The Evolution of the String Quartet (Part Five)

More Alban Berg

View of Vienna, 1758 by Bernardo Bellotto, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

I'm very happy that the Alban Berg Quartet is featured in yet another YouTube performance; this time, one of my favorite Beethoven quartets, String Quartet No. 6 in B flat major, Opus 18, No. 6.  The opening movement has a very familiar melodic theme, which for me is both exciting and rather catchy for a string quartet.  The final movement "La Malinconia" begins with an unconventional adagio and moves into a "quasi allegro."   His "Moonlight Sonata" is perhaps one of the best examples of this sort of approach, beginning with an "Adagio" movement instead of the traditional "Allegro."  This is another example of his departure from convention.

I: Allegro con brio

II: Adagio ma non troppo

III: Scherzo: Allegro

IV: La Malinconia - Adagio - Allegretto quasi allegro

For information on the Alban Berg Quartet go here and here.

This quartet was composed in 1800.  For more information go here and here.

For a free score, go here.