Die Vier Letzen Streichquartette = The Four Last String Quartets = Les Quatre Derniers Quatuors À Cordes (K.499, K.575, K.589, K.590)

Released in 1976 by CBS Masterworks, this collection represents the Juilliard String Quartet's exploration of Mozart's mature chamber music output. The set focuses on the 'Hoffmeister' quartet, K. 499, and the three 'Prussian' quartets, K. 575, K. 589, and K. 590. These works were composed during the final years of Mozart's life, a period marked by significant stylistic refinement and a move toward greater contrapuntal complexity, particularly in the cello lines written for the amateur cellist King Frederick William II of Prussia.

The Juilliard String Quartet, renowned for their intellectual rigor and technical precision, sought to balance the clarity of the Classical era with the expressive depth inherent in these final quartets. Their approach during this mid-1970s period was often noted for a lean, energetic aesthetic that eschewed romantic sentimentality. Upon release, the set was received as a definitive contribution to the American interpretation of the standard repertoire, emphasizing structural integrity and cohesive ensemble interplay that became a hallmark of the Juilliard group's long-standing residency at the Juilliard School.