String Quartet No. 9 (Beethoven)
| String Quartet | |
|---|---|
| No. 9 | |
Rasumovsky quartet by Ludwig van Beethoven | |
 Ludwig van Beethoven, 1803 portrait | |
| Key | C major |
| Opus | 59, No. 3 |
| Published | 1808 |
| Movements | Four |
The String Quartet No. 9 in
Razumovsky
" cycle of string quartets, and is a product of his "middle" period. It consists of four movements:
Discussion
The introductory andante con moto section of the first movement is not directly related to the rest of the movement and serves a similar function to the introduction of his
thematic material is exposed and developed. The relation (or apparent lack thereof) between the slow, sombre and dissonant introduction and the bright allegro which follows, is similar to what is found in Mozart's "Dissonance" Quartet
, also in the key of C.
The quartet's second movement makes use of an
opus 59 quartets
, this one does not have an explicit "Theme Russe" in any of its movements. Nevertheless, it can be argued that this second movement with its sparse texture and comfortless melodies, evokes a Russian feel by bringing to mind the vast, barren and desolate landscape of the Siberian tundra.
The quartet's third movement is a lighter Mannheim crescendo, peaking at an implicit fff.
References and further reading
- Robert Hatten, "An Approach to Ambiguity in the Opening of Beethoven's 'String Quartet', Op. 59 no. 3, I," Indiana Theory Review Vol. 3, No. 3 (Spring, 1980): 28-35.
- ISBN 0-393-00909-2
- Vernon, David (2023). Beethoven: The String Quartets. Edinburgh: Candle Row Press. ISBN 978-1739659929. pp.95-146
External links
- String Quartet No. 9: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
- Free recording by the Jerusalem Quartet (archived on the Wayback Machine)
- Recording by the Modigliani Quartet from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in MP3 format
- Beethoven Quartet No. 9 in C major, lecture by Roger Parker with a performance by the Badke Quartet, 6 May 2008 at Gresham College (available for download as text, audio or video file)
| Opus 18 | |||||||||
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| Opus 59 (Rasumovsky) | |||||||||
| Other middle period quartets | |||||||||
| Late quartets | |||||||||
Classical Music
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