Quartets No. 9 In A Major, K.169 / No. 10 In C Major, K.170 / No. 11 In E Flat Major, K.171 / No. 12 In B Flat Major, K.172

Released in 1970 on the His Master's Voice label, this recording features the Heutling-Quartett performing a selection of Mozart’s early string quartets, specifically numbers 9 through 12. These compositions, known collectively as part of the 'Viennese' quartets, were written by a young Mozart in 1773 while he was under the influence of Joseph Haydn’s evolving style. They represent a pivotal moment in the development of the string quartet genre, balancing structural complexity with the lyrical grace characteristic of Mozart’s maturing compositional voice.

The Heutling-Quartett, led by violinist Werner Heutling, earned a reputation for precision and a reserved, scholarly approach to the classical repertoire during their mid-century tenure. Their recordings for EMI and His Master's Voice were generally well-regarded by critics for their clarity and technical refinement, offering a balanced, transparent interpretation that avoided the excessive romanticism sometimes applied to 18th-century chamber music. This specific HQS pressing served to make these essential, though less frequently performed, Mozart quartets accessible to a wider audience of classical enthusiasts in the burgeoning high-fidelity era.