Ludwig van Beethoven - String Quartet No. 9 in C Major, Op. 59 No. 3 - Part 1 - ( 1806 ) скачать в хорошем качестве

Ludwig van Beethoven - String Quartet No. 9 in C Major, Op. 59 No. 3 - Part 1 - ( 1806 )

Beethoven's String Quartet No. 9 in C Major, Op. 59 No. 3, commonly called "Razumovsky No. 3," represents the radiant culmination of his groundbreaking Op. 59 trilogy. Composed in 1806 and published in 1808, this work was part of the commission from Count Andreas Kirillovich Razumovsky, the Russian ambassador to Vienna and an enthusiastic patron of music who played second violin in his own quartet ensemble. Razumovsky requested that Beethoven incorporate Russian folk themes—real or imitated—into the set, a request fulfilled explicitly in the first two quartets but more subtly (or perhaps evasively) in this third one. Written during Beethoven's "heroic" middle period, shortly after the Eroica Symphony (1803–04) and alongside masterpieces like the Appassionata Sonata, the Op. 59 quartets expanded the string quartet genre from intimate domestic entertainment to symphonic-scale drama. Premiered by the professional Schuppanzigh Quartet, these works stunned contemporaries with their length, technical demands, and emotional breadth. While the earlier Op. 59 quartets initially met bewilderment or cool reception for their audacity, the C major quartet was reportedly the most warmly appreciated at first performances around 1807, though modern listeners often prize the entire set as revolutionary. The quartet's structure adheres to four movements but brims with innovation. It opens unconventionally: the Andante con moto – Allegro vivace begins with a stark, searing F-sharp diminished seventh chord—jarring and unresolved—followed by silence, creating immediate tension and uncertainty. A mysterious slow introduction (about 22 bars) unfolds over a descending bass line spanning an octave and a half, with fragmentary motifs flickering above like distant echoes. Beethoven delays the true first theme's full emergence for several measures after the Allegro vivace kicks in, then unleashes it with exuberant energy in the upper voices. The movement's robust, heroic character features splintered development sections and a concise coda, embodying Beethoven's mastery of symphonic discourse within chamber confines. The second movement, Andante con moto quasi Allegretto in A minor, evokes a profound, melancholic atmosphere often likened to a gloomy, windswept Siberian landscape—perhaps Beethoven's most evocative "Russian" gesture here, even without a named folk tune. A plaintive, lamenting melody emerges over trudging cello pizzicato in a gentle 6/8 meter, creating a rocking, almost hypnotic rhythm. Some scholars suggest Beethoven may have concealed or imitated a Russian folk element in the theme, which carries a tender, almost klezmer-like sadness yet serenity. The music builds to stormier contrasts with accents and swells, introduces a more hopeful, dance-like secondary theme, and fades into desolation with fading pizzicato, ending in icy quiet. For the third movement, Beethoven opts for a traditional Menuetto (Grazioso) rather than a scherzo, allowing graceful elegance over frenetic energy. The minuet's poised charm contrasts the preceding darkness, with refined phrasing and subtle interplay among the instruments. The finale, Allegro molto, bursts forth as a vigorous fugue—a bold choice that defies convention and anticipates Beethoven's later contrapuntal obsessions. Starting with a lively subject, it builds contrapuntal complexity, driving momentum through episodes of imitation and stretto before culminating in a prestissimo coda of impassioned final chords. This fugal exuberance provides triumphant resolution, transforming the quartet's earlier shadows into radiant C major optimism. At approximately 30–32 minutes, Op. 59 No. 3 balances profound introspection with joyful vitality, showcasing Beethoven's innovative harmonic language, motivic development, and expansion of form. Its reception evolved from initial surprise to enduring acclaim as a cornerstone of the repertoire, performed by ensembles like the Alban Berg or Brentano Quartets. In the context of the Razumovsky set, it offers light and heroism after the brooding intensity of No. 2, affirming Beethoven's vision of the string quartet as a vehicle for symphonic depth and emotional universality.