Quartet No. 8 in E major Op. 2 No. 2

Quartet No. 8 in E major, Op. 2, No. 2 by Joseph Haydn “Father of the String Quartet.” This is the first among Haydn’s early quartets to venture into a key signature beyond the limit of three flats or sharps. The initial Allegro is a jovial jaunt in E major. The first violin starts, whereupon the other instruments sound the second half of the phrase, and a delightful conversation continues between the leading instrument and its three partners. The subsequent movements are all in E major with the exception of a trio in e minor and a beautiful Adagio in A major (eight note = 62-72). This Quartet is of medium to advanced difficulty and is well suited for college or advanced high school guitar ensembles.