Mozart: String Quartet No.13 in D minor, K.173

Introduction

The six string quartets, K. 168–173, were composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in late 1773 in Vienna. These are popularly known as the Viennese Quartets. Mozart may have hoped to have them published at the time, but they were only published posthumously by Johann André in 1801 as Mozart's Op. 94.

These quartets represent a considerable advance on the Milanese Quartets from less than a year before. Each contains four movements, including minuets and trios. Mozart had been exposed to recently published quartets by Joseph Haydn (Opp. 9 and 17) and was incorporating many of their elements.

Quartet No. 13 in D minor, K. 173

1. Allegro moderato
2. Andante Grazioso
3. Menuetto
4. Allegro moderato

The beginning of the minuet is the same as the minuet from Haydn's Op. 9 No. 4 in D minor. The finale is a fugue whose subject begins with a descending chromatic fourth.