Mozart’s Quartet K. 464: Part IV
In the finale of Mozart’s Quartet K. 464, we encounter one of the most remarkable and thrilling finales in his oeuvre. The movement is built around two motifs introduced at the start, which Mozart uses to showcase his contrapuntal skills once again. These seemingly simple motifs become the foundation for a complex contrapuntal display. The development introduces additional motifs, further enriching the texture before presenting a calming chorale theme. The recapitulation incorporates even more motifs, culminating in a coda where Mozart’s contrapuntal mastery shines one last time, before the movement ends in a delicate whisper.
Fantastic finale
Beethoven’s finale to his first published quartet (Op. 18, No. 1) is a thrilling ride that is bursting with musical ideas, exciting contrapuntal passages, and surprises galore. It is a fitting finish to this glorious quartet that shows versatility, humour, surprise, and deep emotion.