String Quartets Nos. 10 and 11, Opp. 74 and 95 (parts) by Ludwig van Beethoven
Urtext edition by Jonathan Del Mar. Published by Barenreiter
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) was the most influential and admired composer of the Romantic Era, and is considered today to be among the greatest composers of classical music to ever live. His music is known variously for its compositional rigor, sublime beauty, organic development, gripping urgency, and life-affirming, universal humanism. He left a significant mark on almost every classical genre he worked in, from string quartets to symphonies.
Beethoven's cycle of sixteen string quartets spans his entire compositional career and is often considered to be the most significant ever composed, guiding the form from its classical beginnings thru the freer expression of the Romantic Era and even pointing to developments far in the future. His middle period quartets-including Opp.74 and 95--represent the first dramatic transformations he made to the form, imbuing it with more weight, complexity, and technical demands. No. 10 in E-flat Major, Op.74 ''Harp" was so named from its harp-like arpeggiated chords. No. 11 in F minor, Op.95 ''Serioso'' is compact, tightly-crafted, and experimental, unlike many of his other quartets. This Barenreiter urtext edition was edited by Jonathan Del Mar. Parts only. Master level, grade 6.