Ludwig van Beethoven - String Quartet No. 8 in E Minor, Op. 59 No. 2 - Part 3 - ( 1806 ) скачать в хорошем качестве

Ludwig van Beethoven - String Quartet No. 8 in E Minor, Op. 59 No. 2 - Part 3 - ( 1806 )

Beethoven's String Quartet No. 8 in E Minor, Op. 59 No. 2, known as "Razumovsky No. 2," stands as a pinnacle of his middle period, bridging the classical traditions of Haydn and Mozart with the expansive, heroic style that defined his maturity. Composed in 1806 and published in 1808, this work is the second in a set of three quartets commissioned by Count Andreas Kirillovich Razumovsky, the Russian ambassador to Vienna and a keen amateur violinist. Razumovsky, who played second violin in his own ensemble, requested that Beethoven incorporate Russian themes, a nod to his heritage. Beethoven obliged in two of the Op. 59 quartets, including this one, but with a twist that infused irony and innovation. The quartet emerged during a fertile phase in Beethoven's career, following the revolutionary "Eroica" Symphony (Op. 55) in 1803 and coinciding with works like the "Appassionata" Sonata and the Fourth Piano Concerto. By 1806, Beethoven was grappling with profound deafness, which isolated him socially yet fueled his introspective genius. This period marked a shift in the string quartet genre: from intimate, amateur entertainment to symphonic discourse demanding professional virtuosity. The Op. 59 set was premiered by the Schuppanzigh Quartet, led by Ignaz Schuppanzigh, Beethoven's friend and collaborator, who formed one of the first professional quartets in Vienna. Critics like Joseph Kerman noted that these quartets "doomed the amateur string quartet," as their technical and emotional demands elevated the form to concert hall status. Structurally, the quartet unfolds in four movements, all centered on the key of E, a rarity in Beethoven's output that unifies its tonal world. The first movement, Allegro, opens with a dramatic gesture: two forceful chords in E minor, followed by silence, then a pianissimo arpeggio evaporating into semiquavers. This fragmented introduction creates tension and disorientation, echoing Haydn's late quartets but pushing further into uncertainty. The movement builds terse, nervous energy, with wandering keys and rhythmic drive, embodying Beethoven's "heroic" style through symphonic scope in chamber form. The second movement, Molto adagio in E major, offers profound contrast. Beethoven inscribed "Si tratta questo pezzo con molto di sentimento" ("This piece must be played with much feeling"), underscoring its emotional depth. According to his student Carl Czerny, it was inspired by contemplating the starry firmament and the "music of the spheres." A serene hymn unfolds over a dotted heartbeat rhythm, evolving into soaring triplets and intimate textures. This movement's celestial serenity reflects Beethoven's growing transcendence of the physical world amid his deafness. The third movement, Allegretto, is a scherzo with a triple structure: scherzo-trio-scherzo-trio-scherzo. It permutes the first movement's arpeggio motif in the minore section. The maggiore trio features the promised Russian theme, "Glory to the Sun," from a 1790 collection by Nikolay Lvov and Jan Prac. Beethoven treats it unconventionally, harmonizing tonic-leaning phrases with the dominant and vice versa, creating harsh clashes. Kerman suggested this might be Beethoven's revenge on Razumovsky for handing him the tune, parodying it with "exercise-book" counterpoint. Later composers like Mussorgsky and Rachmaninoff also drew from this melody. The finale, Presto, transforms the adagio's heartbeat into a boisterous canter. Starting in C major, it delays resolution to E minor for over 50 bars, adding piquancy. It accelerates to a galloping coda, concluding with good-humored vigor. Upon publication, the Op. 59 quartets bewildered contemporaries for their complexity and length, but they revolutionized the genre. "Razumovsky No. 2" exemplifies Beethoven's innovation: blending folk elements with profound structure, expanding emotional range, and demanding listener engagement. Its legacy endures in performances by ensembles like the Dover Quartet, capturing its mystery and grandeur. At around 35 minutes, this quartet remains a testament to Beethoven's vision, where chamber music achieves symphonic transcendence.