Title page of Wranitzky's String Quartets Op. 23 as published by André in 1793.
As one of Vienna's leading violinists, it comes as no surprise that the genre of string quartet figures prominently in Wranitzky's œuvre. As leader of the orchestras of both court theaters- the Burgtheater and the Kärntnertortheater, he had easy access to some of the finest players in Vienna. His intimate status with the Imperial court of Franz II and Marie Therese gave him opportunity for patronage. Wranitzky's music was extremely popular with both the nobility and the general public. Some fifty quartets were published during his lifetime and distributed throughout Europe, which confirms his immense popularity.
André of Offenbach published the six Op. 23 string quartets in June 1793 in two volumes, each containing three quartets. Later editions appeared by both Sieber and Imbault. While many of Wranitzky's chamber and symphonic works bear dedications to European nobles, these six quartets were written for the actual performance by an accomplished musician and royal. Friedrich Wilhelm II, King of Prussia (r. 1786-1797), was a reputable cellist and many notable composers eagerly sought his patronage. This situation proved to be beneficial to both him and the composers - and added some significant pieces to the chamber music literature. Among these are Beethoven's two Cello Sonatas, Op. 5, and Mozart's so-called "Prussian Quartets" (K. 575, 589, and 590).
The quartets were written in the popular 'Concertante' style, which gave each of the four instruments important and often virtuosic parts. Appropriately, the cello part in these quartets is given special emphasis, with their royal dedicatee in mind.
