Page:Rolland - Beethoven, tr. Hull, 1927.pdf/221

 approach to Brahms. The Andante is really a Scherzo treated like an Andante in form. The third movement is cast in the rhythm of a German country dance; the theme is varied on its reappearance. The famous Cavatina has a remarkable beklemmt (fear) episode and a wonderful Bebung chord at the close. The lovely second subject of The Finale has been used by Borodin as a theme in the Finale of his Second Quartet. There is a very proper little Fugue in the development portion. The original Finale was published separately as Opus 133; it is a terrificly long-drawn Fugue and is regarded as almost incomprehensible by even the most ardent admirers of Beethoven's third style.

Although marked off in separate movements, this quartet is practically one long continuous piece. It opens with a mystic Fugue, organ-like in character and contains several fine enharmonic changes of key. At the Allegro molto vivace the tonality is lifted a semitone. This movement is light in character and simple in texture, almost Mozartian. An air with variations is approached