Beethoven’s work for string quartet can be divided into three distinctive periods. The six opus 18 quartets belong to the early period. They are without a doubt, the most inspired by the inventors of the genre: Mozart and Haydn.
The six quartets were composed on commission by prince Joseph Franz von Lobkowitz, the Duke of Roudnice. The last part of the sixth quartet is the best known. The recording presents the Amadeus Quartet at the height of its powers. The works itself are in my view not too exciting. I like the adventurous Razumovsky quartets or the experimental late quartets better.