Which Beethoven works contain notable fugato passages?

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Ludwig van Beethoven frequently utilized fugato—a passage in fugal style within a non-fugal context—as a means of thematic development throughout his career. Notable examples of his use of this technique include:

  • String Quartet in C Minor, Opus 18, No. 4: The second movement begins with extensive fugato passages.1
  • Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Opus 21: The slow movement features a treatment similar to the fugato found in his early string quartets.1
  • Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major: The finale contains notable fugato passages.2
  • Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor: The finale also incorporates the technique.2
  • Symphony No. 7 in A Major: The slow movement features fugato.2
  • Symphony No. 9 in D Minor: The "Scherzo" movement utilizes fugato.2

While Beethoven is celebrated for these fugato passages, he also famously "rediscovered" and expanded the formal fugue in his later works, such as the Grosse Fuge and the finale of the Hammerklavier sonata.1