Haydn: String Quartets Op 1, Nos. 1-4;

This is it, folks--the first string quartets in the history of the universe! The story of how they came to be is well known: it seems that Haydn was hanging out with a few musical pals in the Austro-Hungarian nobility one dull day in the 1760s, and instead of the usual two violins and a cello, he had an extra viola. Put them all together and voila! The rest is history. These early string quartets (there are 10 of them in all) were a smash hit, inspiring imitations all over Europe, but nothing could quite match the originals for charm and inspiration. So treat yourself to this excellent, budget-priced CD and own a highly entertaining bit of musical history. --David Hurwitz