The Weinzierl castle in Lower Austria, which still stands today, can be considered to be the birthplace of a chamber music genre, which is firmly established in our present-day repertoire. The young Haydn was invited to spend some time at this place by a wealthy musical friend and often met up with the steward at the castle, the castle priest and the cellist Anton Albrechtsberger to make music. Although his first two works for 2 violins, viola and bass still have five movements, their musical value establishes the success of the string quartet in its own right.
Haydn: Quartet A major op. 2,1 Hob. III:7 Haydn: Quartet F major op. 2,4 Hob. III:10 Haydn: Quartet E major op. 2,2 Hob. III:8 Haydn: Quartet C major op. 1,6 Hob. III:6 Haydn: Quartet G major op. 1,4 Hob. III:4 Haydn: Quartet D major op. 1,3 Hob. III:3 Haydn: Quartet E flat major op. 1,2 Hob. III:2 Haydn: Quartet B flat major op. 1, 1 Hob. III:1 Haydn: Quartet E flat major op. 1,0 Hob. II:6 Haydn: Appendix: 'Serenaden-Quartett' F major op. 3, 5 Hob. III:17 (now attributed to Roman Hofstett Haydn: Quartet B flat major op. 2,6 Hob. III:12