Beethoven drastically revised the first three of his Op. 18 string quartets after they had already been presented in manuscript form to the dedicatee, Prince Lobkowitz, in the Autumn of 1799.
Album & Artwork
This album concludes the Calidore String Quartet's recorded cycle of Beethoven's quartets, starting with the Op. 18 set, which began Beethoven's journey with the genre.
Critical Reception
When Beethoven's Op. 18 quartets were first published in 1801, a review warned that they were "difficult and in no sense popular," despite their artistry.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Beethoven's Op. 18 quartets lay the foundation for his entire quartet cycle, reflecting his humanistic perspective and aim to unite people through fundamental emotional experiences.
Composition History
Prince Lobkowitz simultaneously commissioned two sets of six string quartets: one from Joseph Haydn, the pioneer of the genre, and another from his protégé, the young Beethoven.
Composition History
Beethoven waited until the relatively old age of twenty-eight to write his first string quartet, a genre already elevated by his predecessors Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Compositional Technique
The Op. 18 quartets were not published in their order of composition; Beethoven's sketches reveal they were likely composed in the order: 3, 1, 2, 5, 4, 6.
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Beethoven: String Quartets Nos. 12 & 16
Beethoven: String Quartets, Op. 18, Nos. 5 and 6
Beethoven: The Early String Quartets
Beethoven: The String Quartets, Vol. 2
Beethoven: String Quartets Op. 18, Nos. 1 and 2
Beethoven: String Quartets, Op. 18 Nos. 4 & 5
Beethoven Quartets Op. 18, 1 & 2
Beethoven: String Quartet in D Major, Op. 18 No. 3; String Quartet in C Minor, Op. 18 No. 4
Beethoven: String Quartet No. 10 in E-Flat Major, Op. 74 "Harp" & String Quartet No. 11 in F Minor, Op. 95 "Quartetto serioso"
