There is never a shortage of surprises with Joseph Haydn.

The Leipzig String Quartet's latest instalment, Opus 2, of their benchmark complete recording of all Haydn's string quartets offers unexpected, unusual and always entertaining moments, presented with virtuosity and mastery by a quartet that combines curiosity and experience to create a delightful whole.

Haydn had not yet taken up his position with Prince Esterhazy when he created the four quartets that are now labelled Opus 2. The popular divertimento is the model, with an idyllic serenade as the climax and centre of the composition, which offers primarius Stefan Arzberger the opportunity to shape beguiling cantilenas and enchanting arabesques.

These fligree marvels are each framed by two minuets, whose trios provide space for experiments in tonal colour and instrumental refnements. The opening movement and fnale already hint at the classical sonata form; with a fresh tempo, they form a rousing virtuoso framework.

Only the last of the four quartets deviates from convention: The extended Adagio with variations at the beginning is followed by four fast, individually shaped movements with a section labelled Scherzo in the middle. The ingenuity and genius of the composer, whose works were the envy of the entire European elite decades later, are unmistakable in the performance of the Leipzig String Quartet, even to today's ears.