6 Works in Beethoven’s Late String Quartets

Op. 127 in E-flat major This quartet opens the late period with a lyrical and expansive first movement.

Op. 130 in B-flat major Originally ended with the Grosse Fuge, but Beethoven later replaced it with a lighter finale.

Op. 131 in C-sharp minor A single, uninterrupted work in seven linked movements, often considered the most profound of the set.

Op. 132 in A minor Features a slow movement titled “Holy Song of Thanksgiving,” written after Beethoven recovered from an illness.

Op. 135 in F major The shortest and most playful of the late quartets, ending with a question-and-answer motto.

Grosse Fuge (Op. 133) Originally the finale of Op. 130, this massive fugue was published separately and is one of Beethoven’s most complex works.