# Is Beethoven's Opus 131 (String Quartet No. 14) your favorite work?



## ORigel (May 7, 2020)

In the spirit of the "Is ___ your favorite work?" polls, I present...my favorite work.

Edit: Should've put "your favorite piece of music" like the other polls.


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

These have gotten old real quick...


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

Why would it be? It's not even my favorite Beethoven quartet.


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## ZJovicic (Feb 26, 2017)

No but, it comes into top 10 for sure... maybe even top 5 favorite works.


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## Beebert (Jan 3, 2019)

One of the greatest pieces of music ever written. Still not even my favorite Beethoven quartet. I prefer both number 13 and 15, to be honest.


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## Allegro Con Brio (Jan 3, 2020)

I don’t understand why, of the late Beethoven quartets, this one is frequently singled out as the greatest. 12, 13 with the Grosse Fuge and 15 are all preferable for me. I haven’t been able to enjoy the enigmatic central variations of Op. 131.


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

It is incredible. Though, admittedly, I do not think I understand it all that well. There are a few works which I immensely appreciate and enjoy but, in affect and structure, are just baffling and mysterious to me. Op. 131 is probably, for me, the best example of such a work. Hopefully in, say, 20 years (when I'm 40) I'll get it a bit better.


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## annaw (May 4, 2019)

Allegro Con Brio said:


> I don't understand why, of the late Beethoven quartets, this one is frequently singled out as the greatest. 12, 13 with the Grosse Fuge and 15 are all preferable for me. I haven't been able to enjoy the enigmatic central variations of Op. 131.


Probably has something to do with the praise it gained from other composers and the fact that it was Beethoven's favourite of his last quartets. From Wikipedia (trustworthy, I know):

_It was Beethoven's favourite of the late quartets: he is quoted as remarking to a friend that he would find "a new manner of part-writing and, thank God, less lack of imagination than before". It is said that upon listening to a performance of this quartet, Schubert remarked, "After this, what is left for us to write?" Schumann said that this quartet and Op. 127 had a "grandeur ... which no words can express. They seem to me to stand ... on the extreme boundary of all that has hitherto been attained by human art and imagination."_

It _is_ an utterly marvellous work! But as you say, all Beethoven's quartets, although particularly the late quartets, are. I don't think I could choose one favourite one, at least not at the moment. I find their greatness beyond comprehension, especially considering Beethoven's circumstances. I was just listening to his Op. 132 today, and that third movement is the most transcendent string quartet movement I can recall hearing.


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## Beebert (Jan 3, 2019)

annaw said:


> Probably has something to do with the praise it gained from other composers and the fact that it was Beethoven's favourite of his last quartets. From Wikipedia (trustworthy, I know):
> 
> _It was Beethoven's favourite of the late quartets: he is quoted as remarking to a friend that he would find "a new manner of part-writing and, thank God, less lack of imagination than before". It is said that upon listening to a performance of this quartet, Schubert remarked, "After this, what is left for us to write?" Schumann said that this quartet and Op. 127 had a "grandeur ... which no words can express. They seem to me to stand ... on the extreme boundary of all that has hitherto been attained by human art and imagination."_
> 
> ...


If I would be forced to name one piece of music and call it the greatest music made by man, I would say the third movement from No 15, Op 132.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

It's my favorite of Beethoven's string quartets. Maybe I'm not alone; someone made a movie with that as its center (A Late Quartet).


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## ORigel (May 7, 2020)

Allegro Con Brio said:


> I don't understand why, of the late Beethoven quartets, this one is frequently singled out as the greatest. 12, 13 with the Grosse Fuge and 15 are all preferable for me. I haven't been able to enjoy the enigmatic central variations of Op. 131.


I selected this one because that's what everyone says, and it is less...sprawling than No. 13 with the Grosse Fuge, which I may or may not like better.


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## cheregi (Jul 16, 2020)

i'm fairly new to listening to beethoven's quartets, but i'm not even close to being over my obsession with the grosse fugue. maybe when i have a more mature and less novelty-oriented type of taste i'll consider a different quartet...


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## Simplicissimus (Feb 3, 2020)

As you say it’s your favorite work, I’ll give it some respect. Heading off to spin my Leipziger Streichquartett CD now, back later.


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

Can't say if it's my very favorite, but it's certainly right in the top group of half dozen or so.


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## ORigel (May 7, 2020)

cheregi said:


> i'm fairly new to listening to beethoven's quartets, but i'm not even close to being over my obsession with the grosse fugue. maybe when i have a more mature and less novelty-oriented type of taste i'll consider a different quartet...


I love the Grosse Fuge as much or even more than Op 131. It varies. I used to spend DAYS listening to the Grosse Fuge on repeat almost from waking to sleeping. It's what made me listen to the other late quartets obsessively. If the Grosse Fuge is that good, they must be mind-blowing as well.

I reccommend you listen to them in this order:

12 (the late quartets have a reputation of being inaccessible. This one isn't)
Grosse Fuge (See if it "clicks." If not, return to it later.)
14
15
16
13 with alternative finale
13 with Grosse Fuge


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