Beethoven Septet

Although Beethoven’s Septet, Op. 20 proved to be one of the composer’s most popular and enduring works during his lifetime — much to his chagrin — the effortlessly charming qualities of the work shine through to this day. The piece is written in the form of a grand divertissement, a large scale work of about an hour in length that was fashionable amongst the aristocracy well into the nineteenth century, and includes such works as Mozart’s Gran Partita and Schubert’s Octet. Pulitzer Prize winning composer Caroline Shaw's Blueprint nods to Beethoven's sixth string quartet through conversation and earnest homage. The work, based on the harmonic structure of Beethoven's quartet, belies its seeming naïveté with its thoroughly contemporary voice that nonetheless remains deeply referential.