String Quartet No. 13 (Shostakovich)

Dmitri Shostakovich's String Quartet No. 13 in B-flat minor, Op. 138, was first conceived in 1969, and completed in 1970 as Shostakovich was undergoing treatment at the Russian Ilizarov Scientific Center for Restorative Traumatology and Orthopaedics in Kurgan.

The work consists of one movement:

1. Adagio — Doppio movimento — Tempo primo

Playing time is approximately 19 minutes.

The piece was dedicated to Vadim Borisovsky, violist of the Beethoven Quartet, and the viola is accordingly given a prominent role in the piece. The quartet opens with a twelve-tone theme played on the viola, and concludes with a high B♭ held first by the viola, then with the violins in unison until reaching a sforzando. The work also requires the players to tap on the bodies of their instruments with their bows at several points.

References

• Matthew-Walker, Robert (2002). Shostakovich: String Quartets Nos 11, 13 & 15 (PDF) (CD). Hyperion Records. CDA67157. Retrieved 2019-09-27.
• Wilson, Elizabeth (1994). Shostakovich: A Life Remembered. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-04465-1.

External links

• "Shostakovich: the string quartets (String Quartet No. 13)". Shostakovich: the string quartets.
• Griffiths, Paul (2012). "Quartet No. 13 in B-flat minor for Strings, Op. 138". Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Centre. Archived from the original on 2016-06-21.