What are you listening to now?

[Michael]

Beethoven's "nasty" little quartet in F minor. He must have had a toothache or a belly-ache when he wrote it. It's violent and quirky and beautiful. The last movement seems to exhaust itself with despair - and then the final coda kicks in with a witty, almost Mendelssohnian allegro! It's as if Beethoven said: "The hell with this!"

I never tire of this work.

[PDG]

Beethoven's "nasty" little quartet in F minor. He must have had a toothache or a belly-ache when he wrote it. It's violent and quirky and beautiful. The last movement seems to exhaust itself with despair - and then the final coda kicks in with a witty, almost Mendelssohnian allegro! It's as if Beethoven said: "The hell with this!"

I never tire of this work.

I agree completely, Michael.

I've read about the first movement that it contains more drama than a full-blown opera. Re the witty Finale coda, I like to think that it's more a tribute to his recently deceased master, "Papa" Haydn.

Beethoven held back on the publication of this quartet for a good few years.

[Decrepit Poster]

During lunch, misc. works for wind ensembles by Haydn performed by Consortium Classicum on a Teldec CD.

During supper, Hummel piano sonatas No.2 in E-flat & No.5 in F-sharp minor performed by Ian Hobson on an Arabesque CD, followed by Chopin waltzes performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy on a London CD.

[Chris]

...followed by Chopin waltzes performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy on a London CD.

I do love Ashkenazy's Chopin!

[Zevy]

I agree completely, Michael.

I've read about the first movement that it contains more drama than a full-blown opera. Re the witty Finale coda, I like to think that it's more a tribute to his recently deceased master, "Papa" Haydn.

Beethoven held back on the publication of this quartet for a good few years.

I heard that he did not mean for this quartet to be published at all. It was to be kept private. Luckily it was "set loose"...

[hal9000]

I heard that he did not mean for this quartet to be published at all. It was to be kept private. Luckily it was "set loose"...

I think that was because he considered it a work before its time, and I agree with that sentiment, as it is more akin to the late string quartets than Beethoven's middle period quartets. I don't think Beethoven would have ever liked to have kept it private indefinitely, as the man was all about posterity.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5sc7_MjQmY[/YOUTUBE]

gprengel's recent post made me seek out some Mozart 4-hand piano sonatas that I have been neglecting.

[AeolianHarp]

I think that was because he considered it a work before its time, and I agree with that sentiment, as it is more akin to the late string quartets than Beethoven's middle period quartets. I don't think Beethoven would have ever liked to have kept it private indefinitely, as the man was all about posterity.

Opus no guys? I can't think of it offhand.

[Michael]

I agree completely, Michael.

I've read about the first movement that it contains more drama than a full-blown opera. Re the witty Finale coda, I like to think that it's more a tribute to his recently deceased master, "Papa" Haydn.

Beethoven held back on the publication of this quartet for a good few years.

How are we doing with the folksong arrangements, PDG?

[Zevy]

Opus no guys? I can't think of it offhand.

I believe Op. 95

[Harvey]

I am listening to a lot of Beethoven symphonies right now. Also am feeling a whole lot better. This second antibiotic seems to be doing the trick. Went to work today and people said I looked a whole lot better than when I tried to go back a week ago.

[Michael]

I believe Op. 95

Sorry - I should have mentioned Opus No. which is indeed 95. The opening of the quartet always reminds me of the first movement of the "Ghost" trio - Opus 70. No. 1. They both have an explosive outburst followed by a more lyrical tune.
I have always thought that the Opus 95 quartet should be considered as the first of the late quartets because it's so radically different from all the previous ones.

[Decrepit Poster]

Like Harvey I've felt rather crappy lately (and am also on antibiotics) so have done almost no listening. The only thing that comes to mind is a CD containing Beethoven's string quartet op.131 performed by the strings of the Vienna Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein. It's a rendition I normally enjoy very much, but due to health didn't derive much pleasure from this time round. (I've been feeling somewhat better since late yesterday morning btw.)

ADDENDUM: Having read recent discussion here of Beethoven's string quartet Op.95 I visited YouTube and listened to / watched this performance by a young Amphion Quartet recorded live in concert as part of the WQXR Beethoven quartet marathon. My decrepit ears appreciate the up-close aggressive sound. As for the interpretation, it's fine but not, I think, one for the ages unless future hearings convince me otherwise.

ADDENDUM the SECOND: After experiencing the Amphion's Op.95 I next watched / heard that same work performed by the Artemis Quartet, again filmed in concert. It has been uploaded at a lower volume level than the Amphion with minor audio/video sync issues. I find Artemis the more polished of the two, with more fire in the faster movements. With the slow second movement I could go either way, depending on mood.

During lunch I heard on CD....you guessed it...Op.95 performed by the Vegh Quartet, from their stereo second Beethoven quartet cycle. (The Vegh Op.95 I noticed at YouTube is from their earlier mono cycle.) I've lived with the complete Vegh stereo cycle a very long time and am quite taken with it. (I have the Vegh's early quartets as both CDs and LPs and in this case prefer the LPs, which sound crisper. Leastwise they did back when my hearing was appreciably better.)

[Chris]

Mendelssohn - String Symphony No. 2 in D major

Wonderful works, the string symphonies.

[Megan]

Rimsky Korsakov, Capriccio espagnol Op.34
London Symphony Orchestra. Sir Charles Mackerras






.

[Michael]

String Quartet in E flat, Opus 74.

Another one of Beethoven's waifs. Like the F minor, this does not belong to a set and the pizzicato effects in the first moment have given this work the rather stupid nickname of the "Harp Quartet", which has mislead many first-time listeners into thinking it was a work for four harps.

Another fascinating thing about this piece is its relationship to the Fifth Symphony. The third movement of the quartet is in C minor, and has the famous rhythm that pervades the symphony, and on its last repeat, the main theme goes very quiet and leads into the last movement, again just like the symphony. Here the resemblance ends because the final movement of this quartet is a rather relaxed set of variations.

I think the coda of the first movement is one of the most exciting passages that Beethoven ever wrote.