Beethoven: String Quartet No. 15 in A minor, Op. 132

Ludwig van Beethoven’s String Quartet Op. 132 was the second of three commissioned by, and dedicated to, the Russian Prince Nikolas Galitzin (1794–1866). It was composed in the first half of 1825, and published in Paris by Maurice (Moritz) Schlesinger (1798–1871) shortly after Beethoven’s death. It has five main movements rather than the usual four, for between the slow third movement and the finale is a march, which leads, via a brief linking passage, into the finale.

Introduction

Beethoven began work on Op. 132 immediately after completing the previous quartet, Op. 127 in E-flat major, around January 1825. In April, however, he fell ill, and when he recovered, he created a movement specifically related to his convalescence, which became the third movement of the new quartet. He entitled it “Heiliger Dankgesang eines Genesenen an die Gottheit, in der lydischen Tonart” (“Sacred Song of Thanks from a Convalescent to the Godhead, in the Lydian Mode”). The Lydian mode is one of the old church modes (scales), and  consists of F major but with a raised fourth degree—B-natural instead of B-flat—giving the music an antiquated quality.

History 

Prince Galitzin had originally written to Beethoven in November 1822 asking for one, two, or three string quartets, and Beethoven replied on January 25, 1823, accepting the commission; but it was delayed by other works (notably the Ninth Symphony), and the first quartet was not ready for performance until March 1825, by which time Beethoven was sketching the first two movements of the A-minor string quartet. For part of the second movement, he incorporated an Allemande (WoO 81) which he had originally composed for piano in 1793 but revised in 1822. Having set it aside again, however, he eventually adapted it for the A-minor string quartet. When he fell ill in April, he summoned the doctor, Anton Braunhofer (1780–1846), who visited him on April 18, 1825. Because of Beethoven’s deafness, Braunhofer had to communicate mainly by writing in Beethoven’s conversation book, which still survives. He assured Beethoven that he would get better without much medication if he adopted a strict diet which Braunhofer prescribed. The treatment was successful, and Beethoven was so grateful that he sent Braunhofer two short canons and also composed the “Sacred Song of Thanks” as the next movement in his quartet. To follow this movement, he initially considered a Tedesca (a German dance), but decided to compose a short march instead, and the Tedesca was resurrected for his next string quartet, the B-flat major, Op. 130. The finale of Op. 132 also includes a borrowed melody, which he had originally composed in D minor as a theme for a possible alternative finale for his Ninth Symphony.

Beethoven: Quartet in A minor for Strings, Op. 132

When the quartet was almost ready, the publisher Maurice Schlesinger came from Paris to visit Beethoven on September 4, and agreed to buy the work for 80 ducats. Three days later he heard the first rehearsal. He then heard the first performances on September 9—when the work was played twice before a small, select audience—and another performance on September 11. The performances were given by an ensemble led by Beethoven’s friend Ignaz Schuppanzigh, and took place at the guesthouse zum Wilden Mann (At the Wild Man’s) in Vienna. The work was finally published by Schlesinger in August 1827, five months after Beethoven’s death. It appeared as Op. 132, although it was actually composed before Beethoven’s next two quartets, Opp. 130 and 131.

Form and Analysis

The A-minor string quartet begins with an angular melody on solo cello, quickly joined, in turn, by viola, second violin, and then first violin, in a slow introduction. The main Allegro that follows is in sonata form, but the start of its development section incorporates material from the slow introduction combined with material from earlier in the Allegro. The development section functions as a kind of false recapitulation, to be followed by a real (or second) recapitulation, which begins with a further combination of material from both the slow introduction and main Allegro. The result is a highly integrated movement with most unusual proportions. The second movement is essentially a scherzo-and-trio, in A major, and the trio section begins with an extraordinary texture, in which a long held note on the first violin supports melodic material played by the same instrument and the second violin, eventually leading to development based on the old Allemande from 1793.

The “Sacred Song of Thanks” forms the heart of the work and presents a very slow chorale in block chords. Beethoven had already shown his familiarity with this style when he harmonized the ancient plainsong hymn “Tantum ergo” in 1820, while working on his Missa solemnis; he now turned to this style again to portray his thanks “to the Godhead” for his recovery from illness. Each of the four phrases of his chorale, plus the repeat of the final phrase, is preceded by a brief introduction. This approach is based on how such chorales were played at the time, in both Protestant and Catholic churches—always very slowly. The chorale theme is followed by two variations, but these three sections alternate with two gentle, dance-like sections in the contrasting key of D major, and in triple time, which Beethoven headed “Feeling new strength”—another hint at his personal recovery. The lively march that follows the “Sacred Song of Thanks” is in A major and two short sections, each repeated. It provides a complete change from the previous movement, and is immediately followed by a brief section in recitative style (like songful ordinary speech) that leads straight into the rondo finale. On one occasion Beethoven referred to the work as having six movements, for he evidently counted the march and recitative separately; but most writers regard the latter as just a linking passage, resulting in five movements altogether. The finale ends with a coda in A major, adding a final touch of brightness, and recalling the key of the second movement and the march.

Critical Thoughts

What stands out most in this quartet is the sublime profundity of the “Sacred Song of Thanks.” Despite the apparent simplicity of the slowly changing block chords, the emotional depth of the chorale theme is extraordinarily moving. The Lydian mode, which is sometimes associated with healing, adds to the unconventional and ethereal quality of the music, with the B-naturals repeatedly negating the predicted chord progressions. Such overtly autobiographical music was unprecedented in string-quartet writing. The other movements contrast sharply with the “Sacred Song of Thanks,” and with each other: the anguished first movement is supplanted by a playful second movement, and the energetic march gives way to an impassioned finale.

Legacy

Publication of the quartet appears to have had an immediate impact. It appeared in Paris in August 1827, but was issued by Schlesinger’s father, Adolph, in Berlin at about the same time. Mendelssohn was living in Berlin then, and he was evidently so inspired by the work that he began his own A-minor string quartet, Op. 13, almost immediately. Composing at much greater speed than Beethoven, he completed his work in October, and it shows definite influence of Beethoven’s newly published work. Like Beethoven’s other late quartets, Op. 132 took time to be appreciated generally, but it is now widely regarded as one of the finest quartets in the repertoire.

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Article by Barry Cooper