Best String Quartets (1756-1873)

[Mozart]

There I did it.

[Josquin des Prez]

Beethoven > all, from any era and any style.

Other fine ones from the time period you selected:

Haydn Opus 76

Mozart Six Haydn Quartets

Schubert D.810, 804 and 887.

Norbert Burgmüller Op.14

Brahms Op.51

[quintett op.57]

My favourite :

Haydn op.76 - op 54 n°2 - 3 (magnificent largo)

Beethoven 7 & 14

Smetana 1 & 2

Schubert 14

[Bunny]

How about Brahms? How about Dvořák?  I love "Cypresses" from 1865.

And, Gaetano Brunetti (1744-98)?

There are so many "best" string quartets in this period, that my mind begins to spin around as I consider the possibilities

Oops, yes, definitely Schubert, too.

[Josquin des Prez]

And, Gaetano Brunetti (1744-98)?

Who?

[JoshLilly]

Brunetti focused on various types of chamber music as Chopin did to the piano. It was almost a complete devotion for him, though I think he wrote a handful of symphonies and maybe some other stuff. The CD I have is on the cpo label of some string quartets. I adore them, and string quartet is not one of my favourite genres. He specialised, big time, in the string quartet and other small ensemble music and in my opinion, it shows. Well, hears. Uh... you know.

[Bunny]

Brunetti focused on various types of chamber music as Chopin did to the piano. It was almost a complete devotion for him, though I think he wrote a handful of symphonies and maybe some other stuff. The CD I have is on the cpo label of some string quartets. I adore them, and string quartet is not one of my favourite genres. He specialised, big time, in the string quartet and other small ensemble music and in my opinion, it shows. Well, hears. Uh... you know.

I've been reading up on Brunetti since I acquired a recording of his quartets.  Apparently he composed directly at the request of his royal patron Carlos IV of Spain who kept complete control of his works so that they were virtually unknown outside of the royal court.  He also composed some symphonies for chamber orchestras.  The king apparently liked to play 2nd violin, so there were a preponderance of quartets written.  Frederick the Great played the flute, so CPE Bach composed a good deal of music for flute.  Royalty hath its privileges.

[hornteacher]

All of Beethoven's are great of course but my favorite right now is actually an early one: #4 in the Op 18 set.

[BachQ]

How about Brahms?

Who?

[Mozart]

How F Mendelssohn? He write anything good?

[val]

Some of my preferred:

HAYDN, opus 20/3 and 5, opus 33/3, opus 50/4, opus 54/2, opus 74/3, opus 76/2, 4 and 5, opus 77/1 and 2.

MOZART: K 387, 421, 428, 458, 464, 465.

BEETHOVEN: Opus 18/1, 4 and 6, opus 59/1 to 3, opus 74, opus 95, opus 127, 130, 131, 132, 135.

SCHUBERT: The three last Quartets in special the G major, and the Quartetsatz.

SCHUMANN: The three Quartets opus 41, in special the 2nd.

BORODINE: 2nd.

TCHAIKOVSKY: First and 3rd.

BRAHMS: the opus 51/1 and 2 and even more the 3rd opus 67.

SMETANA: the First.

MENDELSSOHN: Opus 44/1, 2, 3, opus 80.

[quintett op.57]

opus 54/2

I've purchased it recently (Endellion quartet).

in op.54, 2 is probably the one with the richest development. It's typical of later haydn, close to op.76. I understand your choice.
1 has very pleasant melodies in every movement, but has less development regarding both melodies and harmonies, in my opinion.
But really, 3 has to be taken in (high) consideration especially because of its magnificent and quite unusual largo.

[Don Giovanni]

I consider Beethoven's quartets to be the height of all quartet writing and probably the height of his whole output. Nevertheless, there are some other great sets out there: I particularly enjoy Haydn and Shostakovich (although he doesn't come within the specified time period).

[S709]

The 'best' have probably been listed already, but for something a little more out-of-the-way: the 3 String Quartets of Juan Crisóstomo de Arriaga (the "Spanish Mozart") are remarkable. Here is a recording with good reviews, but I've only heard a different version by the Razumovsky Quartet which seems to be unavailable.