The six string quartets, K. 168-173, were composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...

 in late 1773 in Vienna

Vienna

Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...

. These are popularly known as the Viennese Quartets.

These quartets represent a considerable advance on the Milanese Quartets

Milanese Quartets (Mozart)

The six string quartets, K. 155-160, were composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in late 1772 and early 1773. Because they were composed in Milan while he was working on his opera Lucio Silla, they are popularly known as the Milanese Quartets. Before this set was composed, Mozart had written one...

 from less than a year before. Each contains four movements, including minuets and trios. Mozart had been exposed to recently published quartets by Joseph Haydn

Joseph Haydn

Franz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...

 (Opp. 9, 17 and 20

String Quartets, Op. 20 (Haydn)

The six string quartets opus 20 by Joseph Haydn are among the works that earned Haydn the sobriquet "the father of the string quartet." The quartets are considered a milestone in the history of composition; in them, Haydn develops compositional techniques that were to define the medium for the next...

) and was incorporating many of their elements.

Quartet No. 8 in F major, K. 168

1. Allegro
2. Andante
3. Menuetto
4. Allegro

The slow movement in F minor

F minor

F minor is a minor scale based on F, consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. The harmonic minor raises the E to E. Its key signature has four flats ....

 is a triple-meter canon on the familiar theme also used in the finale of Haydn's Op. 20 quartet

String Quartets, Op. 20 (Haydn)

The six string quartets opus 20 by Joseph Haydn are among the works that earned Haydn the sobriquet "the father of the string quartet." The quartets are considered a milestone in the history of composition; in them, Haydn develops compositional techniques that were to define the medium for the next...

 in the same key. The finale is a fugue which is also similar to one of the finales of Op. 20, this time the A major quartet.

Quartet No. 9 in A major, K. 169

1. Molto allegro
2. Andante
3. Menuetto
4. Rondeau (allegro)

Quartet No. 10 in C major, K. 170

1. Andante
2. Menuetto
3. Un poco adagio
4. Rondo - Allegro

The opening movement is a theme and variations

Variation (music)

In music, variation is a formal technique where material is repeated in an altered form. The changes may involve harmony, melody, counterpoint, rhythm, timbre, orchestration or any combination of these.-Variation form:...

with a theme that resembles the variation theme used in Haydn's Quartet Op. 9, No. 5 in B flat. The second phrase of the slow movement contains the opening theme of Haydn's Op. 9 No. 4 in D minor.

Quartet No. 11 in E flat major, K. 171

1. Adagio - Allegro - Adagio
2. Menuetto
3. Andante
4. Allegro assai

Quartet No. 12 in B flat major, K. 172

1. Allegro spiritoso
2. Adagio
3. Menuetto
4. Allegro assai

Quartet No. 13 in D minor, K. 173

1. Allegro moderato
2. Andante Grazioso
3. Menuetto
4. Allegro moderato

The beginning of the minuet is the same as the minuet from Haydn's Op. 9 No. 4 in D minor.