From 1823-1826, Beethoven composed a series of string quartets which are now recognized as some of the masterworks of this genre. These quartets show Beethoven at his height as a composer, with composition occurring during the same timeframe as his Ninth Symphony. This collection includes the five late quartets (Op. 127, 130, 131, 132, & 135) as well as the Grosse Fuge (Op. 134).

Op. 127 in E-flat major, Op. 130 in B-flat major, Op. 131 in C-sharp minor, Op. 132 in A minor, Op. 124 in F major, and the Grosse Fuge, Op. 133.

Beethoven followed in the footsteps of Haydn, father of the string quartet, and created what is now regarded as one of the finest collections of masterworks in the string quartet genre. From the early quartets, reminiscent of some of Mozart's quartets, to the soaring and emotional late quartets, these works have become favorites of both performers and audiences around the world. This collections includes the full scores for all 16 string quartets as well as the Grosse Fuge. Early String Quartets: String Quartet No. 1 in F Major (Op. 18, No. 1) String Quartet No. 2 in G Major (Op. 18, No. 2) String Quartet No. 3 in D Major (Op. 18, No. 3) String Quartet No. 4 in C minor (Op. 18, No 4) String Quartet No. 5 in A Major (Op. 18, No. 5) String Quartet No. 6 in Bb Major (Op. 18, No. 6) Middle String Quartets: String Quartet No. 7 in F Major (Op. 59, No. 1) String Quartet No. 8 in E minor (Op. 59, No. 2) String Quartet No. 9 in C Major (Op. 59, No. 3) String Quartet No. 10 in Eb Major "Harp" (Op. 74) String Quartet No. 11 in F minor "Serioso" (Op. 95) Late String Quartets: String Quartet No. 12 in Eb Major (Op. 129) String Quartet No. 13 in Bb Major (Op. 130) String Quartet No. 14 in C# minor (Op. 131) String Quartet No. 15 in A minor (Op. 132) String Quartet No. 16 in F Major (Op. 135) Grosse Fuge (Op. 133)

Winner of the 2007 National Book Critics Circle Award for Criticism A New York Times Book Review Top Ten Book of the Year Time magazine Top Ten Nonfiction Book of 2007 Newsweek Favorite Books of 2007 A Washington Post Book World Best Book of 2007 In this sweeping and dramatic narrative, Alex Ross, music critic for The New Yorker, weaves together the histories of the twentieth century and its music, from Vienna before the First World War to Paris in the twenties; from Hitler's Germany and Stalin's Russia to downtown New York in the sixties and seventies up to the present. Taking readers into the labyrinth of modern style, Ross draws revelatory connections between the century's most influential composers and the wider culture. The Rest Is Noise is an astonishing history of the twentieth century as told through its music.

"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.

This research guide is an annotated bibliography of sources dealing with the string quartet. This second edition is organized as in the original publication (chapters for general references, histories, individual composers, aspects of performance, facsimiles and critical editions, and miscellaneous topics) and has been updated to cover research since publication of the first edition. Listings in the previous volume have been updated to reflect the burgeoning interest in this genre (social aspects, newly issued critical editions, doctoral dissertations). It also offers commentary on online links, databases, and references.