The melodic-linear treatment of the initial and principal theme (an untroubled, cheerful song resting upon a pulsating chordal foundation, with little concern for harmonic progression) resembles, as Bücken notes, “the multi-voiced music in the style of the organum, still common among the Russian people today.” Various thematic elements mark the gradual transition to the second theme, which complements the first by providing greater melodic fullness. Yet, it soon gives way again to the prevailing motion, which is interrupted by a typical alternation of chords between the violins on one side, and the viola and cello on the other—a device that, though in a different expressive context, also appears in the first movement of the Fifth Symphony. This leads to the clear and decisive cadence in C major that concludes the exposition.

In the extensive and varied development and coda, all of these secondary elements—thus far presented primarily in a linear fashion—gradually enter into closer interplay both with each other and with the ever-present principal theme. They merge into a serene and joyful expression, which defines the overall character of the movement.

The Allegretto vivace e sempre scherzando, which follows as the second movement, is a page of rare artistic delicacy, shaped by poetic imagination and technical refinement. Over the pulse of a rhythmic theme—unchanging in its core structure but continually varied in appearance—sweet melodic figures are exchanged among the instruments. The final of these assumes the character of a melancholic, sentimental song: a mere detail within the broader form, yet one that contributes decisively to its individuality. Thayer-Riemann suggests it may be of Russian origin, though we are in no position to confirm this. A similar motif can be found in the Matador Chorus of La Traviata. There is an expressive affinity with other Beethovenian themes, notably in the finales of the Violin Concerto, Op. 61, and the String Quartet, Op. 95, as previously observed.

The Adagio molto e mesto recalls the Funeral March from the Eroica Symphony, though it is less somber and more lyrically open. At its core lies a mournful theme, developed in a manner that has rightly been described as melodic polyphony. A second theme in the major mode serves only briefly to soften the movement’s lamenting outpouring, which is abruptly cut short at the very end by a cadential passage for the first violin that introduces the final movement.

This final movement, as previously mentioned, is based on a Russian theme of strong rhythmic consistency. However, it cannot be assigned a distinctly joyful or sorrowful character; rather, the composer shapes it alternately in one direction or the other, integrating it with two additional (original) themes. The first appears in the second violin, supported by the pulsating octaves of the first violin and offbeat responses in the lower instruments. It is later transposed to the minor mode in the cello and first violin. The second theme is even more rhythmically defined and square in phrasing, articulated in the lower strings beneath the brilliant figuration of the upper instruments—and later vice versa.

Taken as a whole, this movement presents considerable instrumental interest, though it is perhaps less internally rich than the preceding three. Schering draws a literary parallel between this quartet and Goethe’s Wilhelm Meister. He suggests the following correspondences:

• First movement: Book II, Chapters 1–3 – Lotte in the soul of the young Wilhelm Meister

• Second movement: Book II, Chapter 8 – Mignon’s dance before Wilhelm Meister

• Third movement: Book II, Chapter 13 – The Harpist’s Song: “Who gives himself to solitude…”

• Fourth movement: Book II, Chapter 4 – Procession of acrobats and jugglers

The Allegro possesses an agitated and melancholic character. The first theme, introduced with the imperative force of two chords characterized by a leap of a fifth, unfolds briefly with very concise auxiliary elements. The second theme also offers only a short melodic effusion before continuing into motion-driven figures. Among these, a crescendo built on syncopated rhythms over a rich progression of chords prefigures the one found in the Trio of the Scherzo from the Seventh Symphony. In the development section—based on the same materials, excluding the second theme—the sense of unrest increases, culminating in the recapitulation, which is driven with dramatic fervor through a unison passage. The Coda functions as a condensed and more intense secondary development, sealed by the impetuous final outburst of the theme.

It is said that Beethoven conceived the idea for the Adagio during a night walk through the countryside near Baden, gazing at the starry sky and “reflecting on the harmony of the spheres.”

Regardless of the anecdote, it is undeniable that the movement in question—marked in the score as to be played con molto sentimento—bears the character of a nocturne. It is built upon a chorale-like theme, fully presented at the outset and subsequently varied throughout the movement, interwoven with other melodic elements that at times take precedence, shifting the expressive tone into realms of tender sweetness.

At moments, the affect seems akin to that of the second movement of Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony (in the same key of E major), while at others the sidereal brightness appears to dim, and night (to continue the imagery) fleetingly reveals a darker, more mysterious or even ominous dimension. Yet the mystical impression ultimately prevails.

In contrast, the Allegretto—with its jolting theme in the minor mode—returns in its first two sections to the spirit of the opening movement. Some have considered it a precursor to Chopin’s mazurka. In the Trio, the Russian theme is quickly introduced in the major key: the very same melody that Mussorgsky would incorporate sixty years later in Boris Godunov as a symbol of popular jubilation (the people’s chorus during the coronation scene), and which Rimsky-Korsakov would also later use in The Tsar’s Bride.

Presented in fugal style and animated by a nimble accompanying figuration that enhances its festive character, the theme is passed from one instrument to another in dynamic alternation, swelling with crescendo and receding into a soft, melancholic decline that prepares the return to the first two sections.

The Finale plays with spirit upon the resources of refrains, couplets, and reprises, in a rhythmic and instrumental figuration that would later shape the distinct profile of the corresponding movement in the String Quartet in C-sharp minor, Op. 131. There is nothing tragic or passionate here; rather, it seems an immaterial transposition, into the string quartet medium, of a march of fifes and drums, again evoking picturesque and folk-like imagery.

Schering links this quartet to Jean Paul’s Flegeljahre (The Awkward Age), proposing the following parallels:

• First movement: Chapter 62 – Portrait of the passionate Vult, burning with jealousy

• Second movement: Portrait of the dreamer Walt, his brother (in connection with the narrative of his musical experiences, in Chapter 250)

• Third movement: Chapter 63 – Masked ball scene; the dance of Wina and Walt

• Fourth movement: Continuation of the masked ball; Wina’s dance with Vult, and their ardent declaration of love

A defining characteristic of this Quartet—excluding, however, the second movement due to its distinct expressive nature—is the affirmation of strength and willpower, entirely devoid of lyrical sentiment. This may well have earned it the perhaps hyperbolic nickname “Heroic Quartet.” A comparison might be drawn with Mozart’s Symphony in C major, also somewhat rhetorically dubbed Jupiter.

The introduction (Andante con moto), with its slow, dissonant chordal motion, establishes a dark atmosphere that lingers into the hesitant phrasing of the first theme of the Allegro vivace, entrusted to the solo violin. This hesitancy is then resolved with clarity in the second phrase, a forte statement by all four instruments, which, in the transition to and development of the second theme, adopts a more warmly open character.

Yet, the movement’s individuality is shaped less by the totality of its melodic-linear material than by the two-note motif that opens the first theme—a figure that in fact serves as the basis for the entire movement, including the second theme and all subsidiary elements. It poses a kind of interrogative or doubtful proposition that governs and sustains the musical discourse, coloring various expressive moments, forming the core of the development section (especially in the transitional episode leading to the recapitulation), and initiating the conclusion.

The Andante con moto, as previously noted, differs markedly in character from the other movements. A 1808 sketch (thus postdating the Quartet) for Collin’s Macbeth (Witches’ Chorus) bears some resemblance to the principal theme. The various musical elements that comprise the movement are linked by a certain affinity in melodic contour and rhythmic shape. Even what could be considered a second theme, in C major, never fully escapes the aura of nostalgic sadness that pervades the entire movement—imbued with a color that could once again be described as exotic, in the same sense previously noted when discussing a key characteristic of the Op. 59 quartets. Only occasionally does a pale ray of sunlight break through.

Beethoven’s recurring returns to the Minuet form, after so many freer and more agile Scherzi, often raise questions of aesthetic judgment. One might think of the Minuet of the Eighth Symphony or the Tempo di Minuetto that opens the Piano Sonata Op. 54. The present movement can plausibly be regarded as a reaction to the overly intense Romanticism of the preceding era. Thus, too, the Trio, whose opening evokes the effect of an entrance by wind instruments (woodwinds and horns), carries an almost rustic boldness.

A Coda restates the theme from the first section as a transitional element leading into the Finale (Allegro), which enters after a suspended cadence, in the form of a fugue. This fugue, freely treated, unfolds with a resolute drive that matches the overall spirit of the Quartet.

In the margins of a sketch, Beethoven wrote: “Just as today you throw yourself into the whirl of society, so too is it possible to write works in spite of all social obstacles. Let your deafness no longer be a secret, not even to Art.”

Schering associates this Quartet with Don Quixote:

• Introduction, Book I, Ch. 1: Don Quixote meditates on books of chivalry

• First Movement, Book I, Ch. 2: Departure on horseback from La Mancha; joyful anticipation of heroic deeds, concern over not yet being knighted; Don Quixote’s soliloquies until sunset

• Second Movement, Book II, Ch. 3: Antonio’s Romance: “I know you love me, Olalla”

• Third Movement, Book IV, Ch. 2: Gallant scene between the maiden Dorotea and Don Quixote; his chivalrous promise (in the Coda: the knight’s departure)

• Fourth Movement, Book I, Ch. 8 and Book II, Ch. 1: Don Quixote rides into battle; fight against the windmills; battle with the Biscayan; victory and pride of Don Quixote