Pieces › Ludwig van Beethoven

String Quartet No. 13 in B♭ major, Op. 130

I. Adagio ma non troppo.

Ludwig van Beethoven · 1825 · B♭ major · 237 bars · 719 chords analysed

Six movements, including the heartfelt Cavatina. It originally ended with the enormous Grosse Fuge, which Beethoven later replaced with a lighter finale.

Beethoven's 16 string quartets trace his whole life. The six of Op. 18 (1798–1800) master the classical style he inherited from Haydn and Mozart; the middle quartets stretch it; the late quartets (1825–26), written when he was completely deaf, are among the most searching music ever composed.

Keys visited: B♭ major, F major, G♭ major, D major, G major, C minor, E♭ major, E♭ minor, D♭ major.