String Quartets: G Major K.80 / B Flat Major, K.136 / D Major K.137 / F Major K.138

Released in 1956 by Westminster Records, this recording features the Barylli Quartet performing four of Mozart's early string quartets and divertimenti. Walter Barylli, the concertmaster of the Vienna Philharmonic at the time, founded the quartet in 1945. The group was noted for its quintessential Viennese style, which prioritized a warm, lyrical sound and stylistic elegance over the more aggressive technical precision that became common in later decades.

The recording serves as a historical document of the postwar Viennese chamber music tradition. These works—K. 80, K. 136, K. 137, and K. 138—are often classified as transitional pieces written during Mozart's youth, bridging the gap between the Italianate divertimento and the formal string quartet. The Barylli Quartet's interpretation was widely regarded as authentic to the period's local performance standards, reflecting a refined and intimate approach characteristic of the Westminster label's mid-century catalog.