And now Beethoven.

Ellen and I just had picnic lunch out on a bench in the sun with Katie Tolles. It is still a low humidity day, so I could sit in the sun with a flannel shirt on and not suffer! Now we are back in the hall listening to the Beethoven String Quartet in F Major, Op. 18, No. 1. Musicians: Julian Rhee, violin; Abi Fayette, violin; Beth Guterman Chu, viola; Zlatomir Fung, cello. Mostly unknown to me. This is an early quartet, composed between 1798 and 1800. It is Opus 18, but it is the second quartet written by Beethoven (despite the No. 1 designation). It is dedicated to Bohemian aristocrat, Joseph Franz von Lobkowitz. It has four movements, and was heavily revised by Beethoven before he published it in 1801. The theme of the Finale is borrowed from Beethoven's earlier String Trio, Opus 9, No. 3. and the first movement echoes a theme used by Mozart in a violin Sonata. I gather that Beethoven was still working at mastering the String Quartet form.

Musicians playing Beethoven Quartet.

Abi Fayette, violin.

Julian Rhee, violin.

Beth Guterman Chu, viola.

Zlatomir Fung, cello.