Joseph Haydn is the undisputed father of the string quartet. Traditionally no less than 83 quartets were attributed to him. That list has since been critically cleaned up to the still impressive number of 68. Haydn established the genre with his op.20 & 33 (to which Mozart's Haydn Quartets could also be added). In 1803 Haydn composed his last quartet, which remained unfinished. For a long time he
… hoped to complete the work in four movements, but he lacked the energy. Eventually the two-movement quartet was published in 1806. As compensation, Haydn's publisher Breitkopf & Härtel added Haydn's calling card in the form of a vocal quartet. The text, entitled Der Greis, began with the words 'Hin ist alle meine Kraft alt und swach bin ich!'. Haydn thus let his friends know that he had grown old without bitterness. (HJ)more
