Though he faced increasing deafness, the early 1800s were perhaps the happiest years of Beethoven's life. His music was now highly regarded and measured against his own previous compositions rather than to Haydn and Mozart, and he was earning respectable money. He had become established in Vienna as a virtuoso pianist, composer of landmark works in all genres that pushed past norms of the day, and benefited from relationships with generous patrons. Confidence borne of all this, his reported naturally dramatic nature, and the stressful environment of Vienna enduring war for about half the 34 years Beethoven lived there, all enlivened him to take ever more risks with emboldened musicality.

It was in these years - 1806, specifically - that Beethoven composed his three “Razumovsky” Quartets. These were named for the Russian ambassador to Vienna who commissioned them, Count Andrey Kirillovich Razumovsky, also an amateur violinist. While Beethoven gave the first two quartets quotes of Russian themes, as requested by Razumovsky, the third does not quote any specific folk tune but perhaps evokes one in the sparse second movement which is also notable for its plucked pizzicato cello. The third movement opens with a familiar melody in a charming minuetto form. But if the second movement is texturally light, the final movement is thick as the players race to the finish in a fortissimo conclusion (marked ff in the score). Beethoven’s “Razumovsky” Quartet #3 is today’s Midday Masterpiece at 2:00 pm.