Having recently undertaken a project of comparing and ranking almost all the vinyl era performances of Op,20, No.2, this stands up with the best of them. Perhaps close in form to the Aeolian String Quartet's version of the mid-70s. Which is one of the great versions. Although that performance does soften, as does this one, the bagpipe-drone effects of the Menuetto (Allegretto). I really prefer, in that section, performances that bring out the almost avant-garde effect of those moments, as some other renditions do more distinctly.
For some reason I was under the impression that Haydn's music was boring so I just recently started listening to some of his string quartets. It's been a pleasant surprise. Great performance.
