Beethoven's quartets show a technical mastery, depth of thought, and intensity of musical inspiration unsurpassed by any other composer. They cover virtually the whole period of Beethoven's creative life, and together they comprise one of the most remarkable of all series of musical compositions. This book, by a leading musical scholar, goes far to match the importance of its subject. The bulk of the book is taken up with detailed analyses, broad in comprehension and written with an easy brilliance of style, of each quartet. Integrated into these analyses are more general discussions of style and other matters of wider interest. The whole work is a superb critical study and a major contribution to Beethoven studies.