Sunday, March 28, 2021

In 1822, at the suggestion of a member of Prince Galitzin's private quartet, Beethoven received a commission for three string quartets, thus beginning the great project of the late quartets that would occupy him for the last two and a half years of his life. 

These have no names, known simply as opp. 127, 130, 131, 132, 135 (or, in order of composition, 127, 132, 130, 131, 135). For decades after Beethoven’s death in 1827, the late quartets were rarely performed and widely  regarded as the unintelligible products of an eccentric genius. It was only in the 20th century that these masterpieces became highly esteemed.

The Opus 127 in Eb Major is performed here by the Amadeus Quartet. https://youtu.be/ZYYtGL34PA4