The Beethoven Quartet Companion

The initial motivation was to get Michael Steinberg's Notes On The Quartets. First thing I looked at was his Glossary, which is very useful for non musicians. I loved his circle of fifths diagram, but wish he'd added one for key signatures. -- Kerman's opening essay provides an interesting way of looking at the three stages of Beethoven's quartet output. (Early to late) The most interesting essay is Solomon's take on the old "Was Beethoven a classical or a romantic composer?" I've always thought the distinction made no difference and that Beethoven was a sui generis. Not to be put in any box. And that those who do so have some agenda. Solomon makes a similar argument but with a much more substantive scholarship and perspective. Very nice! The other articles offer interesting perspectives on the life and times in which the quartets first saw light and Martin's run-through of what a quartet's members do to prepare for the performance. All interesting. -- I've listened to these quartet's since my first mono vinyl of the Amadeus Quartet back in the 60's. And have managed to get along without any such background reading. But now I have the leisure it is nice to broaden the context and experience. Steinberg's analyis is very useful, though, in the end I found myself going on line and printing scores for movements I wanted to look at more closely and then dig out Tovey and other sources for more detail. But that's not to slight Steinberg's discussions, which are very useful. - Certainly recommended for detail and context which can only enhance your listening experience.

Editors deserve special praise for selecting the writing/annotations of Michael Steinberg on the individual quartets. A must for the chamber music lover's library. Softcover edition seemingly remains in print; hardcovers - the few available online - come at a price.

This book consists of a collection of essays about topics relevant to Beethoven's work on his sixteen string quartets, as well as a quartet-by-quartet analysis, much like you would see in program notes (only more thorough). The essay writers approach the quartets from several different angles: some write as musical performers while others as professional musicologists, but all are of excellent quality and give you insight into a particular aspect of Beethoven and his music.Another great characteristic of this book is its accessibility. Even though it would help to know how to read music, that is more or less the extent of the technical knowledge you need to enjoy this book. Because Beethoven's string quartets form a central part of his musical output, understanding these pieces is crucial to understanding his musical career (similarly for his piano sonatas and symphonies), and this book provides an excellent starting point for learning about the string quartets in-depth. After reading the enclosed essays, you'll want to listen to his quartets again (or anew!), with this book as your guide.

Includes usable guide to the quartets, and a couple of interesting essays. However, it could have been better. The guide is in many places too short, and an essay about the relation between the quartets and the other works of Beethoven would have been welcome.

Too academic for me but still like to read, good companion when listening.

I really can't figure out how many stars to give this book, because I think it depends on your musical expertise. For strong amateurs and professionals, it's apparently a 5-star book. It was way too advanced for me: I tried to read a few pages and just gave up.This book is a lot tougher than the usual liner notes which come with classical music.

Arrived in a timely manner, wrapped protectively. Comprehensive and detailed; eventhe notes are complete with sections of the music provided.

Force to buy, the Dec. 2010 order  Ludwig van Beethoven Complete String Quartets has not arrived yet. Request refund.

Historical and social background to some of the most important and difficult music ever written. The author is a practising musician of high calibre. It will take me a long time to work through the individual analyses of the pieces. A specialised book but very interesting