Grosse Fuge

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Grosse Fuge (Great Fugue). Fugue in B♭ major for str. qt. by Beethoven. Intended as finale of his Str. Qt. No.13 in B♭ major, Op.130, comp. 1825–6. After f.p. in March 1826, the publisher Artaria persuaded Beethoven to substitute a less onerous finale, so the fugue was detached and pubd. as separate work, Op.133, in 1827. Beethoven made arr. for pf., 4 hands, Op.134. In recent times, some qts. have restored it as finale of Op.130. Although it is customary to refer to it by its Ger. title, Beethoven wrote the title in Fr., Grande Fugue tantôt libre tantôt recherché.