A monumental accomplishment of the classical music era, the string quartets of Joseph Haydn hold a prominent place not only in his oeuvre, but also in our modern conception of late 18th-century instrumental form, style, and expression. Here, well-known music historians Floyd and Margaret Grave present a comprehensive survey of the works from a fresh perspective.

This thorough and unique analysis offers new insights into the creation of the quartets, the wealth of musical customs and conventio...