Appony Quartets-Joseph Haydn composed the string quartets known as Op.71/74 also called the 'Apponyi' Quartets in 1793. The composer dated the autograph scores accordingly although the year that appears on those of the B flat major and D majorquartets shows signs of having been corrected. These two works might already have been finished in 1792. However it is certain that Op.71/74 were composed in Vienna during the period between Haydn's two journeys to England andintended as a series of six quartets.The decision to divide the quartets into two sets of three was taken by the publishers. The three Quartets Op.71 were first published in 1795 by Corri Dussek & Co. then in a slightlyrevised reprint by the Viennese publishing house of Artaria & Co.

An informative preface and critical commentary by Ales Brezina and Ivan Straus (Cz / Ger / Engl / Fr) - A new practical edition at the forefront of Martinu scholarship - All existing sources consulted.The String Quartet no. 6 by Bohuslav Martinu (1890-1959) represents a distinct step on the journey which the composer characterised as his development from geometry to fantasy and for which the almost continuous use of the principle of developing variations restless harmonic development the pulsation of minute rhythmic values and inventive work with sound are characteristic.The quartet which was written in New York in the autumn of 1946 constitutes the beginning of the composer's later works in which moods freely overflow regardless of any predefined formal layout. The editors of the new edition (based on the composer's autograph) have carefully removed all of the problematic and somewhat arbitrary editorial intervention in the sole existing edition dating from 1950 (actually 1955).With its urtext edition of the 6th quartet Editio Bareneriter Praha has continued in its series of new publications of works by Bohuslav Martinu - quartets nos. 4 and 5 have already been published for this instrumental line-up.

Urtext Edition-Brahms had already composed over 20 String quartets (he confessed to a friend that he had burnt all of that ?stuff?) before he finally presented his Opus 51 to the public. In the end only three surviving works managedto withstand his high self-criticism; numerous layers of corrections bear witness to his struggle with each detail. We are now publishing the two passionate dark Quartets Op. 51 separately from the rather more lively Opus67. The basis for this edition is the volume in the New Complete Edition of Brahms? works published in 2004 by Henle for which previously missing sources in a Swiss bequest were consulted for the firsttime.

String Quartets Book IX op. 71 and 74-Haydn dedicated the series of Quartets op. 71 and 74 to the Hungarian Count Apponyi a Viennese patron of music and a freemason friend. Haydn composed them when he was enjoying a great deal ofsuccess with his 'London Symphonies' in England. With their weighty slow introductions and dense movements focusing on sound they also have symphonic characteristics. In particular the Quartet in g minor op. 74 3 isstriking on account of its expressiveness and originality. Due to the rhythmic drive of the outer movements it was give the epithet 'Rider Quartet'. The study edition complements the parts of the 'ApponyiQuartets' which are already available in Henle Urtext.