Tied up with strings: Untangling the rhythmic complexities of the second movement of Beethoven's String Quartet No. 16, Op. 135
Date
2011
Authors
Bakker, Twila
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Publisher
Musicological Explorations
Abstract
The complexities of Ludwig van Beethoven’s late string quartets have from their inception confounded audiences. These complexities are often incredibly intertwined, at times as tightly wound as the fabled Gordian knot. Therefore, the complexities require extra attention to unravel and understand. Through the lens of metrical dissonance, as pioneered by Harald Krebs in Fantasy Pieces, this article aids the listener and performer in unwinding some of the rhythmic complexities of the second movement of Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 16, Op. 135. With three central dissonances (D3+1, D3-1, and G3/2), Beethoven ties melodic motives, dynamics, and musical form together thereby utilizing the dissonances as organizational tools of composition. This article explores each dissonance in turn and offers one explanation for the ambiguity that has often arisen from performances of Beethoven’s late works.
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Citation
Bakker, T. (2011). Tied up with strings: Untangling the rhythmic complexities of the second movement of Beethoven's String Quartet No. 16, Op. 135. Musicological Explorations, 12, 41-76. https://journals.uvic.ca/index.php/me/article/view/9208