String Quartet No. 11 (Beethoven)
The String Quartet No. 11 in F minor, Op 95 is a string quartet by Ludwig van Beethoven. It was built from 1810 to 1811.
- 4.1 documents
- 4.2 Further Reading
Formation
Beethoven dedicated his " Quartetto serioso ", as he called the quartet, " The Lord of Zmeskall " as " a dear memory of our friendship prevailing here long ." Meant was the cellist Nikolaus Zmeskall of Domanovecz, the unrequited love for the doctor's daughter Therese Malfatti witnessed Beethoven; this unrequited love should have been the trigger for the gloomy mood of the quartet. Even Beethoven was dismayed but possibly from the fact that the beloved of Beethoven for over 10 years, Josephine Countess Deym married again. Beethoven deeply shocked when his friend Zmeskall of Domanovecz returned the favor by sending a box of Hungarian wine for the dedication (such a form of thanks Beethoven expected only by the noble dedication carriers of his works ): "Dear Z! You want me to join a Schuppanzig etc, have disfigured my pure sincere work. You are not my debtors, but I yours, and grants they have made me even more to it, I can not write how hurt me does this gift. "
In contrast to his previous quartets that Beethoven tried perform as quickly as possible start with this quartet - due to the negative public reaction to the " Razumovsky Quartets " - Beethoven's interest in speedy printing to wane. So revised Beethoven quartet in 1814, only three years after its composition, for a premiere by people close to the Beethoven Quartet Schuppanzigh. In his correspondence to the London Sir George Smart, the composer described the Quartet on October 7, 1816 as " written for a small circle of connoisseurs and [ ... ] never to be Performed in public ." The quartet was printed in the autumn of 1816; the autograph of 1810 has been lost.
This quartet is the culmination of Beethoven's " Middle Quartets "; only 14 years later, in 1824, Beethoven composed the next work in this genre, the String Quartet No. 12 ( E flat major ), Op 127
Set names
About the Music
The striking in comparison with Beethoven quartets predecessor shortness of Op 95 is indicative of a compressive manner of composition; it is particularly evident in condensations in harmony.
First Set
The first movement begins with an energetic theme that ends abruptly after a short time in a general pause, without being further developed; it is answered by the violin with a conciliatory tune. The energetic tone of the subject, against the also the secondary theme of viola and cello has little chance asserts itself again and again until finally the sentence still ends pianissimo.
According to the concentrated composition style of the quartet lacks a repeat of the exposition; also falls under this effect, the performance was very concise.
Second sentence
The second set is designed in ABA form with zweigeteiltem B section. It begins with a gently lower border of the cello melody, followed by a gentle melody of the violin follows. From this melody and the second theme of the movement, a fugal developed in the further course. The final chord this set is identical to the first chord of the third set.
The kit includes melodic and harmonic references to the first movement of the quartet.
Third set
The five-part third movement is in the form of a scherzo, but not its character. With the use of a grim topic of energetic characteristic style of the first movement is taken up again; times the grim mood of the third movement of a chorale-like course of the music is interrupted.
Fourth proposition
The short Larghetto introduction of the fourth set is detached from the lively theme of the rondo finale; the work ends in F major carefree.
Many attempts have been made to interpret this F major end. Such was, for example, Theodor Helm " suffering necessity and survival ," and writes: " The soul has freed itself, cleaned by her oppressive painful moods, it swings now blissfully in ethereal regions ," while Paul Bekker said:. " This inner liberation, this transformation from plaintive viewer reflects the F minor Quartet with its surprising conclusion turn. In order to solve the problems of life is found. " Critical praise the F major end of Vincent d' Indy; others thought it was a joke or " romantic irony ".