Hagen Quartett - Mozart: Complete String Quartets (2006)

Recorded between 1989 and 2004, the Hagen Quartet's recordings of Mozart's complete music for string quartet is clearly the finest set of the works released in the early digital age. For one thing, because the collection includes not only the 23 canonical string quartets but also the three early Divertimenti for string quartet, the five Fugues from Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier arranged by Mozart, and the late Adagio and Fugue in C minor, their set really is the complete music for string quartet. For another thing, because the performances were recorded by Deutsche Grammophon in their finest translucent digital sound, this set is the cleanest and clearest available. But, most importantly, the Hagen's performances are certainly among the finest ever given to the music. The wit, the charm, the poise, the elegance, the balance, the depth, the sheer ravishing beauty of Mozart's string quartet writing have rarely been so fully realized – and then only in stereo sets that include only the 23 standard quartets. For performance, sound, and inclusiveness, this set is the one to get if you're looking to get only one set of Mozart's quartets.

Track List:

CD 1:
Divertimento in D major, K.136
1. I. Allegro
2. II. Andante
3. III. Presto

Divertimento in B-flat major, K.137
4. I. Andante
5. II. Allegro di molto
6. III. Allegro assai

Divertimento in F major, K.138
7. I. Allegro
8. II. Andante
9. III. Presto

Quartet in G major, K.80
10. I. Adagio
11. II. Allegro
12. III. Minuetto-Trio
13. IV. Rondeau (Allegro)

Quartet in D major, K.155
14. [Allegro]
15. II. Andante
16. III. Molto allegro

Quartet in G major, K.156
17. I. Presto
18. II. Adagio
19. III. Tempo di Menuetto


CD 2:
Quartet in C major, K.157
1. I. Allegro
2. II. Andante
3. III. Presto

Quartet in F major, K.158
4. I. Allegro
5. II. Andante un poco Allegretto
6. III. Tempo di Menuetto

Quartet in B-flat major, K.159
7. I. Andante
8. II. Allegro
9. III. Rondo (Allegro grazioso)

Quartet in E-flat major, K.160
10. I. Allegro
11. II. Un poco Adagio
12. III. Presto

Quartet in F major, K.168
13. I. Allegro
14. II. Andante
15. III. Menuetto-Trio
16. IV. Allegro


CD 3:
Quartet in A major, K.169
1. I. Molto allegro
2. II. Andante
3. III. Menuetto-Trio
4. IV. Rondeaux (Allegro)

Quartet in C major, K.170
5. I. Thema (Andante) & Variationen
6. II. Menuetto-Trio
7. III. Un poco Adagio
8. IV. Rondeaux (Allegro)

Quartet in E-flat major, K.171
9. I. Adagio-Allegro assai
10. II. Menuetto-Trio
11. III. Andante
12. IV. Allegro assai

Quartet in B-flat major, K.172
13. I. [Allegro spiritoso.
14. II. Adagio
15. III. Menuetto-Trio
16. IV. Allegro assai

Quartet in D minor, K.173
17. I. Allegro ma molto moderato
18. II. Andantino grazioso
19. III. Menuetto-Trio
20. IV. Allegro


CD 4:
Quartet in G major, K. 387
1. I. Allegro vivace assai
2. II. Menuetto. Allegro - Trio
3. III. Andante cantabile
4. IV. Molto Allegro

Quartet in D minor, K. 421
5. I. Allegro moderato
6. II. Andante
7. III. Menuetto. Allegro - Trio
8. IV. Allegretto ma non troppo

Eine kleine Nachtmusik in G major, K. 525
9. I. Allegro
10. II. Romance
11. III. Menuetto
12. IV. Rondo


CD 5:
String Quartet In E Flat Major, KV 428(421b)
1. I. Allegro Non Toroppo
2. II. Andante Con Moto
3. III. Menuetto.Allegro - Trio
4. IV. Allegro Vivace

String Quartet In B Flat Major, KV 458 'The Hunt'
5. I. Allegro Vivace Assai
6. II. Menuetto.Moderato - Trio
7. III. Adagio
8. IV. Allegro Assai

String Quartet In D Major, KV 575 'Prussian No.1'
9. I. Allegrertto
10. II. Andante
11. III. Menuetto.Allegretto
12. IV. Allegretto


CD 6:
String Quartet In A Major, KV 464
1. I. Allegro
2. II. Menuetto - Trio
3. III. Andante
4. IV. Allegro Non Troppo

String Quartet In C Major, KV 465 'Dissonance'
5. I. Adagio - Allergro
6. II. Andante Cantabile
7. III. Menuetto.Allegro - Trio
8. IV. Allegro Molto

Four-Part Fugues KV 405
9. No.2 In C Minor (From Bach:BWV871)
10. No.7 In E Flat Major (From Bach:BWV876)
11. No.9 In E Major (From Bach:BWV878)
12. No.8 In D Minor (From Bach:BWV877)
13. No.5 In D Major (From Bach:BWV874)

Adagio And Fugue, KV 546
14. I. Adagio
15. II. Fuga.Allegro


CD 7:
Streichquartett D-Dur Kv.499 'Hoffmeister'
1. I. Allegretto
2. II. Menuetto. Allegretto
3. III. Adagio
4. IV. Allegro

Streichquartett B-Dur Kv.589 'Prussian No.2'
5. I. Allegro
6. II. Larghetto
7. III. Menuetto. Moderto
8. IV. Allegro Assai

Streichquartett B-Dur Kv.590 'Prussian No.3'
9. I. Allegro Moderato
10. II. Allegretto
11. III. Menuetto. Allegretto
12. IV. Allegro


Performers:
Hagen Quartett
Lukas Hagen, violin I
Rainer Schmidt, violin II
Veronika Hagen, viola
Clemens Hagen, violoncello