String Quartets in Beethoven's Europe

String Quartets in Beethovens Europe is the first detailed study of string quartets in late-eighteenth- and early-nineteenth-century Europe. It brings together the work of nine scholars who explore little-studied aspects of this multi-faceted genre. Together, this books chapters deal with compositional responses to Beethovens string quartets and the prestige of the genre; varied compositional practices in string quartet writing, with a particular emphasis on texture and performance elements; and the reception of Beethovens string quartets ca. 1800. They include discussions of quartets composed for the amateur and connoisseur markets in Beethovens Europe; virtuosity, the French Violin School, and the quatuor brillant; the relationship between quartet composers and their audiences during Beethovens era; and the cross-pollination of quartet styles in Europes musical centers such as Vienna, Paris, and St. Petersburg.