For the last of Prince Galitzin’s quartets of 1826, Beethoven pitched out the rule book entirely. This quartet is in six movements, and each movement has a different personality quite outside what Beethoven had done up to this point.
The original finale was so long that the publisher objected strenuously. Usually Beethoven would ignore his publishers’ demands, but this time he gave in. The original finale was published separately as the Great Fugue, and a new “square dance” finale was written a year later in the last days of Lou’s life. Tomorrow night, you’ll get to hear both finales and judge which would have been the better choice.
The first page is marked “adagio ma non troppo” in 3/4 and presents three separate ideas: a slow chromatic moan that grows into F Major, a pensive fugato that rises chromatically and then falls on a chain of thirds, and a rush into “allegro” for 16th notes. To the ears of Beethoven’s contemporaries, this was outlandishness to the point of madness, but it was really the voice of prophecy. It wasn’t until the 20th Century that this quartet was understood and appreciated.
The first subject of this rather warped sonata form in 4/4 is made up of those three themes of the non-introduction but landing in the remote key of G-flat Major for the second subject. Remember what I said about the rule book! This time Lou calls for a repeat of the exposition.
The development is based on the opening theme, but Lou makes time stand still for a moment. The trance ends with the return of the first subject, and Lou keeps the material in flux.
The coda returns to the non-introduction, but each idea fragments into pieces without a proper sense of closure.
I like when Beethoven would throw out the Rule Book.