Beethoven's Große Fuge (Great Fugue), originally conceived as the finale to his String Quartet No. 13, stands as one of the most radical and complex compositions of the classical era. Its dense counterpoint and daring harmonic language baffled contemporary audiences but is now regarded as a visionary masterpiece of musical modernism.
Originally conceived as the finale to Beethoven's String Quartet No. 13, the Große Fuge was so avant-garde that it was later published separately as Op. 133. Its dense counterpoint and emotional intensity foreshadowed 20th-century musical developments.
