Ludwig van Beethoven: Quartet Op.135 in F major

String Quartet F major op. 135-Beethoven’s Op. 135 one of the last works he composed is equally famous for its compositional clarity and for the inadequacy of previous editions. The problem lies in the surviving sources forBeethoven’s autograph score contains a great many contradictions compared to his autograph set of parts. In 1827 after Beethoven’s death the German publisher of the first edition posthumously ironed out thesediscrepancies as he saw fit and later editions simply adopted his interventions. Rainer Cadenbach’s volume is the first attempt to produce an authoritative text for Op. 135. Beethoven’s contradictoryformulations are laid bare allowing musicians to make their own decisions.

Par BEETHOVEN LUDWIG VAN. Beethoven completed his String Quartet Op.135 at Wasserdorf Castle in Gneixenhof, where he sought to recuperate with his nephew Karl after the latter?s failed suicide attempt in summer 1826. It stands out among his late quartets owing to the often cheerful, almost pastoral character of its four movements. Since Beethoven?s death it has often been interpreted as an attempt to take wise and positive stock of the mishaps that had befallen him in the preceding years regarding his life situation, family and health. This interpretation is strongly suggested by the final movement, ?Der schwer gefasste Entschluss? (The Difficult Decision), with its motto ?Must it be? It must be! It must be!? The editing of this quartet proved especially complex, for the authentic sources were reworked at various stages by the composer. By judiciously assessing them, editor Jonathan Del Mar has managed to clarify many anomalies found in previous editions. - Beethoven?s final string quartet with many new readings - Introduction by Misha Donat (Eng/Ger), editor?s foreword by Jonathan Del Mar (Eng/Ger) and a scrupulous, separately published Critical Commentary (Eng) / Date parution : 2022-07-30/ Répertoire / Quatuor à Cordes