Presented by Leo Samama.
With the Quartet opus 127 we arrive at the equally famous as notorious last string quartets by Beethoven. Famous, because Beethoven has set a standard which within the quartet literature is seen as the Mount Everest and not without reason. Notorious, because almost no one dared to climb that Mount Everest; as so many composers shivered in the sight of these mountain tops and wondered if they were ever able to write a quartet that they didn’t need to be ashamed of. And we’re not even talking about the audience…. Because until today, the late quartets of Beethoven have the reputation of being unfathomable, and indeed are only meant for true experts and connoisseurs.
Beethoven – Quartet in E-flat, Opus 127
1. Maestoso. Allegro – 2. Adagio, ma non troppo e molto cantabile. Andante con moto. Adagio molto espressivo. Tempo primo – 3. Scherzando vivace – 4. Allegro
Performers: Quatuor mosaïques
CD: Naïve
Beethoven – Quartet in A, Opus 132, part 3: Heiliger Dankgesang
Heiliger Dankgesang eines Genesenden an die Gottheit, in der lydischen Tonart: Molto adagio. Andante
Performers: Petersen Quartett
CD: Capriole
Beethoven – Bagatelle, Opus 126:3
Andante
Performers: Alfred Brendel
CD: Philips
