String Quartet No. 10 (Beethoven)
Encyclopedia
Ludwig van Beethoven
's String Quartet No. 10 in E major, nicknamed the "Harp", was published in 1809 as opus
74.
sections in the Allegro of the first movement, where pairs of members of the quartet alternate notes in an arpeggio
, reminiscent of the plucking of a harp
. Like many nicknames for Beethoven's works, this was created by the publisher.
.
Intro
Exposition (mm. 25-77)
1st tonal area, E (mm. 1-29)
Pizzicati lead transition to tonal area 2
2nd tonal area, B (mm. 52-)
Closing (mm. 70-77)
In keeping with tradition, there is a repeat of this short exposition.
Development (mm. 78-139)
Recapitulation (mm. 140-205)
Coda (mm. 206-262)
This coda is huge, which is a typical Beethoven characteristic.
form.
Scherzo (mm.1-76) C minor
Trio (mm. 77-169) C major
Scherzo (170-245)
Trio (246-338)
Scherzo (339-467)
This is a theme and ornamental variations, and follows the typical form.
The coda begins at m. 142.
. The main motifs of the Allegro are the lyrical melody appearing several bars from the beginning, and the pizzicato arpeggios played by two instruments accompanied by repeating quavers played by the other two. At first, these two themes appear thematically and rhythmically unrelated. It is only the last fifty bars that the listener discovers that Beethoven's true purpose is for them to be played simultaneously, beneath a frenetic violin part, to generate the climax of the movement.
The Harp Quartet parallels many facets of the Fifth Symphony
. The Heroic quality pervading Beethoven's Middle Period is heard extensively in the first movement. Both the Fifth Symphony and Harp quartet have intense scherzi. Nevertheless, the grand entrance to the opening of the Finale of the Fifth is noticeably absent in the opening of Op. 74. The fourth movement of the Harp quartet follows a highly traditional theme and variations form. The Classical style of the fourth movement juxtaposed against the Heroic nature of the first movement frustrates Beethoven scholars who seek to contextualize this piece in Beethoven's stylistic trajectory.
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
's String Quartet No. 10 in E major, nicknamed the "Harp", was published in 1809 as opus
Opus number
An Opus number , pl. opera and opuses, abbreviated, sing. Op. and pl. Opp. refers to a number generally assigned by composers to an individual composition or set of compositions on publication, to help identify their works...
74.
Naming
The nickname "Harp" refers to the characteristic pizzicatoPizzicato
Pizzicato is a playing technique that involves plucking the strings of a string instrument. The exact technique varies somewhat depending on the type of stringed instrument....
sections in the Allegro of the first movement, where pairs of members of the quartet alternate notes in an arpeggio
Arpeggio
An arpeggio is a musical technique where notes in a chord are played or sung in sequence, one after the other, rather than ringing out simultaneously...
, reminiscent of the plucking of a harp
Harp
The harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
. Like many nicknames for Beethoven's works, this was created by the publisher.
Movement I (Poco adagio; Allegro)
This movement is in sonata formSonata form
Sonata form is a large-scale musical structure used widely since the middle of the 18th century . While it is typically used in the first movement of multi-movement pieces, it is sometimes used in subsequent movements as well—particularly the final movement...
.
Intro
Exposition (mm. 25-77)
1st tonal area, E (mm. 1-29)
Pizzicati lead transition to tonal area 2
2nd tonal area, B (mm. 52-)
Closing (mm. 70-77)
In keeping with tradition, there is a repeat of this short exposition.
Development (mm. 78-139)
Recapitulation (mm. 140-205)
Coda (mm. 206-262)
This coda is huge, which is a typical Beethoven characteristic.
Movement III (Presto)
This movement is in ScherzoScherzo
A scherzo is a piece of music, often a movement from a larger piece such as a symphony or a sonata. The scherzo's precise definition has varied over the years, but it often refers to a movement which replaces the minuet as the third movement in a four-movement work, such as a symphony, sonata, or...
form.
Scherzo (mm.1-76) C minor
Trio (mm. 77-169) C major
Scherzo (170-245)
Trio (246-338)
Scherzo (339-467)
Movement IV (Allegretto con Variazioni)
Back in E major again.This is a theme and ornamental variations, and follows the typical form.
The coda begins at m. 142.
Discussion
The first movement, of about ten minutes duration, is one of the best examples of Beethoven's management of musical tension. The short Adagio introduction (24 bars long) is not tightly thematically integrated with the rest of the movement; it serves a similar function to the Introduzione of the first movement of Op 59 No 3String Quartet No. 9 (Beethoven)
Ludwig van Beethoven's String Quartet No. 9 in C major was published in 1808 as opus 59, no. 3. It consists of four movements:# Andante con moto - Allegro vivace # Andante con moto quasi Allegretto # Menuetto...
. The main motifs of the Allegro are the lyrical melody appearing several bars from the beginning, and the pizzicato arpeggios played by two instruments accompanied by repeating quavers played by the other two. At first, these two themes appear thematically and rhythmically unrelated. It is only the last fifty bars that the listener discovers that Beethoven's true purpose is for them to be played simultaneously, beneath a frenetic violin part, to generate the climax of the movement.
The Harp Quartet parallels many facets of the Fifth Symphony
Symphony No. 5 (Beethoven)
The Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67, was written by Ludwig van Beethoven in 1804–08. This symphony is one of the most popular and best-known compositions in all of classical music, and one of the most often played symphonies. It comprises four movements: an opening sonata, an andante, and a fast...
. The Heroic quality pervading Beethoven's Middle Period is heard extensively in the first movement. Both the Fifth Symphony and Harp quartet have intense scherzi. Nevertheless, the grand entrance to the opening of the Finale of the Fifth is noticeably absent in the opening of Op. 74. The fourth movement of the Harp quartet follows a highly traditional theme and variations form. The Classical style of the fourth movement juxtaposed against the Heroic nature of the first movement frustrates Beethoven scholars who seek to contextualize this piece in Beethoven's stylistic trajectory.
Sources for further reading
These sources contain information specifically about the Op. 74 quartet.- Kerman, JosephJoseph KermanJoseph Wilfred Kerman is an American critic and musicologist. One of the leading musicologists of his generation, his 1985 book Contemplating Music: Challenges to Musicology was described by Philip Brett in The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians as "a defining moment in the field." He is...
, The Beethoven Quartets. New York, W.W. Norton & Co., 1966, pp. 155-168 ISBN 0-393-00909-2 - Marliave, Joseph de., trans. Hilda Andrews. Beethoven's Quartets New York: Dover, 1961, pp. 146-173.
- Marston, Nicholas. "Analysing Variations: The Finale of Beethoven's String Quartet Op. 74." from Music Analysis 8, no.3 (October 1989): pp. 303-324.
- Radcliffe, Philip. Beethoven's String Quartets New York: E.P. Dutton, 1968, pp. 82-89.
- Shepherd, Arthur. The String Quartets of Ludwig Van Beethoven. Cleveland: The Printing Press, 1935, pp. 37-39.
- Thakar, MarkandMarkand ThakarMarkand Thakar is an American conductor. He is music director of the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra and the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, principal conductor of the Duluth Festival Opera, and co-director of graduate conducting at the Peabody Conservatory.-Biography:From the age of six,...
. Looking for the "Harp" Quartet: An Investigation into Musical Beauty. Rochester, NY: University of Rochester Press, 2011. ISBN 9781580463461. - Robert Winter and Robert Martin, eds. The Beethoven Quartet Companion. Berkeley, CA: University of CA Press, 1994, pp. 196-203.