Beethoven Op. 18, No. 5: An Introduction
The String Quartet in the Late 18th Century
By the late 18th century, the string quartet had come to embody the height of musical and intellectual artistry for composers. The genre, pioneered by Joseph Haydn, reached new heights with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s six “Haydn” Quartets, completed in 1785 and dedicated to Haydn himself. In 1798, the young Beethoven set out to prove his worth in this esteemed form by composing his own set of six string quartets, known as Opus 18.
Beethoven’s Opus 18 Quartets
Beethoven began these quartets at age 27—the same age as Mozart when he began his quartets dedicated to Haydn. Like Mozart, Beethoven took two years to complete these labours of love. Unlike his usual practice of working on multiple compositions simultaneously, he dedicated himself exclusively to Opus 18. As part of his rigorous preparation, Beethoven meticulously transcribed Haydn’s Op. 20 Quartets and two of Mozart’s own quartets, K. 464 and K. 387. He sought to learn from these masterpieces, whilst clearly intending to leave his own mark on the genre.
Op. 18, No. 5: A Tribute to Mozart
Beethoven wrote his Quartet in A major, Op. 18, No. 5, in the summer of 1799, following the completion of his Op. 18, No. 2, a piece that pays homage to Haydn’s style. For this A-major quartet, Beethoven looked specifically to Mozart’s K. 464 for inspiration.
Beethoven’s student, Carl Czerny, later recalled how Beethoven found Mozart’s ‘Haydn’ Quartets in his collection, opened the score to K. 464, and exclaimed: “This is what I call a work! Here Mozart is telling the world: ‘Look what I could do, only if you were ready for it.’” Inspired by this masterpiece, Beethoven set out to create a quartet in homage to Mozart, using the same tonality and movement structure as K. 464: Allegro Sonata Form, Minuet and Trio, Andante Theme and Variations, and an Allegro Sonata Form Finale.
Beethoven’s Own Voice
It’s important to note that while Beethoven used Mozart’s piece as inspiration and indeed appropriated certain material, he did not intend to imitate Mozart’s style. Beethoven’s Op. 18, No. 5 remains distinctly his own. Though Mozart’s clarity and balance can be heard, the style often leans closer to Haydn in its wit and motivic development, showcasing Beethoven’s unique voice even at this early stage. This quartet stands as a tribute to his admired predecessor and a testament to Beethoven’s own budding originality.
A Glimpse of a Visionary
After completing Op. 18, Beethoven would go on to revolutionise the string quartet, ultimately breaking away from the classical conventions of Haydn and Mozart to forge a bold new path. With Op. 18, No. 5, he pays homage to the masters who came before him, while offering a glimpse of the visionary composer he would soon become—a musician whose work would change the genre forever.