With this publication, Schubert's complete string quartets are now available in practical performing editions using the “Urtext” ot the New Schubert Edition. The pieces in this volume, dating from 1813 to 1816, bear witness to the stylistic independence Schubert achieved even in his early years and betoken his growing mastery of the string quartet genre. The aura of occasional music that dominated his early quartets has vanished almost completely to reveal Schubert's early chamber music at its very best. The string quartets collected in this volume form a link between his early essays in the genre and his late works. They include some of his first chamber music masterpieces.<br>