12 reviews for 191 CD / Auryn’s Haydn: op. 77, 103, 42

1. Weser Kurier / Bremer Nachrichten – 13. December 2012

   In classical music, the string quartet is considered the king of sophisticated composition—and Joseph Haydn is regarded as the founder of a tradition that continues to this day. His 68 quartets offer a wide range of expression, from deep emotional depth to daring experimentation. The Auryn Quartet, in its now-completed recording of the entire cycle, approaches each work in this cosmos with meticulous care, technical perfection, and a highly developed sense of sound. For the willing listener, especially in the lesser-known works, this offers pure surprise and excitement.
   Hartmut Lück

2. Customer’s letter – 21. May 2012

   (...) I've listened to six discs so far and have loved every minute - I've heard several performances of Haydn quartets in the past and these are the best so far! J.M.S.

3. Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik – 1. July 2011

   Laudatio for the Award of the German Record Critics' Annual Prize to the Haydn Cycle by the Auryn Quartet

   Joseph Haydn is considered the father of the string quartet genre. The Auryn Quartet recorded his nearly 70 string quartets over a two-year period: for the first time using the critically edited "purified" text, with esprit, lively emotion, and highly differentiated ensemble playing, all within a natural sound space: a small sensation. Such an undertaking requires a label that is not only technically state-of-the-art but also willing to take risks. The Stuttgart-based TACET Musikproduktion has distinguished itself several times through this very combination of skill and daring. Therefore, we award the Annual Prize to the Auryn Quartet and their producer/sound engineer Andreas Spreer for their epochal Haydn project, which is already assured a prominent place in the annals of sound recording.
   (For the jury: Thomas Rübenacker)

4. Musik und Theater – 6. June 2011

   Few string quartets have managed to record all the works of the creator and first grand master of this genre. To mark its 30th anniversary, the Auryn Quartet now completes this Herculean task. Spanning 14 albums on the TACET label, known for its meticulous and high-quality recording techniques, this project encompasses what the quartet began in the fall of 2008. The first CD, featuring the first six quartets of Opus 1, received the ECHO Klassik Award, and the specialized press has almost unanimously praised the subsequent releases of this edition in the highest terms.
   (…) What distinguishes this complete recording—besides the mere fact that it was undertaken and completed—is its unadulterated, organic naturalness of playing and the richness of detail and expressive nuances, both in the larger and smaller scales. Above all, the Auryn Quartet members are advocates of Haydn's scores. No one plays to the forefront, no one tries to enhance their voice when the first violin leads, which it often does in Haydn's compositions. When the first violin leads, it leads, and the other three integrate themselves into their accompanying roles, not seeking out seemingly interesting counterpoints. These Haydn recordings are remarkably unpretentious and unoriginal, making them all the more suitable as models of Haydn interpretation. They exemplify a classical string quartet ideal that neither adheres to nor rejects historical performance practices. They represent a golden mean in terms of sound production, tempi, balance, and dynamics, avoiding extremes. (…)
   Reinmar Wagner

5. Concerti – 1. April 2011

   --> original review

   68 Haydn string quartets on 22 CDs, recorded over 75 days within two years—the sheer achievement commands respect. However, much more important and astonishing is the consistently high quality with which the Auryn Quartet has recorded this unique oeuvre in the history of the string quartet. Even the final recording is marked by a joy in playing and meticulous attention to detail; the playing of this quartet, which has been together for 30 years, is both vigorous and always transparent. The fact that Haydn remained unwaveringly creative even in his later years is evident in his final completed composition, Opus 103, with which the Auryn Quartet's Haydn journey now concludes.
   Arnt Cobbers

6. Rondo. Das Klassik & Jazz Magazin 02/2011 – 1. March 2011

   A more beautiful gift for a 30th anniversary is hard to imagine. Just in time for this milestone, the Auryn Quartet completes its recording of all the string quartets by Joseph Haydn. This is a monumental undertaking that few ensembles have attempted: a total of 68 works filling 22 CDs with 24 hours of music. With the two quartets of Opus 77 and the unfinished Opus 103, Haydn's final works in this genre, the four musicians conclude their cycle, which can rightfully claim reference status without exaggeration. This status is guaranteed not only by the fresh and enthusiastic approach of the four gentlemen, who also season the whole with the essential but often overlooked touch of wit and playfulness but also by the excellent recording quality typical of the TACET label. Matthias Lingenfelder and Jens Oppermann on violins, violist Stewart Eaton, and cellist Andreas Arndt have been playing together in the same lineup since the ensemble's founding in March 1981—in this respect too, the Auryn Quartet has little competition.
   mb

7. Hessischer Rundfunk, CD-Tipp – 28. February 2011

   Just in time for the Auryn Quartet's 30th anniversary, the ensemble releases the 14th and final installment of the complete string quartets by Joseph Haydn on the TACET label. (…) The Auryn Quartet has now been in existence for 30 years, and for the past 27 years, it has performed with the same lineup: Matthias Lingenfelder and Jens Oppermann on violins, Stewart Eaton on viola, and Andreas Arndt on cello. It would be almost surprising if this continuity hadn’t resulted in a special artistic unity—further enhanced by the fact that all four musicians teach at the University of Music in Detmold. And indeed, this unity can be heard in every single bar. It is also evident in the monumental project of recording all of Haydn’s string quartets. Here are the impressive numbers: 68 quartets, recorded over 75 days within two years, resulting in 14 volumes across 22 CDs. One can only say: Respect. (…) *Finis coronat opus*—"The end crowns the work," as the saying goes, and that is certainly the case here. This monumental project of recording all of Haydn’s quartets has reached its crowning conclusion with this 14th volume, after two years of dedicated work.
   Gisela Walther

8. Musikwoche – 18. February 2011

   In 2011, the Auryn Quartet celebrates its 30th anniversary and completes its recording of the complete string quartets by Joseph Haydn. The ensemble impresses with the meticulous precision with which it executes every movement down to the finest detail, applying dynamics with exacting control—without ever neglecting passion or the joy of playing. Equally remarkable is the quartet’s great artistry in achieving a unified sound while still allowing each instrument full expressive freedom in solo passages. bs

9. radio K1 – 12. February 2011

   (…) The Auryn Quartet, long since established and highly regarded in all things Haydn, once again proves its ability to illuminate the subtleties and secrets of the composer’s late works. These final great masterpieces by Haydn have now been released by the TACET label in a benchmark recording, bringing the Auryn Quartet’s complete cycle of Haydn’s string quartets to a close. This is a major and significant interpretation of Haydn’s work—one that will stand as a reference for years to come. (…)
   Dr. Stefan Janson

10. Klassik heute – 9. February 2011

    In rapid succession, the Stuttgart-based label Tacet has completed the recording of Joseph Haydn’s complete string quartets with the Auryn Quartet. With the final volume—featuring the two quartets from Op. 77 along with the individually published Op. 103 and Op. 42—all of Haydn’s quartets are now available in a model and captivating complete edition.

    The Auryn Quartet makes the two quartets from Op. 77—despite their familiarity and firm place in the core concert repertoire—sound as if heard for the very first time. With a fascinatingly balanced sensitivity, the interplay between instrumental lines is revealed in the *Allegro moderato* of the G major Quartet, Op. 77 No. 1. Every detail is carefully considered, and the listener is swept up in a vivid flow of nuanced lightness and palpable vitality. With perfect tonal balance and equilibrium, the Auryn Quartet brings a sense of calm to the *Adagio*, while agility and verve propel the *Menuetto*. The final movement glows with a richly varied palette, showcasing especially the quartet’s remarkable ability to shape the theme with striking differentiation as it moves through shifting harmonic and structural contexts. The expressive character and gestures are captured with an exceptionally subtle use of tempo and phrasing, and at the end of the movement, the Auryn musicians dissolve the dynamic structure into an exquisitely rendered echo effect—full of refinement and delicacy.

    No less impressive is the interpretive approach in the F major Quartet, Op. 77 No. 2. With the greatest transparency, the structural relationships within the texture of the voices are brought to light—never in a didactic manner, but always with an effortless naturalness that the ensemble maintains throughout. Even in the following *Menuetto*, which is highly nuanced and filled with inner tension, dynamics and expressive character are never overstated or exaggerated. The *Andante* of the F major quartet is marked by filigree sensitivity and a kaleidoscope of musical variety—masterfully rendered by the Auryn Quartet.

    The interpretation of the two-movement D minor Quartet, Op. 103—Haydn’s final and unfinished contribution to the genre he helped to create—as well as the performance of the earlier D minor Quartet, Op. 42 (composed in 1785), both demonstrate the exceptional ability of these musicians to uncover the music’s richness down to its finest threads. They bring out the expressive power inherent in each movement’s character with compelling clarity and insight.

    In the *Menuetto* of the D minor Quartet, Op. 103, the performers—through their sensitive instinct for tonal gradation and subtle differentiation—manage to evoke a sense of shifting perspective, as if moving between nearness and distance, creating effects of almost fantastical quality. Whether in a forceful *forte* or the most delicate *pianissimo*, their sound remains consistently full of substance, with flawless intonation and perfect tonal balance. Here, once again, the Auryn Quartet proves itself to be a top-tier ensemble.
    Thomas Bopp

11. KulturSPIEGEL – 1. February 2011

    It is accomplished: after three years and 14 CDs, the Auryn Quartet has traversed—or rather, recharted—the vast continent of Haydn. From music for connoisseurs to works of profound spirituality, the journey of Classical style is fully experienced here. With the wise diversity of the Op. 77 quartets and the epilogue-like Op. 103, the seasoned Auryn musicians crown this musical cosmos, while the standalone Op. 42 offers a spirited finale with its delicately fugal *Presto*. Johannes Saltzwedel

12. Pizzicato – 4. January 2011

    After more than two years, the Auryn Quartet and the recording team at TACET have completed the cycle of Joseph Haydn’s 68 string quartets—just as confidently and joyfully as they began it. (…)
    The unparalleled Haydn cycle, unmatched in its originality and constant inventiveness, has found its ideal interpreters in the Auryn Quartet, and this is irrefutably proven by this final CD. The quartet never seeks to place itself in the spotlight but always remains dedicated to serving the music, ensuring its balance even in passages where the composer playfully experiments. The cantabile nature of the music, its inner order, and its continuous emotional flow are thus preserved—embodying the essence of the Classical style.
    Ich kenne kein anderes Quartett, das sich Haydn gegenüber so fair und loyal, so hingebungsvoll und doch so offen verhält wie das Auryn Quartett und sich dabei von nichts anderem inspirieren lässt als von seiner Musik.
    Réf