Beethoven’s String Quartet Opus 18, No. 4

Beethoven’s String Quartet Opus 18, No. 4, is in composite ternary form. It starts with an A section which is a minuetto, has a middle B section which is a trio, and has a minuetto D.C. which repeats the minuetto (A) section. Inside the composite ternary form are inner binary sections of rounded and simple binary form. The phrasing and harmonies that Beethoven used are quite interesting in how they relate to the entire piece. These points are outlined throughout the paper.

The A section begins with an eight bar phrase from measure 1-8. This phrase is an antecedent-consequent phrase and can be divided into two sub phrases of four measures. This phrase starts the piece in C minor. The first sub phrase of four measures ends on a Bb Major chord which is a secondary dominant, V in E Flat Major. This chord is an atypical unresolved dominant in the relative key. Measures five and six have a progression of F minor that only lasts for three chords (I-viio6-i6). This progression is consequently iv in the tonic key. This starts the cadential progression of iv-V-I in C minor. This phrase then ends in measure eight with a perfect authentic cadence in C minor.

The b section is the next phrase that begins in measure 9, and is an eight bar phrase to measure 16. This phrase, like the first phrase measure 1-8, is an antecedent- consequent phrase. This phrase is in F minor, and starts in the dominant of that key (C Major Chord). The dominant is then prolonged through the whole phrase with the repeated C’s in the cello part. While the cello repeats the dominant, the upper three voices are moving chromatically in parallel thirds. This occurs until there is an I-V7-I progression to a perfect authentic cadence in the key of F minor in measure 16. Another sense of cadential drive that the end of this phrase has is in the cello. After prolonging the dominant on C, the cello starts moving in quarter notes from F to C to C. This gives a sense of the I-V-I cadence.

Measures 17-20 comprise the next phrase in this piece. This phrase is in Db Major and the cello gives a strong sense of this key by repeating D flats. This phrase starts on a Db Major chord that then moves chromatically once again in parallel thirds to another Db Major chord in measure 20. Measure 21- 23 is a three measure phrase that is still in Db Major. Measures 24-27 comprise the next phrase which is a bridge to the dominant preparation that begins in measure 27.Measure 27 then makes up a 7 bar from to measure 32. This is an example of phrase elision. This phrase is a long dominant leading up to the moment of reprise in the following a’ section.

The a’ section starts with the pick ups in measure 32. This phrase is from measure 33 to 43, but is broken up into small sub phrases. The initial sub phrases for this group are 4 measures and 7 measures. The first four measures are the exact same as the first four measures of the entire piece (measure 1-4). This phrase leads into a 7 bar phrase that is broken up into a 2 bar phrase + 2 bar phrase + a 3 bar phrase. The last two bars of the four bar phrase creates a sequence in the first violin part. This two measure sequence repeats three times and then cadences on a I chord in the key of C minor.

In order to conclude the A section, there is a 7 bar phrase from measures 44-50. This phrase is in C minor, and cadences in measure 50 with a perfect authentic cadence. The texture in this section is slightly different than the previous phrases of this piece. The first violins have dramatic interjections that make the texture sound very intense.

The B section is the beginning of the trio and starts in measure 51. Another Flat is added to the key signature in this section. Beethoven uses this added flat, and starts the trio in the key of A flat Major which is a nearly related key. The pace of the B section is very fast because of Beethoven’s use of hypermeter. The Violin arpeggiates the harmonies while the lower two voices unfold the melody. Measures 51-54 are a I chord (A flat Major chord) that moves to the dominant in measures 55-58. The sustained G in the cello part in measure 55-57 is the third of the dominant chord.This entire phrase ends in measure 65 with a fermata on a V7/V chord in A flat Major. This gives a Half Cadence and moves into a five bar phrase of a completely different rhythmic section. Measure 66 and 67 has a V chord and a I chord of E Flat major. This occurrence helps complete the B Flat Major chords in measure 4 of the A section. Beethoven finally gives completion to this harmonic development.

Measure 71-74 is a four bar phrase that cadences on a one chord (Eb Major). Measure 75-78 is another four bar phrase that starts and prolongs the dominant. Measure 79-82 is yet another four bar phrase is the same as the beginning of the trio, only in Eb Major. Measure 83 starts a phrase that continues to progress higher until a fermata in measure 87. After the fermata, the piece goes back into the original key of Ab Major. There is a final five bar phrase of the trio that returns the piece to c minor to return back to the minuetto to finish the piece.

Beethoven used a lot of harmonically challenging approaches when composing this piece. He also gave a sense of clear cadence points in some places, and an overlapping of phrases in other places thus leaving the listener trying to decipher when a phrase begins or ends. The structure of this piece, as well as, the form and other musical characteristics are summed up in this paper giving an overview for the listener.