All 16 quartets and the Grosse Fuge are analyzed bar by bar and theme by theme in this classic study of one of the major bodies of work in Western heritage. This classic work is an insightful elucidation of Beethoven's unparalleled quartets, written to be accessible to all readers, regardless of background. The clear, detailed analyses and the wealth of documentary material combine to make this book perhaps the most complete and authoritative study of Beethoven's quartets ever written, as well as one of the most enjoyable and readable. Preface by Gabriel Fauré.