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Ludwig van Beethoven, Skizzenblätter zum Streichquartett op. 130, Partiturskizze, Autograph

Beethoven-Haus Bonn, Sammlung H. C. Bodmer, HCB Mh 104

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Ending too difficult

Beethoven's String Quartet op. 130 was first performed on 21 March 1826. The sixth and last movement in this performance was the so-called Große Fuge (now: op. 133). Whereas the second and fourth movements had to be repeated, the critic for the Leipzig Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung wrote devastatingly about the fugue, "But the critic does not dare to interpret the meaning behind the fugue finale: for him it was incomprehensible, like Chinese. When the instruments in the regions of the South and North Poles have to battle with immense difficulties, when each one plays different motifs and the musical lines cross each other per transitum irregularem in a host of dissonances, when the players, mistrusting themselves, are not able to play properly in tune, I do declare the Babylon-like confusion is then complete; then there is a concert which can only be enjoyed by the Moroccans. (...)."

On the suggestion of the publisher Artaria, the too difficult fugue was removed from the work and published separately. Instead Beethoven sketched an alternative ending for the quartet in September 1826. On this bifolium there are score sketches for the new finale. The string quartet was only performed in its new form with the alternative ending after Beethoven's death on 22 April 1827. (J.R.)

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