String Quartet No. 16 (Beethoven)
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Beethoven's String Quartet No. 16 in F major (Opus 135) was written in 1826 and was the last substantial work he finished. Only the last movement of the Quartet Op. 130, written as a replacement for the Grosse Fuge, was written later. It was premiered by the Schuppanzigh Quartet in March 1828.
The work is on a smaller scale than his other late quartets. Under the introductory slow chords in the last movement Beethoven wrote in the manuscript "Muss es sein?" (Must it be?) to which he responds, with the faster main theme theme of the movement, "Es muss sein!" (It must be!)
It is in four movements:
- Allegretto
- Vivace
- Lento assai, cantante e tranquillo
- “Der schwer gefaßte Entschluß:” Grave — Allegro — Grave ma non troppo tratto — Allegro
See also
External link
Program notes to a performance of the quartet (http://www.umass.edu/fac/calendar/centerseries/programs/sec-11-8-2003.html)