Project Description
Belcea Quartet
Beethoven – Complete String Quartets Vol. 1
String Quartet in B-Flat Major, Op. 18, No. 6
1 – Allegro con brio
2 – Adagio, ma non troppo
3 – Scherzo. Allegro
4 – La malinconia. Adagio
5 – Allegretto quasi allegro
String Quartet in E-Flat Major, Op. 127, No. 12
1 – Maestoso – Allegro
2 – Adagio, ma non troppo e molto cantabile
3 – Scherzando vivace
4 – Finale
String Quartet in G Major, Op. 18, No. 2
1 – Allegro
2 – Adagio cantabile
3 – Scherzo. Allegro
4 – Allegro molto, quasi presto
String Quartet in C Major, Op. 59, No. 3
5 – Andante con moto – Allegro vivace
6 – Andante con moto quasi allegretto
7 – Menuetto & Trio
8 – Allegro molto
String Quartet in F Minor, Op. 95, No. 11
1 – Allegro con brio
2 – Allegretto ma non troppo
3 – Allegro assai vivace, ma serioso
4 – Larghetto espressivo – Allegretto agitato – Allegro
String Quartet in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 131, No. 14
1 – Adagio ma non troppo e molto espressivo
2 – Allegro molto vivace
3 – Allegro moderato
4 – Andante ma non troppo e molto cantabile
5 – Presto
6 – Adagio quasi un poco andante
7 – Allegro
String Quartet in F Major, Op. 18, No. 1
1 – Allegro con brio
2 – Adagio affettuoso ed appassionato
3 – Scherzo. Allegro molto
4 – Allegro
String Quartet in C Minor, Op. 18, No. 4
1 – Allegro, ma non tanto
2 – Andante scherzoso, quasi allegretto
3 – Menuetto. Allegretto
4 – Allegro
String Quartet No. 3 in D Major, Op. 18 No. 3
1 – Allegro
2 – Andante con moto
3 – Allegro
4 – Presto
String Quartet No. 5 in A Major, Op. 18 No. 5
1 – Allegro
2 – Menuetto – Trio
3 – Andante cantabile
4 – Allegro
Grosse Fuge for String Quartet in B-Flat Major, Op. 133
String Quartet No. 7 in F Major, Op. 59 No. 1 ‘Razumovsky’
1 – Allegro
2 – Allegro vivace e sempre scherzando
3 – Adagio molto e mesto
4 – Thème russe, allegro
String Quartet No. 8 in E Minor, Op. 59 No. 2 ‘Razumovsky’
1 – Allegro
2 – Molto adagio
3 – Allegretto
4 – Finale, presto
String Quartet No. 10 in E-Flat Major, Op. 74 ‘Harp’
1 – Poco adagio – Allegro
2 – Adagio ma non troppo
3 – Presto
4 – Allegretto con variazioni
String Quartet No. 13 in B-Flat Major, Op. 130
1 – Adagio ma non troppo – Allegro
2 – Presto
3 – Andante con moto, ma non troppo
4 – Alla danza tedesca, allegro assai
5 – Cavatina, adagio molto espressivo
6 – Finale – Allegro
String Quartet No. 15 in A Minor, Op. 132
1 – Allegro sostenuto – Allegro
2 – Allegro ma non tanto
3 – Molto adagio
4 – Alla marcia, assai vivace
String Quartet No. 16 in F Major, Op. 135
1 – Allegretto
2 – Vivace
3 – Lento assai, cantante e tranquillo
4 – Grave, ma non troppo tratto – Allegro
With his sixteen string quartets, Beethoven forged the backbone of this repertoire. The six quartets Opus 18 show the composer’s mastery of the classical form. In contrast, the five middle quartets burst this form, with a very free treatment of the instruments and their development. Most profoundly and spiritual, the late quartets went far beyond what people were ready to hear at that time and are still intellectually challenging. The Belcea Quartet is well-known for its dynamic and compelling interpretations. The Quartet embarked on the complete cycle of Beethoven string quartets, playing the whole program within twelve days and brings a freshness to their interpretation of Beethoven’s string quartets, and draws forth a great range of colours, from sweetness to strength, from solemnity to impetuous force. Including the documentary “On the Paths of the Beethoven String Quartets”, directed by Jean Claude Mocik.
