Hoboken No. III:79
  • Quartet No. 65 in E major, Op. 76, No. 6, FHE No. 51, Hoboken No. III:80

Opus 77, the "Lobkowitz" quartets (1799)

The Opus 77 quartets were commissioned by Joseph Franz von Lobkowitz, and dedicated to him in the first edition. Unlike the other quartets sets this one consists of just two quartets, not six; Haydn unable to complete the remaining ones because of old age and debility.
  • Quartet No. 66 in G major, Op. 77, No. 1, FHE No. 13, Hoboken No. III:81
  • # Allegro moderato
\relative g'
  • # Adagio
\relative es
  • # Menuetto: Presto
\relative g
  • # Finale: Presto
\relative d
  • Quartet No. 67 in F major, Op. 77, No. 2, FHE No. 14, Hoboken No. III:82
  • # Allegro moderato
\relative f'
  • # Menuet: Presto
\relative c''
  • # Andante
\relative fis'
  • # Finale: Vivace assai
\relative f'

Opus 103 (1803)

  • Quartet No. 68 in D minor, Op. 103, Hoboken No. III:83. When the two quartets of Opus 77 were published, Haydn retained hopes of writing more, and he did finish the slow movement and minuet that comprise this quartet, but soon, advancing illness blocked all further progress. For three years, Haydn attempted to finish the quartet, often working just fifteen minutes at a time. Finally, in August 1805, Haydn threw in the towel and permitted his friend Georg August Griesinger to forward the unfinished quartet to Breitkopf and Härtel in Leipzig for publication. With the composer's permission, the first edition included a quotation from an earlier song Haydn had written: 'Hin ist alle meine Kraft, Alt und schwach bin ich' '
In 2013, Haydn specialist William Drabkin composed a completion of this quartet.
  • # Andante grazioso

  • # Menuetto ma non troppo presto

Recordings of complete cycles

Multiple recordings of Haydn's complete string quartets have been made over the years. The first complete set was made by the Aeolian Quartet during the 1970s for Decca, which was then reissued in 2009. From 1994 to 1999, the Angeles Quartet recorded a cycle for Philips Records, which received critical reviews. During the 1990s, the Tátrai Quartet completed a cycle for Hungaroton. From 1989 to 2003, the Kodály Quartet recorded a cycle for Naxos Records. More recently, from 2002 to 2008, the Buchberger Quartet recorded a cycle for Brilliant Classics on period instruments. The Auryn Quartet completed their cycle on modern instruments for Tacet in 2014.