The second half of our recital begins with Beethoven, whose quartet was commissioned by the Russian Prince Nicolas Galitzin, thus    bringing Beethoven back to quartet writing, at a time when he was in financial difficulties and working also on his 9th Symphony.  Initially,  despite its first performance being delayed, it was not well-received, being described as “incomprehensible”.  After a chorale-like  introduction, the music rises in steps until an elaborate trill leads to the Allegro section of the movement.  The second movement has six  Variations and a Coda.  In the first of these, there are dark harmonies and quick changes in dynamics whereas in the second, the violins are in dialogue over a staccato accompaniment.  The third then shifts to a hymn-like adagio.  The fourth Variation leads to the fifth which is “sotto voce” and has been called a “mysterious” episode following which the final variation connects directly to the Coda.  The Scherzo is dance-like, featuring a dotted rhythm and is the most contrapuntal movement in the work and similar to some of Beethoven’s  “Bagatelles”.  The final movement, the Allegro, is in sonata-form, its 4-bar opening being expanded into an 11-bar harmonic recall.