BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Wednesday, January 11, 1826

Although Beethoven has finished the three commissioned string quartets for Prince Nikolai Galitzin, he still has more to say through this form of ensemble. The fact that both op.127 and 132 (the only late quartets that have been publicly performed thus far) have been notable successes and there are publishers anxious to publish more of them probably does not hurt either. In any event, by now Beethoven is almost certainly working on the first movement of what will become the Quartet in C-sharp minor, op.131. This work is primarily being done in the Kullak desk sketchbook, along with several pocket sketchbooks.