Ludwig van Beethoven was one of the great masters of the Classical and Romantic eras in music, and no genre summarizes his achievement better than the string quartet. This course will examine 16 works spread evenly throughout his early, middle, and late styles. The first six quartets reveal his consolidation of Mozart’s and Haydn’s techniques, the five middle quartets demonstrate his expansion of form and mastery of harmony, and the final five quartets, along with the “Grosse Fuge,” invite us into the experimental realm of the deaf and isolated composer. The first session surveys Beethoven’s life and career; the subsequent three classes are devoted to each of his three style periods, including an in-depth examination of one representative quartet. It is not necessary to read music for this class, and excerpts from Beethoven’s works will be played on recordings and by Dr. Rosenblatt at the piano.