Quatuors "L'Alouette" & "Les Quintes"

Released in 1982 on the RCA Red Seal label, this recording features the Cleveland Quartet performing Joseph Haydn’s String Quartets Opus 64, No. 5, known as 'The Lark,' and Opus 76, No. 2, known as 'The Fifths.' The Cleveland Quartet, founded in 1969, earned a reputation during this era for their technical precision and rigorous intellectual approach to the classical canon, making them a central fixture of the American chamber music scene throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

The production reflects the high-fidelity standards of RCA Red Seal’s mid-career output, capturing the quartet’s signature balance of warmth and rhythmic vitality. The cover art and liner notes were designed to align with the refined, scholarly aesthetic associated with classical music releases of the time, presenting Haydn’s mature works as essential cornerstones of the repertoire. The record was well-received by critics who valued the ensemble’s ability to navigate the complex counterpoint of Haydn’s late-period quartets with clarity and expressive poise.