[Op. 29]. Quintetto Pour 2 Violons, 2 Altos et Violoncelle

Leipsic: Breitkopf & Härtel [PN 94], 1802. Folio. Unbound, as issued. Preserved in a modern full dark green cloth folder with black leather label gilt to spine. [1] (title), 2-13; 9; 8; 8; 8 pp. Engraved. Early signature to title.

Slightly browned throughout; repairs to spine of first violin part with slight paper loss. First Edition. Rare. LvBWV v.1 , p. 173. Hirsch IV, 267. Dorfmüller-Weinhold, p. 211. Hoboken 2, 153.

"Between the Op. 18 Quartets and those of Op. 59 lie about six or seven years and the 'Eroica.' A whole world, in Beethoven's terms... The bridge between the two worlds is built of works other than quartets, and the only piece of chamber music for strings belonging to this interim stage is the splendid Quintet in C, Op. 29 (with two violas), which lies nearer to the first than to the second period. This work, which may be in some ways regarded as a crown to Op. 18, is still shamefully neglected. As a whole it has greater breadth and economy of line than even the F major Quartet, Op. 18, No. 1... Although there is a sufficiency of accomplished five-part writing and one gets the strong impression for much of the time that the quintet is... an enriched quartet, Beethoven contrives also to create from time to time an almost orchestral richness and weight, especially in the vividly resourceful 'storm finale." Arnold and Fortune, eds.: The Beethoven Reader, p. 251.