5 Facts About Beethoven’s Last Completed Major Work

Op. 135 is Beethoven’s final completed major composition. It was finished in October 1826, less than a year before his death.

The piece is a string quartet in F major. It consists of four movements, with the last one famously marked “Der schwer gefasste Entschluss” (The Difficult Decision).

Beethoven wrote a cryptic motto over the final movement. The score includes the words “Muss es sein? Es muss sein!” (Must it be? It must be!), reflecting a philosophical question.

It is shorter and lighter than his late quartets. Unlike the monumental Op. 130 or Op. 131, Op. 135 is more concise and accessible.

The quartet premiered after Beethoven’s death. It was first performed in March 1828, nearly a year after he died.