Knowra Grosse Fuge Grosse Fuge Grosse Fuge, Op. 133, is Ludwig van Beethoven’s single-movement fugue for string quartet, composed in 1825 as the original finale of String Quartet No. 13.
Fugue : A contrapuntal composition in which a principal theme enters successively in different voices and is developed through interweaving lines. The work expands fugal procedures across an unusually large, multi-section span.
String Quartet No. 13 (Beethoven) : Beethoven’s String Quartet in B-flat major, Op. 130, composed in 1825. The Grosse Fuge was composed to serve as this quartet’s original finale.
Moriz Schlesinger : A Berlin music publisher who issued works by Beethoven and other composers. He published the fugue separately as Op. 133 in 1827.
Grosse Fuge, Op. 133 (orchestration) : The orchestral version of Beethoven’s Grosse Fuge, arranged by Felix Weingartner. It shows how the fugue’s quartet writing can be recast for a larger ensemble.
Allegro (Beethoven) : Beethoven’s Allegro in B-flat major, Op. 130, composed as a replacement finale for String Quartet No. 13. It replaced the Grosse Fuge as Op. 130’s finale after the original was published separately.
Fugal subject : The principal musical idea introduced and developed in a fugue. Its angular subject supplies the material for the work’s dense counterpoint.
Ludwig van Beethoven : A German composer and pianist whose music spans the Classical and Romantic periods. He composed the fugue in the final years of his life.
Ignaz Schuppanzigh : An Austrian violinist and quartet leader closely associated with Beethoven’s chamber music. His quartet premiered the original Op. 130 finale, whose reception prompted Beethoven to replace it.
Beethoven Quartet No. 13, Op. 130 (Mandelring Quartet recording) : A recording of Beethoven’s Op. 130 by the Mandelring Quartet, including the Grosse Fuge finale. It presents the fugue in its original place within the six-movement quartet.
Beethoven’s late string quartets : The string quartets Beethoven composed during the final years of his life. The fugue exemplifies their expansive forms and demanding counterpoint.
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