Ludwig van Beethoven's Op. 18, published in 1801 by T. Mollo et Comp in Vienna in two books of three quartets each,[1] comprised his first six string quartets. They were composed between 1798 and 1800 to fulfill a commission for Prince Joseph Franz Maximilian Lobkowitz, who was the employer of Beethoven's friend, the violinist Karl Amenda. They are thought to demonstrate his total mastery of the classical string quartet as developed by Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.[2] The order of publication (numbering within the opus) does not correspond to the order of composition. Beethoven composed these quartets in the sequence 3, 1, 2, 5, 4, 6. See:
In an April 1802 letter to Hofmeister in Leipzig, Beethoven says the Mollo edition of nos. 4-6 is error-ridden ("has again, let us say, filled with faults and errata, great and small"),[3] and Kerman[1] makes a similar comment, leaving one to conclude that the poor Mollo edition of nos. 4-6, which incited private protests from the composer, may also be the best existing primary source for those three works, unless manuscripts or sketches for them have been discovered. This applies to nos. 4-6; the situation for no. 1, especially, is different, since an entire earlier version has been preserved, published and even recorded.[4] While the overall set is less critically acclaimed than the "Razumovsky" quartets and the late quartets,[5] op. 18, no. 1 has been perennially admired.[6]
Referencesedit
^ abKerman, Joseph (1967). The Beethoven Quartets. New York: Knopf.
^"Beethoven's String Quartets". All about Beethoven. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
^Beethoven's Letters, p. 28, at Google Books. (1926 edition, Dent/Shedlock/Kalischer editing/translating.) "again" means, as Kerman corroborates in his discussion of the quartets, that this is a reference to the 2nd book - nos. 4-6 - not necessarily all six quartets, despite the editors' footnote in this edition of his letters.
^However, the early version of no. 1 - an autograph copy sent to, and kept by, Karl Amenda before Beethoven gave the quartet a thorough overhaul - is little-known and has been recorded, as of July 2014, less than six times.
^Kinderman, William (2010). The String Quartets of Beethoven. University of Illinois Press. p. 13. ISBN0252091620.
^Kerman, Joseph (1979). The Beethoven Quartets. W. W. Norton & Company. p. 30. ISBN0393009092.
string, quartets, beethoven, ludwig, beethoven, published, 1801, mollo, comp, vienna, books, three, quartets, each, comprised, first, string, quartets, they, were, composed, between, 1798, 1800, fulfill, commission, prince, joseph, franz, maximilian, lobkowitz. Ludwig van Beethoven s Op 18 published in 1801 by T Mollo et Comp in Vienna in two books of three quartets each 1 comprised his first six string quartets They were composed between 1798 and 1800 to fulfill a commission for Prince Joseph Franz Maximilian Lobkowitz who was the employer of Beethoven s friend the violinist Karl Amenda They are thought to demonstrate his total mastery of the classical string quartet as developed by Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 2 The order of publication numbering within the opus does not correspond to the order of composition Beethoven composed these quartets in the sequence 3 1 2 5 4 6 See String Quartet No 1 in F major String Quartet No 2 in G major String Quartet No 3 in D major String Quartet No 4 in C minor String Quartet No 5 in A major String Quartet No 6 in B majorIn an April 1802 letter to Hofmeister in Leipzig Beethoven says the Mollo edition of nos 4 6 is error ridden has again let us say filled with faults and errata great and small 3 and Kerman 1 makes a similar comment leaving one to conclude that the poor Mollo edition of nos 4 6 which incited private protests from the composer may also be the best existing primary source for those three works unless manuscripts or sketches for them have been discovered This applies to nos 4 6 the situation for no 1 especially is different since an entire earlier version has been preserved published and even recorded 4 While the overall set is less critically acclaimed than the Razumovsky quartets and the late quartets 5 op 18 no 1 has been perennially admired 6 References edit a b Kerman Joseph 1967 The Beethoven Quartets New York Knopf Beethoven s String Quartets All about Beethoven Retrieved 31 March 2010 Beethoven s Letters p 28 at Google Books 1926 edition Dent Shedlock Kalischer editing translating again means as Kerman corroborates in his discussion of the quartets that this is a reference to the 2nd book nos 4 6 not necessarily all six quartets despite the editors footnote in this edition of his letters However the early version of no 1 an autograph copy sent to and kept by Karl Amenda before Beethoven gave the quartet a thorough overhaul is little known and has been recorded as of July 2014 less than six times Kinderman William 2010 The String Quartets of Beethoven University of Illinois Press p 13 ISBN 0252091620 Kerman Joseph 1979 The Beethoven Quartets W W Norton amp Company p 30 ISBN 0393009092 See also editList of compositions by Ludwig van Beethoven Late String Quartets Beethoven String Quartets Nos 7 9 Op 59 Rasumovsky Beethoven Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title String Quartets Op 18 Beethoven amp oldid 1168848759, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
