Pieces › Ludwig van Beethoven

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

III. Andante con moto ma non troppo.

Ludwig van Beethoven · 1825 · D♭ major · 90 bars · 447 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: D♭ major, A♭ major, F major, F minor, B♭ major, B♭ minor, G♭ major, D minor.