Beethoven: String Quartets, Op. 18; Nos. 1, 2 & 3
Cleveland Quartet
Beethoven was in no hurry to debut as a composer of string quartets. He almost certainly hesitated to compete directly with his teacher, Haydn, and the late Mozart, who had created unsurpassed models of the medium However, his first six quartets, published as Opus 18 in 1801, showed he had thoroughly absorbed the achievement of Haydn and Mozart—the conversational independence of the four instruments, the combination within a single work or even a single movement of lyricism, drama, wit and suspense. Opus 18 was, in every way, homage to what had rather quickly become a great tradition of string quartet writing.
Opus 18 marks the end of the first stage of Beethoven’s involvement with the medium: an involvement that was to last, on and off, for the rest of his life.
TRACKLISTING
DISC ONE
- 1. Beethoven: Quartet in F major, Op. 18, No. 1: I. Allegro con brio
- 2. Beethoven: Quartet in F major, Op. 18, No. 1: II. Adagio affettuoso ed appassionato
- 3. Beethoven: Quartet in F major, Op. 18, No. 1: III. Scherzo: Allegro molto; Trio
- 4. Beethoven: Quartet in F major, Op. 18, No. 1: IV. Allegro
- 5. Beethoven: Quartet in G major, Op. 18, No. 2: I. Allegro
- 6. Beethoven: Quartet in G major, Op. 18, No. 2: II. Adagio cantabile
- 7. Beethoven: Quartet in G major, Op. 18, No. 2: III. Scherzo: Allegro; Trio
- 8. Beethoven: Quartet in G major, Op. 18, No. 2: IV. Allegro molto, quasi presto
- 9. Beethoven: Quartet in D major, Op. 18, No. 3: I. Allegro
- 10. Beethoven: Quartet in D major, Op. 18, No. 3: II. Andante con moto
- 11. Beethoven: Quartet in D major, Op. 18, No. 3: III. Allegro
- 12. Beethoven: Quartet in D major, Op. 18, No. 3: IV. Presto
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