[Publius]

This is an interesting choice for a classical buff like myself.

Beethoven's Quartet in C# minor, Op. 131, stretched the format of the string quartet so far it broke. Instead of being in four separate movements, it's in seven joined movements that create one long arch of sound. Here's the format, and boy, is it strange!

1. A slow fugue, the only slow fugue Beethoven ever wrote.
2. A Scottish dance.
3. A slower transitional passage.
4. Theme and variations.
5. A scherzo that sounds like a music box run amok.
6. A short slow movement that is a transitional passage (this is the recording).
7. A finale that is the only movement in sonata format.

Concerning this last set of string quartets, the first violinist of the quartet that premiered all of the Beethoven quartets wrote in Beethoven's conversation book: "The players are having difficulty understanding these latest quartets."

Beethoven answered, "Oh, I didn't write these quartets for you! I wrote these for a later generation."

[luvie]

Thank you so much for your insight and knowledge. I had
no idea! I do know that Beethoven’s music transcends generations!

[PROCON]

Beethoven answered, "Oh, I didn't write these quartets for you! I wrote these for a later generation."

Procon wrote: The latter generation is clueless, so who cares?!