[V.1] Four lectures -- [v.2] Supplementary scores.

"We do not understand music--it understands us." This aphorism by Theodor W. Adorno expresses the quandary and the fascination many listeners have felt in approaching Beethoven's late quartets. No group of compositions occupies a more central position in chamber music, yet the meaning of these works continues to stimulate debate. William Kinderman's The String Quartets of Beethoven stands as the most detailed and comprehensive exploration of the subject. It collects new work by leading international scholars who draw on a variety of historical sources and analytical approaches to offer fresh insights into the aesthetics of the quartets, probing expressive and structural features that have hitherto received little attention. This volume also includes an appendix with updated information on the chronology and sources of the quartets and a detailed bibliography.

Beethoven's 13th Quartet (Op. 130) in B-flat Major is traditionally assigned the number 13 based on its publication date, though it was acutally the 14th quartet he composed. This work features a unique 6 movement structure which mirrors Beethoven's traditional form used in many symphonies and quartets, but repeating the two middle movements.In its original form, this quartet included the Grosse Fuge as its finale. After the first performance received mixed reviews, Beethoven replaced the finale with the movement included in this version and published the Grosse Fuge as a separate work.