Program Notes
By Kurt Baldwin
Quartet in F Major, Op.18 No.1
By the time Beethoven turned to writing his six Op.18 string quartets in 1798, he had already written extensively for other genres of chamber music and was well aware of the difficulty of writing for quartet. His piano trios, Op.1, string trios of Op.9 and early piano sonatas all provided Beethoven with landscapes for experimentation before embarking on what would turn out to be his monumental conquest of the string quartet. Beethoven’s great respect for the quartets by Haydn and Mozart is evident in his earliest quartets. The formality of musical form, symmetry of his melodies and exquisite balance of beauty and drama are tributes to the two great masters that preceded Beethoven. The six Op.18 quartets were completed in 1800 and published in two volumes in 1801.
The first quartet in the Op.18 set, in F Major, was actually the second quartet Beethoven composed, but was situated first in the published set because of his confidence in the quality of the work. The Op.18 No.1 quartet was a piece that Beethoven rewrote, and there actually exists an entire earlier version of the work from 1799 that he sent to a close friend for review. Upon completing his rewrite in 1800 (the version heard tonight), Beethoven sent a letter to his friend, Karl Amenda, to whom he had sent the first version, saying: “Be sure not to hand on to anybody your quartet, in which I have made some drastic alterations. For only now have I learned to write quartets; and this you will notice, I fancy, when you receive them.”
The sonata form first movement opens with one of the most recognizable motives in the quartet literature, a unison turn shared by all four instruments that begins on the tonic F. The creation of this simple opening motive vexed Beethoven for months, leading him to sketch nine versions before settling on the version that was finally published. At first, the listener isn’t sure if the mood of the opening motive is serious or whimsical, which may have been Beethoven’s intention. As the movement progresses, we hear every conceivable incarnation of the opening motive, including inversions, as it propels the music through moments of drama, passion and intimacy. A lilting second theme provides an opportunity for each instrument to shine. It is noteworthy how Beethoven uses silence in this movement to create a sense of expectation and uncertainty before offering definitive resolution.
The second movement, believe to be inspired by the tomb scene from Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”, is the heart of the quartet, where Beethoven gives us some of his most expressive writing. Pulsating eighth notes in the lower three voices lay a foundation for the lyricism of the first violin’s main melody, as the tragic tone is unveiled. The cello follows with a statement of the primary theme before the texture splinters into meandering lines played by solo voices in the quartet. The second theme, presented by the viola and first violin, offers the first glimpse of optimism, albeit burdened by the inevitability of ultimate loss. The forte version of the opening theme, played by the second violin and viola, is turbulently angry, and is countered by outbursts from the first violin. After a brief coda section, featuring a more agitated version of the opening theme and devastatingly passionate chords, a palpitating viola line and a cascade of notes from the first violin puts the movement to rest.
The third movement is a charming scherzo, and features a gracious melody that is punctuated by Beethoven’s use of unexpected accents. The trio section is more fiery in disposition as a virtuosic running melody in the first violin part is accompanied by heavy chords in the lower three instruments.
The finale, a Haydn-inspired movement full of wit and contrast, opens with a capricious line of triplets played by the first violin. A more singing second theme consists of a dialogue between the first and second violins with a gently rolling accompaniment in the viola and cello. We are taken on a quick-paced journey full unexpected twists and turns as Beethoven juxtaposes these elements against one another throughout the movement before driving to the satisfying conclusion.
Quartet in G Major, Op.18 No.2
The quartet in G Major, Op.18 No.2, is perhaps the wittiest of the six quartets in the Op.18 set, and the one that most openly adopts the qualities of charm and elegance from the brilliant works of Haydn. The first movement begins with an eight bar phrase that contains the essential melodic material for the entire movement: a sweeping gesture in the first violin (which in part, led to the work earning the unofficial nickname of the “Compliments” quartet) followed by a snappy dotted rhythm figure by all four instruments, and finished with a smooth comment by the first violin. It is believed that the nickname “Compliments” stems from the opening’s imagined similarity to that of a gentleman removing his hat and bowing as he greets a lady. Throughout the movement, Beethoven keeps the texture sounding fresh and spontaneous by using ingenious orchestration techniques, creatively dividing and sharing the melody and accompaniment between the instruments, but always with an eye on the first violin as the quartet’s gentlemanly leader. A short coda section helps bring the movement to a simple and refined finish.
The stunningly beautiful second movement begins with a somewhat formal tone as a hymnal melody is introduced, and then adorned with a variety of embellishments by the first violin. The music is always peaceful and a bit introspective, giving a sense of refined maturity. Beethoven’s playful sense of humor emerges in an unexpected quick center section, where the first violin introduces a theme built from the closing notes of the final cadence of the slow section, and the tempo more than doubles. What follows is a very brief and quick-paced dance baring no emotional link to the opening music where all four instruments share a light exuberance before segueing back to an even more ornate version of the opening hymn theme.
The scherzo third movement harkens back to the elegance of the classical minuets of Haydn and Mozart, but with Beethoven’s zesty personal style. The jaunty melody, led by the first violin, is punctuated by responses from the second violin, viola and cello. The character of the scherzo is enhanced by a majestic little trio, whose notable characteristic is a scampering triplet line that is introduced by the first violin, and then taken up by the others. A short coda at the end of the trio that contains reminiscences of the opening of the movement acts as a bridge back to the scherzo, and the final pass through the familiar opening music.
The youthful finale opens with a high-spirited dialogue between the cello and first violin, and even though the movement begins quietly, we soon hear Beethoven’s trademark “aufgenöpft” (“unbuttoned”) style, as he put it. The music of the first theme is joyful to the point of almost being raucous, and it’s hard not to smile, as the unabashed enthusiasm is contagious. The more languid second theme contrasts the vigor of the opening theme, adding a sense of poise that supplies a logical contrast. Throughout the movement, we can hear Beethoven’s sense of whimsy and humor, but also his powerful skills of orchestration, before the sparkling concerto-like ending.
Quartet in D Major, Op.18 No.3
The sonata form first movement opens with the introduction of an expansive melodic motive in the first violin, which is built on an ascending interval of a seventh. The space created by this leap creates a sense of emotional roominess, and allows for Beethoven’s investigation of dramatic possibilities throughout the movement. Although the first movement carries a marking of Allegro, the music is casual and patient. The introduction of the second theme brings the first hint of emotional darkness, albeit brief and fairly unthreatening. The running eighth notes in the cello toward the end of the exposition are almost comical in character, and set up a chromatic climb into the brief development. A unique shift at the end of the development is set up by a fortissimo triplet figure that outlines a C# major triad which Beethoven cleverly slides up one half step to the D major recapitulation.
The second movement, marked Andante con moto, is Mozartean in character. This movement is the heart of the work, and again shows Beethoven’s expressive style of writing. The four-bar opening melody is found in the second violin, and is then taken up by the first violin, with the second violin shifting to a sixteenth note counter melody. The opening melody reappears throughout the movement, always dressed slightly differently, but carrying a similarly warm disposition.
The third movement is marked Allegro and feels like a scherzo, although it is built on a classic minuet scheme. The music is noble and cordial, but has Beethoven’s trademark unexpected sforzandi peppering the texture and providing rhythmic propulsion. The brief minor middle section, or trio, is comprised of running eighth notes split between the two violins, and accompanied by punctuated descending lines in the other voices. The ABA form is completed with the return of the music from the opening of the movement.
The rollicking presto finale opens with a first theme driven by velocity and sweep. The sonata form allows Beethoven to introduce a dolce second theme, but the youthful playfulness of the first theme can’t be staved off for long. The virtuosic scampering returns, and the quartet ends with a whimsical smirk.
Quartet in C minor, Op.18 No.4
The quartet in C minor is a unique work in that it is the only quartet for which no sketches exist. Beethoven was obsessed with reworking his musical ideas, and we find no evidence of his usual process in the composition of Op.18, No.4. This, and the similarity between the first and second themes of the first movement, has led many scholars to conclude that this work stems from an earlier period of Beethoven’s life. Like all of his works in C minor, Beethoven’s Op. 18 #4 is turbulent and dramatic. This quartet is the only minor key work in Beethoven’s set of six Op.18 quartets.
The first movement opens with an ominous theme in the first violin, accompanied by an insistent line of eighth notes in the cello, and eventually, second violin and viola. One dramatic feature in the exposition is a chordal exchange between the lower three voices and first violin. Almost sounding like the ensemble is askew, the first violin insistently finishes the three-chord statement of the lower three voices. In the second theme, the texture loosens, and lightly swings. The brief development features foreboding rumblings in the cello, and an extended version of the one instrument against three instrument exchanges from the exposition. The coda heats up as the movement drives toward the ferocious ending.
The second movement serves as much as a slow movement as it does a dance in three, or slow scherzo. The elegant opening statement of the second violin features perky eighth and sixteenth notes, and is almost metronomic in character. The music requires a great deal of flexibility and subtlety, as the web of counterpoint becomes more complex. Just as the exchanges between the opening three-note motive and scampering sixteenth notes become heated, the music gives way to the elegant wanderings of the first violin. Even at its most dramatic moments, we feel the music ready to give way to a more gentle character.
The Menuetto features Beethoven’s use of unexpected accents falling on the third beats, giving the dance an air of unpredictability and instability. The trio is graceful and genial, featuring a dialogue between the lower three voices with a fleet eighth note accompaniment in the first violin. The trio segues to a unique Da Capo (repeat) of the Menuetto where Beethoven specifically instructs the players to play faster than the first time through.
The last movement, in c minor, is a quick rondo that features a brilliant first violin part with a sense of gypsy improvisation. This is not a movement driven by profound thought as much as raw energy. The second theme material, in a major key, is led by the expressive second violin line, and explores rich harmonic colors and slower moving accompaniment. The sizzling music from the opening returns, always pressing the mood to become more agitated. The movement ends with a sparkling prestissimo that culminates in the surprising concluding bars in C Major, giving the music a sense of triumph and unexpected optimism.
Quartet in A Major, Op.18 No.5
The set of six Op.18 quartets was written between 1798 and 1800, and published in 1801 in Vienna. The set is dedicated to Prince Lobkowitz, a friend and supporter of Beethoven. One of the great achievements of the Op.18 quartets is how they simultaneously honor the past conventions of Haydn and Mozart’s quartet writing while successfully laying the groundwork for Beethoven’s mature style of composition. Op.18. No. 5 is an homage to Mozart’s quartet in A Major K.464, in sentiment, style and form.
The Allegro first movement opens with unbridled joy, immediately exhibiting its ties to Mozart’s lilting thematic style. The darker second theme feels as if it is only pretending to be brooding and intense, and quickly succumbs to the return of the sunny first theme. The most dramatic moments of the movement maintain a quality of intimacy and fragility, qualities we more readily associate with Mozart than with Beethoven. Symmetry abounds in all of the melodic presentations, which helps to fulfill the “Mozartean” affect Beethoven is seeking.
The demure Menuetto is, like in Mozart’s K.464, moved from its traditional third movement position to the second movement. The patient elegance of the Menuetto builds on the style of the first movement, with moments of drama quickly fading in favor of the strolling dance. The brief trio introduces the sentiment of an Austrian country-dance, with accents energizing the music on the unexpected third beat.
The Andante cantabile is a theme with five charming variations. The theme is noble and graceful, featuring a song-like melody with a very simple harmonic underpinning as an accompaniment. The jaunty first variation begins in the cello, and climbs up through the group. The bouncing bass lines and filigree keep the variation light and charming. The second variation features a running triplet line in the first violin that is accompanied by the lower three voices. The third variation, led by the viola, introduces a more bubbling atmosphere with the violins playing active couplet figures against the somewhat serious melodic line. The fourth variation returns to the sentiment of the theme, conjuring serene beauty with a tightly harmonized texture of moving lines and suspensions. The fifth variation is rustic Beethoven at his best. Here he unbuttons the music with a circus-like atmosphere with all four voices leaping and running and with long sustained trills in the first violin. A brief coda closes the movement.
The spirited Allegro last movement is more about effervescence than drama. The reflective second theme tries to take the music in a direction of emotional depth, but gives way to the simplicity of the first theme music. The movement quietly closes the door behind itself as it floats to an evaporative close.
Quartet in F Major, Op.18 No.6
Beethoven’s choice to publish his first six quartets as a single opus was an overt tribute to his predecessors Haydn and Mozart, who had both set the ultimate standard for string quartet writing during the last half of the 18th century and who both had published their own fabulous multi-quartet sets. In preparation for the publication of the Op.18 quartets in 1801, Beethoven was very calculated in his positioning of the individual quartets within the set so as to make the strongest impression possible. The Op.18 No.6 quartet was the next to last quartet he finished writing, but was given the final position in the set because of its profoundly innovative last movement, titled “La Malinconia” (Melancholy).
Beethoven begins the journey of Op.18 No.6 with a first movement that is quintessentially “Haydnesque” in terms of style and form, but the music has a kinetic quality that gives it a revolutionary edge. The first theme, presented by the first violin with commentary by the cello, is fueled by an irrepressible accompaniment in the second violin and cello. Where the first theme sounds like it was modeled after Haydn, the second theme sounds suspiciously like something Mozart may have written. Although tinged by momentary darkness, the sophisticated second theme offers a respite from the unyielding energy of the opening music and gives the music a heightened sense of complexity and warmth. Bustling scales are tossed between the instruments of the quartet as the movement works through a brief development comprised of fragmented versions of the first theme. After a slightly modified recapitulation, the movement ends as it began, with brilliant panache.
The Adagio second movement opens with a beguiling simple melody in the first violin part that is almost operatic in nature. After an initial section of bright and beautiful music, Beethoven introduces a dark second theme played in unison by the first violin and cello, and then adorns it with a ruminative accompaniment. Beethoven cleverly segues back to the more optimistic music of the opening, this time with a more decorative underpinning and more variety in the primary theme. After a short reappearance of the cold and quivering second theme, the movement closes with a refined tip of its cap.
The scherzo is a rhythmic puzzle that has claws and fangs! Written in the standard triple meter of all scherzos, Beethoven takes this opportunity to force the quartet of instruments to simultaneously play in every imaginable subdivision possible. The result is a movement chalk full of unexpected accents and cross rhythms, all under the guise of a lighthearted dance. By comparison, the trio is laughably straightforward in terms of the rhythmic structure, but now with a devilishly difficult first violin part. We can only imagine how much fun Beethoven had the first time he got to watch his friends attempt to play this fiendishly difficult movement!
The last movement begins with an unexpected slow introduction that bears the title “La Malinconia”, and a directive from Beethoven that says, “This piece must be treated with the greatest possible refinement”. From his Guide to Chamber Music, Melvin Berger writes: “From the point of view of musical development, this introduction is decades ahead of the rest of Op.18. In some ways, it presages the Late Quartets of the 1820’s, with its moving evocation of grief and despair; it provides, as well, an insight into the depths of Beethoven’s emotional state.” The opening of the finale is, in a way, like a psychological thriller, full of shocking harmonies and unexpected dynamic shifts. The pensive introduction leads to the main body of the finale, a buoyant rondo that is as much a dance as it is a song. The music is playful and innocent, and trundles along seemingly unfettered by the weight of the opening. Toward the end of the movement, the fast paced Allegretto is twice interrupted by brief restatements of the “Malinconia” theme, a technique Beethoven will revisit 20 years later in his Op.127 and Op.130 quartets. After one final “Malinconia” utterance, Beethoven closes the quartet and his Opus 18 set with a dazzlingly virtuosic coda.