Beethoven, Große Fuge, op. 133, string quartet (animation ver. 4 w/barlines, no balls)

Ludwig van Beethoven's Große Fuge (Great Fugue), opus 133, accompanied by an animated score.

FAQ

Q: Where can I get free sheet music for this piece?
A: You can download score and parts from IMSLP:
http://tinyurl.com/op133dover

Q: Where can I learn more about this piece?
A: The Wikipedia article is pretty good
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grosse_fuge
and this New Yorker article about a recently discovered manuscript is interesting
http://tinyurl.com/newyorkergrossefuge

Q: Who is performing?
A: I don't know. I licensed this recording from Royalty-Free Classical Music (dot com) through Shockwave (dot com), and they don't say who their performers are.

Q: I'm having trouble following the rhythm.
A: I'm not surprised; it's highly syncopated. I've done a couple of versions with barlines in them. First, here's a bar-graph-only version with barlines:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7q8t6K5ygw
Next, here's a version with both balls and barlines:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHxukzT31do
If you don't like the balls, here's a bar-graph-only without barlines:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnjvJDi8BPg
And, here's the original (bar-graph with balls, but no barlines):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6s0Mp7LFI-k

Q: Is there a way I could make the bar-graph scores myself?
A: The Music Animation Machine MIDI file player will generate this display; you can get the (Windows) software here:
http://www.musanim.com/player/
There are lots of places on the web where you can get MIDI files; I usually go to the Classical Archives site first:
http://www.classicalarchives.com/

Q: Could you please do a MAM video of _________?
A: Please read this:
http://www.musanim.com/all/MAMRequests.html
.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• counterpoint
• masterpiece
• contrapuntal

[TheDougster123]

Who heard the footsteps 5:34?

[convolvulus1]

The miracle of this piece is not the parts, but the whole, especially the almost lyrical transformation of the main fugal theme that takes place in the last few bars. This has always got me. It's as if these titanic struggles that have been taking place in the body of the work suddenly find a completely satisying resolution. There is a kind of triumphant hope in that which we need more than ever.

[marianoarenaza]

No se supone que tenga que ser linda. este tipo no sabia lo lejos que estaba llegando! hacia musica moderna en el 1800

[cloudrebelio]

you cant listen to this music, you must feel it

[Fram2000]

This is just beatifuel. I got a copy of this master piece several years ago on a casette. Non working word anymore. This must have been punk music the time Beethoven released it. I love it! Thanks Musanim..

[Gargantupimp]

@nphony Who fukin cares its better than anything stravinsky wrote and better than anything you could write.

BAtshit rythms dont equate to good music

[kaiserkill]

great, thanks!

[HolyMotherofGrid]

Awesome!!!!  This is one of my ALL-TIME favorite Beethoven masterpieces - and to see it graphically like this is pure joy for me. Thank you. I hope you do lots more great music in this format - it truly helps one understand and even "feel" the art better.

[nphony]

@energycore345 Of course that's right. I was reacting to a mix of my own feelings about it and the Stravinsky quote at the end of the video. I fundamentally do not share Stravinsky's impression of the piece.

[energycore345]

@nphony You can not talk about the fugue as though it was contemporary, because in the end it is Beethoven's, nevermind his deafness.