Ludwig van Beethoven’s quartets follow the lineage of Haydn and Mozart. From this background he developed the form to the point where many consider that it reached its peak of perfection. The two quartets on this disc are linked by dedications to Russian nobles in Vienna. Count Razumovsky was responsible for three of Beethoven’s most popular quartets and, 18 years later, Prince Galitzin drew Beethoven back to composing his finest and most revolutionary quartets, including Opus 127.