Recorded in California in 1959 (at the University of California's Hertz Hall, although the booklet professes ignorance of the locale), these performances date from a time when a somewhat denatured view of
Haydn still prevailed: the genial "Papa
Haydn" of legend was less of a flesh-and-blood character than the shrewd, sometimes frustrated, often far-thinking composer known today. The
Griller Quartet, which migrated from England to the U.S., was one of the best-regarded chamber ensembles of its day, and it executes a brisk approach to
Haydn without strain. It also offers a
Haydn that's less gutsy than the one portrayed in many more recent recordings, but the portrait has virtues of its own. In these six quartets of
Haydn's full maturity, the listener may wish for a more high-contrast approach at times -- for the players to dig in a bit when the viola and cello get meaty, rhythmic stuff in the outer movements of the String Quartet in C major, Op. 74/1, for the trios of the minuets to sound just a little more magical. But when it comes to the main attraction --
Haydn's humor -- the
Griller is on top of things all the way. The action-packed String Quartet in G minor, Op. 74/3, is an utterly delightful string of surprises in the
Griller's reading, carried off at a pace that never lets you catch your breath. It has the sharp yet often hilarious feeling, if one may be permitted to assign nationality-appropriate similes after the fact, of an Ealing Studios film comedy. The 1959 sound has been transferred to CD with some hiss but generally with impressive clarity. Definitely of interest to listeners snared by the fascinating question of evolving perceptions of
Haydn, and highly listenable for anybody.