Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 12 in E-flat major, Op. 127

E945005

Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 12 in E-flat major, Op. 127 is the first of his late string quartets, renowned for its structural innovation, emotional depth, and demanding writing for the ensemble.

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Statements (46)

Predicate Object
instanceOf chamber music composition
string quartet
approximateCompositionEnd 1825
approximateCompositionStart 1824
catalogueNumber Op. 127
chronologicalOrderInLateQuartets first
commissionedBy Prince Nikolai Galitzin NERFINISHED
composer Ludwig van Beethoven
dedicatedTo Prince Nikolai Galitzin NERFINISHED
genre classical music
string quartet
historicalContext composed when Beethoven was completely deaf
influenced later 19th-century string quartet writing
key E-flat major
languageOfTitle German
movement I. Maestoso – Allegro
II. Adagio ma non troppo e molto cantabile NERFINISHED
III. Scherzando vivace
IV. Finale: Allegro
movementCount 4
notableFeature complex rhythmic structures
demanding ensemble writing
emotional depth
innovative use of variation form in the second movement
structural innovation
openingMaterial Maestoso introduction
opusNumber Op. 127
originalTitle Streichquartett Es-Dur Nr. 12, Op. 127 NERFINISHED
partOf Beethoven’s late string quartets NERFINISHED
period late period of Beethoven
placeInBeethovenOeuvre first of the three Galitzin quartets
positionInSet No. 12
premiereDate 6 March 1825
premiereLocation Vienna NERFINISHED
premierePerformer Schuppanzigh Quartet NERFINISHED
publicationDate 1826
publisher Maurice Schlesinger NERFINISHED
relatedWork Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 13 in B-flat major, Op. 130 NERFINISHED
Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 14 in C-sharp minor, Op. 131 NERFINISHED
Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 15 in A minor, Op. 132 NERFINISHED
Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 16 in F major, Op. 135 NERFINISHED
scoredFor cello
two violins
viola
typicalPerformanceDuration approximately 35 minutes
workNumberInQuartets 12

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Nikolaus Galitzin commissioned Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 12 in E-flat major, Op. 127