Beethoven: String Quintets Op. 29 and 104, Fugue Op. 137

Album review

Eclipsed by the reputation and grandeur of his sublime quartets, Beethoven’s two string quintets that are presented here are largely overlooked. Although the Opus 29 was a piece originally composed for the formation made famous by Mozart, Opus 104, with its two violins, two violas and cello was in fact a transcription of a transcription. Its story is in fact rather interesting: an amateur musician by the name of Kaufmann had sent a transcription to Beethoven for a string quintet of his Piano trio in C minor, Op. 1 n°3, the harmonic qualities of which were still bewildering the public. But the transcription, which Beethoven deemed clumsy, prompted him to try and write one one himself, accompanied by an ironic and somewhat acerbic dedication at the expense of the unfortunate musician.

Composed after the great cycle of the Six Quartets, Op. 18, the Quintet in C major, Op. 29 exploits the rich tone of the five instruments, more than the thematic or contrapuntal writing. Indeed, it’s this acoustic expansion and richness of contrast that seduces the listener here. The very brief Fugue, Op. 137 (only just 2 minutes) composed in 1817 comes from a point in time when Beethoven was experimenting with the old format of the fugue looking to find a poetic and expressive element from it. It’s a work born out of circumstance composed for a Viennese editor who was planning the first complete edition of his works.
The WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne Chamber Players all originated from the famous German orchestra. Their first album, dedicated to the two Quintets by Brahms, was lauded by specialist publications worldwide, success which was magnified by a tour of the main concert halls of China. This beautiful contribution to the Year of Beethoven will certainly not fly under the radar. © François Hudry/Qobuz