String Quartet No. 14, Op. 131
Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
Date of publication: 1826
At the age of 55, long after he went deaf, Beethoven began composing his famous six "late quartets" (Op. 127, 130, 131, 132, 133, 135) in the year 1825, two years before his death. The last one of his first set of 3, quartets composed in 1826, stands out against the rest, with Beethoven himself labelling it his favorite. However, that is not the only reason why it is so unique; today, the quartet is more well-known for being like no other quartet of his time in structure. In the classical and romantic periods, quartets were often divided into 3 or 4 movements, a script which Beethoven also generally conformed to. I say, "generally", because in his 14th, he employs 7 movements, totaling an entire 40 minutes for the entire piece. Despite starting out in a traditional sort of fugue and progressing with similar motivity as his Op. 130 and 132, the quartet still subverts all senses of normalcy through an unusual key progression (starting in C# minor, then moving through D minor, B minor, A major, E major, G# minor, and finally ending in C# major) and allusions towards later themes in the piece that are never actually played. Unfortunately, Beethoven did not live long enough to hear the premiere of his piece, as he died 8 years before its first public performance. Nonetheless, it was still met with resounding approval, with composers like Wagner describing the opening Fugue as “the most melancholy sentiment ever expressed in music.” and Schubert asking, "After this, what is left for us to write?"
Fun Fact: Schubert requested for this piece to be played for him, 5 days before his death in 1828, before it had ever been publicly performed. After playing for him, Karl Holz was said to have commented, "The King of Harmony has sent the King of Song a friendly bidding to the crossing."
Movements:
I. Adagio ma non troppo e molto espressivo
II. Allegro molto vivace
III. Allegro moderato – Adagio
IV. Andante ma non troppo e molto cantabile – Più mosso – Andante moderato e lusinghiero – Adagio – Allegretto – Adagio, ma non troppo e semplice – Allegretto
V. Presto
VI. Adagio quasi un poco andante
VII. Allegro
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