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| Beethoven c.1801 |
Spurred on by Frank Battisti's On Becoming a Conductor, I wrote on May 27, I've learned a lot in this short chapter about what I must continue to do with regard to my own journey, wherever it may lead me. And I think I'll start today by sampling the Beethoven quartets--one a day--with recording and score, and see where that journey will lead my intellect.
While my schedule repeatedly interrupted my "one a day" listening and writing, and I'm now posting from a coffeehouse in Hastings, Michigan, I've managed to traverse the six quartets of Op. 18. So far, it's been one hell of a ride.
May 27, Op. 18, No. 1 in F-major:
Notes: Quartets of op. 18 were published between 1800 - 1801 and were presented in the salons of Count Lichnowsky by a quartet conducted by de Ignatz Schuppanzigh. They were dedicated to Prince Lobkowitz. The Quartet in F major opens the cycle of op. 18. And due to the musical dynamism and the powerful contrasts it is considered the greatest work of the six. The lyrical atmosphere, somewhat dramatic of the second part is very impressive, rendering the crypt scene from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet if we take into account Amenda’s assertions in a letter to Wiedemann, or even the indication on the score of the work, "The Last Sighs". ~Edouard Herriot, Beethoven’s Life
If one is even faintly acquainted with the quartets of Haydn--the "inventor" of the form--one comes into these early quartets with certain preconceptions. Haydn's early forays (and Mozart's for that matter) are top heavy, allowing the first violin to carry most of the melodic material and virtuoso figurations. Immediately, I am aware that this is not the case of this quartet, a showpiece of equals. Even this first quartet proclaims many of the aspects of Beethoven's later works: motive-based melodic constructs, manipulation of established forms, highly dramatic dynamic contrasts, as well as unexpected key relations which seem to stray far from "home base.
One can learn a great deal about Beethoven's compositional process in that a sort of "draft version" had sent forwarded to his good friend, Carl Amenda. They even discussed it at one time. The sketches reveal the composer's references to the tomb scene from Romeo and Juliet in the second movement, although he later destroyed nearly all evidence of this programmatic element. Regardless of any covert intent, the movement contains weight and gravity not seen in earlier works. When Berlioz tells us--speaking of the early symphonies--that "Beethoven is not here," he needs to examine the early quartets, written contemporaneously with the C-major Symphony. In these works, Beethoven, in all of his composition power, is here.
Also, one expects such works to be heavily weighted toward the opening movement. Such is not the case at all. While the first movement is an extended sonata, the finale is just as long. This last movement is definitely not a light-hearted, flippant rondo-finale, but rather seems a kind of hybrid movement of the type Beethoven would compose in his later years.
I can hardly get over the shock of Beethoven's harmonic manipulations, which must have sounded almost foreign to early nineteenth-century ears. And already, we are seeing (and hearing) mediant key relations among the movements: F-major in the first; D-minor in the ultra-dramatic second; F-major in the Scherzo and Finale. But what he does within these movements is astonishing. While measure 9 of the first movement seems to be only a rehashing of the opening, albeit at forte, instead it travels through A-major, and F-sharp diminished harmonies before meandering home to F-major. The simple motive permeates the entire movement and allows for Beethoven's radical harmonic shifts.
The sections experimenting with the themes – the development sections – and the coda are expanded to an extent that often changes the proportions of the movements radically. Not infrequently, the effect is that you feel as if you have gone through a lifetime while listening to a certain piece, partly because of this grand scale. ~Martin Saving
I have only begun my journey, but I cannot wait for what is in store.
May 29, Op. 18, No. 2 in G-major
I am still getting over the F-major quartet. It so captures all that I know of Beethoven in its scope and scale. I am quite certain that I will return to it in the months to come. Just like my "real" continued travels to Prague, a city I now know very well, I am sure that I'll want to know this work even better.
I have come to the quick realization the reasons that the early Beethoven's quartets are so far removed from those of his important precursors, Haydn and Mozart. These are not works for amateur players or audience. (Of course, amateurs in Beethoven's time were, for the most part, highly trained and talented.) That said, these are the stuff of sophistication, works that could only be fully appreciated by critical performers and listeners.
For example, here is an example from Haydn's Op. 1, dating from 1762-64:
And here is early Mozart (Quartet No. 1, K. 80), the work of a 14-year-old.
Beethoven's No. 2 seems to start out where others left off, and--to my ears--is not as "advanced" as the first. Maybe it's that first violin dominance and the lack of motivic integration that so permeated no. 1. But the development of the first movement--ah! He's back. Launching directly into the dominant minor (d), we're taking through so many different keys--B-flat, E-flat, even B-flat minor(!)--before finally sneaking back to G. There is a lot more decoration of the opening here, as if Beethoven is developing his exposition in the recap. Great stuff.
The second movement is, to me, akin to something not yet invented: a bel canto aria, worthy of Bellini. Curiously though, this little allegro interrupts the middle. It's obviously Beethoven's interesting take on rounded binary (or ternary) form. BUT, at the return, the cello gets the tune. While not as dramatic as the slow movement of no. 1, this is no less beautiful.
He must be having a blast writing scherzi by now for everyone gets in on the action. By contrast, the trio isn't nearly as interesting as it seems to me, more Haydn-esque than anything else I've yet to experience.
The CELLO (yay) gets to start the finale, here exploring lots of counterpoint as he's given himself lots more "stuff" to work with. There aren't any repeats--it's just all written out, but a sonata nonetheless.
May 29: So, during my morning walk home today, I got to wondering what exactly is the big deal about this guy Beethoven? Although there exist examples of juvenilia, his Op. 1 was a set of piano trios published in 1794. Over the next 33 years (until his death in 1827--less than the entire life of Mozart) he managed to write some 135 compositions with opus number (and a number of others that have come to be known as WOo, works without opus number).
In terms of symphonic music, we see the nine symphonies (compared to Haydn's 104), five piano concertos (compared to Mozart's 30), a single violin concerto, eight overtures/incidental music--in addition to the four written for Fidelio, and a handful of other pieces for soloist and orchestra, including the cobbled-together Choral Fantasy.
There are the 16 string quartets; comparatively, Haydn wrote over 70. Other chamber music includes piano trios (in addition to Op. 1), sonatas for violin, cello, and other works. The 32 piano sonatas are the stuff of legend.
Then there is the agony of Fidelio, Beethoven's only opera. Originally entitled Leonore, it was in constant state of revision and remains a work at the fringe of the repertoire. The work is, no doubt, full of some of Beethoven's most inspired music, but it has never really caught on as a theater piece (I should know; I've performed it as a chorister).
And yes, there is some other "stuff" thrown in here, but the fact remains that Beethoven really didn't compose that much, especially when compared with his contemporaries. So again I ask, "What's the big deal about Beethoven?"
May 30: Op. 18, no. 3: Of particular note is the fact that this is actually the first quartet composed by Beethoven, although no. 3 in the set. The "Earsense Chamberbase" notes:
Of the six quartets in Op. 18, the D Major quartet is certainly the most genial and, in a sense, relaxed. Its mood is bright, lyrical and humorous with just a touch of poignancy in the slow movement. The scherzo is quite mild by Beethoven’s standards and, equally uncharacteristically, there are no formal fugues nor a brilliant set of variations, no earth shattering destruction nor euphoric hymns of otherworldly grace. Here, Beethoven simply writes an extraordinary string quartet in the finest style, worthy of Haydn or Mozart and already finer than anything by any contemporaneous practitioner whose name, once fashionably noteworthy, is now lost to obscurity. If there is any place where this “excellent, fine” quartet tips into the realm of genius, it is the fantastic finale, a tour de force of ingenious vivacity and wit.
* * * * * * * * * *
May 29, Op. 18, No. 2 in G-major
I am still getting over the F-major quartet. It so captures all that I know of Beethoven in its scope and scale. I am quite certain that I will return to it in the months to come. Just like my "real" continued travels to Prague, a city I now know very well, I am sure that I'll want to know this work even better.
I have come to the quick realization the reasons that the early Beethoven's quartets are so far removed from those of his important precursors, Haydn and Mozart. These are not works for amateur players or audience. (Of course, amateurs in Beethoven's time were, for the most part, highly trained and talented.) That said, these are the stuff of sophistication, works that could only be fully appreciated by critical performers and listeners.
For example, here is an example from Haydn's Op. 1, dating from 1762-64:
And here is early Mozart (Quartet No. 1, K. 80), the work of a 14-year-old.
Beethoven's No. 2 seems to start out where others left off, and--to my ears--is not as "advanced" as the first. Maybe it's that first violin dominance and the lack of motivic integration that so permeated no. 1. But the development of the first movement--ah! He's back. Launching directly into the dominant minor (d), we're taking through so many different keys--B-flat, E-flat, even B-flat minor(!)--before finally sneaking back to G. There is a lot more decoration of the opening here, as if Beethoven is developing his exposition in the recap. Great stuff.
The second movement is, to me, akin to something not yet invented: a bel canto aria, worthy of Bellini. Curiously though, this little allegro interrupts the middle. It's obviously Beethoven's interesting take on rounded binary (or ternary) form. BUT, at the return, the cello gets the tune. While not as dramatic as the slow movement of no. 1, this is no less beautiful.
He must be having a blast writing scherzi by now for everyone gets in on the action. By contrast, the trio isn't nearly as interesting as it seems to me, more Haydn-esque than anything else I've yet to experience.
The CELLO (yay) gets to start the finale, here exploring lots of counterpoint as he's given himself lots more "stuff" to work with. There aren't any repeats--it's just all written out, but a sonata nonetheless.
May 29: So, during my morning walk home today, I got to wondering what exactly is the big deal about this guy Beethoven? Although there exist examples of juvenilia, his Op. 1 was a set of piano trios published in 1794. Over the next 33 years (until his death in 1827--less than the entire life of Mozart) he managed to write some 135 compositions with opus number (and a number of others that have come to be known as WOo, works without opus number).
In terms of symphonic music, we see the nine symphonies (compared to Haydn's 104), five piano concertos (compared to Mozart's 30), a single violin concerto, eight overtures/incidental music--in addition to the four written for Fidelio, and a handful of other pieces for soloist and orchestra, including the cobbled-together Choral Fantasy.
There are the 16 string quartets; comparatively, Haydn wrote over 70. Other chamber music includes piano trios (in addition to Op. 1), sonatas for violin, cello, and other works. The 32 piano sonatas are the stuff of legend.
Then there is the agony of Fidelio, Beethoven's only opera. Originally entitled Leonore, it was in constant state of revision and remains a work at the fringe of the repertoire. The work is, no doubt, full of some of Beethoven's most inspired music, but it has never really caught on as a theater piece (I should know; I've performed it as a chorister).
And yes, there is some other "stuff" thrown in here, but the fact remains that Beethoven really didn't compose that much, especially when compared with his contemporaries. So again I ask, "What's the big deal about Beethoven?"
May 30: Op. 18, no. 3: Of particular note is the fact that this is actually the first quartet composed by Beethoven, although no. 3 in the set. The "Earsense Chamberbase" notes:
Of the six quartets in Op. 18, the D Major quartet is certainly the most genial and, in a sense, relaxed. Its mood is bright, lyrical and humorous with just a touch of poignancy in the slow movement. The scherzo is quite mild by Beethoven’s standards and, equally uncharacteristically, there are no formal fugues nor a brilliant set of variations, no earth shattering destruction nor euphoric hymns of otherworldly grace. Here, Beethoven simply writes an extraordinary string quartet in the finest style, worthy of Haydn or Mozart and already finer than anything by any contemporaneous practitioner whose name, once fashionably noteworthy, is now lost to obscurity. If there is any place where this “excellent, fine” quartet tips into the realm of genius, it is the fantastic finale, a tour de force of ingenious vivacity and wit.
Lewis Lockwood, in Beethoven, the Music and the Life (Norton, 2003), spends most of three pages in discussion of the first quartet and two whole paragraphs on nos. 2 and 3. As for its above mentioned geniality, I have to agree, but this work is already far removed from Mozart, of whom Lockwood alleges that Beethoven modeled the work upon. My initial response is simply, "Wow!"
The first page looks like mid-career Haydn or Mozart:
The texture seems heavily weighted toward the virtuosic first violin part, much as found in Beethoven's predecessors. The bass line is very simple, consisting primarily of scales. But all those semblances disappear at the page turn. Everyone gets in on the act and this movement is just plain fun. Does that make it any less profound? True: the composer seems to have a small degree of difficult tying things together and wrapping up his conclusions, i.e. in the lead up to the recap when there is a big cadence in C-sharp major! The coda is another example: it's almost as if he wants to give us more development of the material, but something doesn't feel right.
When compared to the drama of No. 1, or even No. 2, the slow movement of the third rather pales in comparison, although Beethoven once again allows for the mediant key of B-flat major. This is still dense stuff and dramatic in different ways, employing single voices or rests at critical junctures. Again, near the conclusion, we're set up for something completely different by a meandering chromatic descent in the cello, taking us through several keys before signaling the return home.
The third movement doesn't really compare to its companions either and Beethoven even manipulates the form. Instead of a minuet and trio, we're offered a hybrid, in which the expected trio sneaks into the minor and is much more buoyant than the opening section. The repeat to the opening is actually written out for Beethoven desires a change--sometimes in tessitura--from the original. Again, even is this first foray into the form, we find Beethoven looking ahead.
The Presto finale is just a blast: his melody almost sets up a kind of Brahmsian rhythmic manipulation, but I don't think he's quite ready to go there. Yet, even though this 6/8 romp seems to be a light-hearted gallop, there's a lot of meat here and--unlike the other movements--Beethoven doesn't cut any corners for the sake of brevity. One has no choice but to smile at his inference to Haydn at the close, ending not with (the expected) bang, but a pianissimo whimper. Actually I giggled. I don't think mad Ludwig would mind.
June 1, Op. 18, No. 4 in C-minor
I've been taken away from my Beethoven quest for a few days, but have been so much looking forward to the exploration of this piece. C-minor seems to be the key for composers of the Classical period. While Mozart used it quite sparingly, it did appear in one of his most tempestuous piano sonatas (No. 14, K. 457), which eschews the expected minuet (inappropriate key for such a dance), the Fantasia in C-minor (K. 475) and, of course, the fragmentary Mass in C-minor. That Beethoven's own best known work--the ominous fifth symphony (still never hackneyed to me)--illustrates just how he chose to set his most evocative music. Other works sharing this key include:
The last to be written, the C minor quartet is unique among the six of Op. 18. First, it is the only quartet for which no previous sketches have been found. This has lead scholars to conjecture that the quartet was assembled from earlier music that Beethoven “stockpiled” before coming to Vienna. Others have concluded that the quartet was written without the extensive revisions typical of Beethoven. The quartet is also unique for being the only one of the set in a minor key. C minor is often regarded as “the” minor key for Beethoven, the same he chose for such works as the earlier “Pathétique” piano sonata, the later fifth symphony and his final piano sonata, Op. 111. One of the most popular quartets, this one is full of drama revolving around the gravity of its ruling minor mode.
Others thoughts: Beethoven seems suddenly to have thrown the classical framework in doubt. These pieces all entertain experiments with different types and arrangements of movements. (Joseph Kerman)
Ultimately, the roughness of this (first) movement seems to arise from an imbalance between the passionate force of Beethoven's 'C minor mood' and his ability to mediate or control this idiom in the artistic form as a whole. A comparison with another C minor piece, the first movement of the Sonate Pathétique op. 13, is revealing. The beginning of the Pathétique slow introduction is extremely close to the opening of the quartet in this rhythm, register, and rhetoric, with a parallel placement of expressive appoggiaturas in each work. The Pathétique relies on the repeated juxtaposition of its Grave introduction with the Allegro con brio, however, it does not depend so heavily on the vehement but rather simplistic gestures that sustain the quartet. Least convincing in the Allegro ma non tanto of the quartet is perhaps the succession of fortissimochords alternating between tonic and dominant at the end of the main theme and at other junctures, including the passage with the parallel fifth. To be sure, Beethoven is exposing in these bars an important rhythmic configuration, one that is implicit within the main theme itself. But that is not quite enough to justify these powerful outbursts, nor to resolve suspicions about the somewhat overblown rhetoric of the movement. (William Kinderman)
June 1, Op. 18, No. 4 in C-minor
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| The young pup... so rarely seen. |
I've been taken away from my Beethoven quest for a few days, but have been so much looking forward to the exploration of this piece. C-minor seems to be the key for composers of the Classical period. While Mozart used it quite sparingly, it did appear in one of his most tempestuous piano sonatas (No. 14, K. 457), which eschews the expected minuet (inappropriate key for such a dance), the Fantasia in C-minor (K. 475) and, of course, the fragmentary Mass in C-minor. That Beethoven's own best known work--the ominous fifth symphony (still never hackneyed to me)--illustrates just how he chose to set his most evocative music. Other works sharing this key include:
- Piano Trio, Op. 1, No. 3 (1793): That Beethoven would write a "salon piece" (as piano trios were then known) in this key is more than an anomaly.
- Piano Sonata, Op. 10, No. 1 (1795-8)
- Piano Sonata, Op. 13, "Pathétique" (1798): I count this intensely dramatic work among one of Beethoven's most powerful, himself already testing the bounds of expected form. The inherent pathos of the first movement, with its fits and starts, had to be incredibly original on first hearing.
- String Trio, Op. 9, No. 3 (1798)
- Piano Concerto No. 3 (1800): This concerto, to me, approached Mozart's D-minor work in its darkness and foreboding.
- String Quartet, Op. 18, No. 4 (1800)
- Violin Sonata, Op. 30, No. 2 (1802)
- Symphony No. 3, second movement, "Funeral March" (1803): Again, exceptionally original.
- 32 Variations in C minor, WoO 80 (1806)
- Coriolan Overture, Op. 62 (1807): What an introduction! Was he looking ahead to his next symphony?
- Fifth Symphony (1808): What more can be said?
- Choral Fantasy, Op. 80 (1808): Um, ok. It pales in comparison with the other C-minor compositions.
- String Quartet No. 10, Op. 74, scherzo movement (1809)
- Piano Sonata No. 32, Op. 111 (his last piano sonata, 1822): And the choice of key is coincidental?
Others thoughts: Beethoven seems suddenly to have thrown the classical framework in doubt. These pieces all entertain experiments with different types and arrangements of movements. (Joseph Kerman)
Ultimately, the roughness of this (first) movement seems to arise from an imbalance between the passionate force of Beethoven's 'C minor mood' and his ability to mediate or control this idiom in the artistic form as a whole. A comparison with another C minor piece, the first movement of the Sonate Pathétique op. 13, is revealing. The beginning of the Pathétique slow introduction is extremely close to the opening of the quartet in this rhythm, register, and rhetoric, with a parallel placement of expressive appoggiaturas in each work. The Pathétique relies on the repeated juxtaposition of its Grave introduction with the Allegro con brio, however, it does not depend so heavily on the vehement but rather simplistic gestures that sustain the quartet. Least convincing in the Allegro ma non tanto of the quartet is perhaps the succession of fortissimochords alternating between tonic and dominant at the end of the main theme and at other junctures, including the passage with the parallel fifth. To be sure, Beethoven is exposing in these bars an important rhythmic configuration, one that is implicit within the main theme itself. But that is not quite enough to justify these powerful outbursts, nor to resolve suspicions about the somewhat overblown rhetoric of the movement. (William Kinderman)
All six quartets demonstrate that Beethoven had fully absorbed the idiom as used by Mozart and Haydn. No other composer had matched their sophistication, and Beethoven probably saw himself as their true heir in this genre, as in the symphony....In a set of six quartets, one was traditionally in a minor key--in this case No. 4--and Beethoven yet again chose C minor, as if in a deliberate attempt to associate himself with that key in public consciousness. The mood of the first movement is again pathétique, and somewhat disturbing. Some commentators have indeed been sufficiently disturbed to describe the movement as weak and even crude, and to allege that the quartet was written somewhat earlier (for which there is no evidence). Beethoven seems here to have been deliberately writing music that is uncomfortable, as in the heavy alternation of tonic and dominant chords in bars 13-16, and in the jarring C# that heralds the development (he often used the note C# as a disruptive element on later occasions); perhaps his intention was to heighten the contrast with the other quartets. (Barry Cooper)
Still, my own cursory glance at the score has me more than a bit confused. Where the heck is the slow movement? Some argue that the first movement is a typical "sonata" form, but it's almost mono thematic. A scherzo and a minuet? And this finale, with figuration almost resembling Haydn's "Gypsy Rondo," albeit in the wrong key. Here we see among his early forays into the "sonata rondo" form which he would employ in so many of his "mature" compositions. Here are the movements:
I. Allegro ma non tanto (in C-minor)
I'm not so sure that I find this movement "rough"; instead, it seems to be quite cohesive (with the "second" theme a transposition of the first into E-flat major--a breath of life.) I think that the idea of "roughness" could be generated from Beethoven's frequent use of triple stops at a number of cadence points, as if he didn't know what else to do. Harmonically, I really dig this movement, especially how he moves, through A-flat major, f-minor, and a little, tiny dominant suggestion to get us to E-flat. And once things get going the melody is actually tripled by both violins and the viola, albeit at piano.
His frequent deviations from expected harmonies are intriguing as well, especially at the repeat. The first time, the return to tonic is set up with octaves closing on B-natural; the second time it's c-sharp! Where are we going? G-minor starts the middle. After lounging around there for awhile, the "rough" chords appear and the cello takes up the tune in the upper register in F-major. Yes, the transition to the second theme in the recap is rough--Beethoven slams away at 10 consecutive bars of chords, though I sense a shadow being cast forward to a symphony in the same key. Like in that symphony, it almost appears as though he's going to end in C-major, but--of course--that can't happen, at least not in this movement.
II. Scherzo: Andante scherzoso quasi Allegretto (in C-major)
This is a funny little scherzo in which Beethoven shows that he can write a fugue with the best of them. Contrapuntal writing rules the day although the middle of the work has the second violin theme accompanied by what sound like hiccups (dotted rhythms) in the viola.
III. Menuetto: Allegretto (in C-minor) and Trio (in A-flat major)
Now, the expected scherzo and trio--except it's not. This movement is pretty much nondescript, almost as if Beethoven had to put something there. A change in the scheme of things is his notation that the reprise is to be played "il Tempo piu Allegro.
IV. Allegro (in C-minor): does it end in C-major?
Even in a movement that seems cobbled together (in a quartet of which much the same could be said), signs of Beethoven's genius shine through, if ever dimly at times. He is really digging the exploration of mediant relations and this movement takes on the form of his "new" sonata rondo. AND, we see the rondo theme presented occasionally in canon (after all, Beethoven had been studying counterpoint with Albrechtsberger, himself a friend of Haydn). Again, the old (actually young) guy isn't sure how to finish, so there's an ever so slight diminuendo in the first violin (here suggesting G-minor with an f-sharp leading tone?) before launching Prestissimo into the Coda. And yes, it ends in C-major, again possibly looking ahead to that famous symphony. Or not.....
June 3, Op. 18, No. 5 in A-Major
When the six quartets of Op. 18 finally appeared in 1801, reactions were generally enthusiastic, though as usual with Beethoven, some conservative-minded critics found the music harsh and ‘difficult’ – an astonishing reaction to us two centuries later. It would be hard to find a more urbanely Mozartian work of Beethoven’s than the A major quartet, No. 5. Indeed, its third movement – a theme with variations – and finale are directly modelled on Mozart’s quartet in the same key, K464, a favourite work of Beethoven’s. ~Richard Wigmore
Still, my own cursory glance at the score has me more than a bit confused. Where the heck is the slow movement? Some argue that the first movement is a typical "sonata" form, but it's almost mono thematic. A scherzo and a minuet? And this finale, with figuration almost resembling Haydn's "Gypsy Rondo," albeit in the wrong key. Here we see among his early forays into the "sonata rondo" form which he would employ in so many of his "mature" compositions. Here are the movements:
I. Allegro ma non tanto (in C-minor)
I'm not so sure that I find this movement "rough"; instead, it seems to be quite cohesive (with the "second" theme a transposition of the first into E-flat major--a breath of life.) I think that the idea of "roughness" could be generated from Beethoven's frequent use of triple stops at a number of cadence points, as if he didn't know what else to do. Harmonically, I really dig this movement, especially how he moves, through A-flat major, f-minor, and a little, tiny dominant suggestion to get us to E-flat. And once things get going the melody is actually tripled by both violins and the viola, albeit at piano.
His frequent deviations from expected harmonies are intriguing as well, especially at the repeat. The first time, the return to tonic is set up with octaves closing on B-natural; the second time it's c-sharp! Where are we going? G-minor starts the middle. After lounging around there for awhile, the "rough" chords appear and the cello takes up the tune in the upper register in F-major. Yes, the transition to the second theme in the recap is rough--Beethoven slams away at 10 consecutive bars of chords, though I sense a shadow being cast forward to a symphony in the same key. Like in that symphony, it almost appears as though he's going to end in C-major, but--of course--that can't happen, at least not in this movement.
II. Scherzo: Andante scherzoso quasi Allegretto (in C-major)
This is a funny little scherzo in which Beethoven shows that he can write a fugue with the best of them. Contrapuntal writing rules the day although the middle of the work has the second violin theme accompanied by what sound like hiccups (dotted rhythms) in the viola.
III. Menuetto: Allegretto (in C-minor) and Trio (in A-flat major)
IV. Allegro (in C-minor): does it end in C-major?
Even in a movement that seems cobbled together (in a quartet of which much the same could be said), signs of Beethoven's genius shine through, if ever dimly at times. He is really digging the exploration of mediant relations and this movement takes on the form of his "new" sonata rondo. AND, we see the rondo theme presented occasionally in canon (after all, Beethoven had been studying counterpoint with Albrechtsberger, himself a friend of Haydn). Again, the old (actually young) guy isn't sure how to finish, so there's an ever so slight diminuendo in the first violin (here suggesting G-minor with an f-sharp leading tone?) before launching Prestissimo into the Coda. And yes, it ends in C-major, again possibly looking ahead to that famous symphony. Or not.....
June 3, Op. 18, No. 5 in A-Major
When the six quartets of Op. 18 finally appeared in 1801, reactions were generally enthusiastic, though as usual with Beethoven, some conservative-minded critics found the music harsh and ‘difficult’ – an astonishing reaction to us two centuries later. It would be hard to find a more urbanely Mozartian work of Beethoven’s than the A major quartet, No. 5. Indeed, its third movement – a theme with variations – and finale are directly modelled on Mozart’s quartet in the same key, K464, a favourite work of Beethoven’s. ~Richard Wigmore
Movement 1: Allegro (A-major)
This piece is just plain suave, with none of the inherent "clunkiness" of its predecessor. It opens with a reference to a typical Classical device (originating in France and one which Mozart used countless times): the premier coup d'arche. After two stops, the melody finally gets going in an upward dance. There seems to be little establishment of the kinds of development motives heard in the other quartets and, agreeing with lots of assessments, this seems Mozartian in character. That said, Beethoven's "true self" appears after the first big cadence, in which he goes directly to e-minor with an eventual (but short-lived) cadence on G. And now, the generative motive appears, in the transition! (Cool!)
He's also playing around with lots more counterpoint and the 6/8 rhythm really has everyone dancing. We're not allowed a rest in E as the cello takes us immediately back to the beginning.
Beethoven's developments never seem to go where you expect: this one starts with unison C-sharps cadencing in F-sharp minor, then D. Earlier first violin figuration becomes a contrapuntal point of departure in a brisk stretto. Just when it seems that he is about as far afield as he can get (an augmented sixth harmony giving way to the dominant but then traversing through A-minor(!). But then, of course, it's an easy trip to the recap. And here, things float along much as they did previously. This movement is just plain fun.
Movement 2: Menuetto (A-major)
He's also playing around with lots more counterpoint and the 6/8 rhythm really has everyone dancing. We're not allowed a rest in E as the cello takes us immediately back to the beginning.
Beethoven's developments never seem to go where you expect: this one starts with unison C-sharps cadencing in F-sharp minor, then D. Earlier first violin figuration becomes a contrapuntal point of departure in a brisk stretto. Just when it seems that he is about as far afield as he can get (an augmented sixth harmony giving way to the dominant but then traversing through A-minor(!). But then, of course, it's an easy trip to the recap. And here, things float along much as they did previously. This movement is just plain fun.
Movement 2: Menuetto (A-major)
A 12-bar violin duo begins the Minuet (placed in the "wrong" position, of course) before the viola takes up the tune. Looking at the whole thing, it's truly top-heavy (as was often the case in Haydn and Mozart). The trio, with its frequent accents on weak beats, does break up the action nicely.
Movement 3: Andante cantabile: Theme and Variations (D-major)
Movement 3: Andante cantabile: Theme and Variations (D-major)
Beautiful music. What more can be said? I particularly love the third variation, with its incessant 32nd note accompaniment over melodic content primarily in the rich lower voices. Variation 4 is a rhythmic respite from the activity of 3, but its harmonies belie the previous pattern, cadencing on that dirty old F-sharp minor again.
The final variation (longest of the bunch) again exploits melodies set in the second violin and viola. Herein there is a lengthy coda, culminating with forte chords setting up a glorious surprise: a plaintive Poco adagio stated by the first violin alone and gradually joined by the other players, ending pianissimo.
Movement 4: Allegro (A-major)
Oh, wait a minute.....this is Mozart!
It's a race; a bloody race, from start to finish (Beethoven's original mm was 76 to the whole note, which has us cruising along at a frantic 152, if you can tap your foot that fast. The simplest of motives (short-short-short-long) sets up just about everything. Wait a minute; we're going to discover that in a symphony 7-8 years down the road. Toward the conclusion there are lots and LOTS of long notes, almost ceasing the action. There are more accented off-beats and extended periods of piano or less. AND, surprisingly enough, the expected big bang at the end never happens. Instead, there's a crescendo to forte four before the end and a subito piano to close.
Beethoven's tribute to Mozart indeed!
June 4 (completed June 9): Op. 18, No. 6 in B-flat
Take the last two movements of Op. 18 No.6. In the Scherzo the listener has no idea what the rhythm is or even how many beats there are in a bar, but one is immediately aware of the conflict and fun between the performers. In the last movement titled ‘La Malinconia’, Beethoven tells the players that it must be played with the utmost delicacy. This sort of instruction is so unusual that we realise that he has found a sound world so totally strange, that he is worried that nobody will understand the emotional content. This is an early glimpse of the depth of feeling that Beethoven will share with us later on in his life. ~ Peter Cropper
The final variation (longest of the bunch) again exploits melodies set in the second violin and viola. Herein there is a lengthy coda, culminating with forte chords setting up a glorious surprise: a plaintive Poco adagio stated by the first violin alone and gradually joined by the other players, ending pianissimo.
Movement 4: Allegro (A-major)
Oh, wait a minute.....this is Mozart!
It's a race; a bloody race, from start to finish (Beethoven's original mm was 76 to the whole note, which has us cruising along at a frantic 152, if you can tap your foot that fast. The simplest of motives (short-short-short-long) sets up just about everything. Wait a minute; we're going to discover that in a symphony 7-8 years down the road. Toward the conclusion there are lots and LOTS of long notes, almost ceasing the action. There are more accented off-beats and extended periods of piano or less. AND, surprisingly enough, the expected big bang at the end never happens. Instead, there's a crescendo to forte four before the end and a subito piano to close.
Beethoven's tribute to Mozart indeed!
June 4 (completed June 9): Op. 18, No. 6 in B-flat
Take the last two movements of Op. 18 No.6. In the Scherzo the listener has no idea what the rhythm is or even how many beats there are in a bar, but one is immediately aware of the conflict and fun between the performers. In the last movement titled ‘La Malinconia’, Beethoven tells the players that it must be played with the utmost delicacy. This sort of instruction is so unusual that we realise that he has found a sound world so totally strange, that he is worried that nobody will understand the emotional content. This is an early glimpse of the depth of feeling that Beethoven will share with us later on in his life. ~ Peter Cropper
~ Jonathan Biss
This quartet is a delight from the get-go. A spritely dialogue is set up between the first violin and cello, almost a buffa duet. It snaps, it leaps, it's just great fun! And once you feel that the second theme is going to follow in suit, answering in the dominant, the defiant Beethoven emerges for just a moment. He deceives us again, and we're suddenly back in the "right key," which drives straight through to the (now expected repeat). Of course, this is classical convention, not only for the formal structure but to allow the listener to hear this "new material" again. I don't mind a bit.
Beethoven's theme is wonderful fodder for development as he quickly moves through the harmonic scale. He is also now very comfortable at contrapuntal writing, but this time teams the violins together against the independent lines in viola and cello. And just like Haydn might nave done, there is a big fermata immediately preceding the recap. A simple, almost country dance intrudes for just a moment, but the plan is basically what we've come to expect: diverse harmonies take us away from the tonic, but--in the hands of the master--we always find our way home. I particularly enjoy this quartet's drive to the final cadence.
Second movement (Adagio ma non tanto) in E-flat
This is as stately a movement as I've heard in the Op. 18 quartets: a simple melody emerges, based on major key arpeggios. It's repeated in the second violin five bars in. Simple, right? Seemingly so, expect the "B" section of this tripartite movement centers around the darker minor, with its abundance of harmonic choices. This movement is also rife with forte-piano markings and in the final "A," two fortissimo chords burst through. As I've seen before, Beethoven almost seems to try to develop again toward the conclusion, shifting into C-major(!) before heading back to E-flat. The movement ends perfectly, with the arpeggio descending through the quartet before the concluding pizzicati.
Third movement (Scherzo - Allegro) in B-flat
Oh Beethoven, you little rhythmic scamp, you. I wasn't looking at my score from the very beginning and I caught myself wondering whether or not this movement was really in a screamingly fast three, or 2, or 6/8. Actually, it's in all three, with ties and accents upsetting the applecart of the expected straightforward scherzo. And a surprise! A loud minor-key tag resounds before the repeat: are we being set up for something to come?
Fourth movement: La Malinconia ("the melancholy)
Written adagio with the instruction, "Questo pezzo si deve trattare colla piu gran delicatezza:" This piece must be played with the greatest refinement." One is simply left to inquire, "where is this from?" Why a melancholic incursion on the joie d'vivre of the previous frolic? Well, in 1972, for example, Anne E. Caldwell wrote an article entitled, La malinconia: final movement of Beethoven's quartet op. 18, no. 6 : a musical account of manic depressive states (American Medical Women's Association). Beethoven is obviously well aware of his increasing difficulty with his hearing, but we've seen no "musical mention" of it in these quartets. Perhaps Cropper is right, This is an early glimpse of the depth of feeling that Beethoven will share with us later on in his life.
This is, without doubt, the intensity and harmonic language (almost approaching pantonality) that Beethoven turns to in his final quartets (from what I know of them, at least). Amazing, just amazing...This "introduction" to the finale takes on a life of its own and is over a third the length of the entire movement. One could almost write a theory dissertation on the final eight measures...
A peasant dance, almost a waltz(?) before La Malincholia returns. Schizophrenic? Ludwig doesn't know to be happy or sad, and it sadness is interrupted by joy for only a moment, but eventually giving way to an even more rhythmically radical dance. I know why this quartet, the fifth to be written, was placed last in the set: its depth, breadth, and emotional scope.
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