Deryk Barker wrote on Simpson's book The Symphony:

>And the chapters on Sibelius, Schmidt and Mahler, the last of which contains
>the follolwing, IMHO wonderfully perceptive remark:
>
>of this [the 9th symphony] I will say only that the great and unearthly
>Rondo-song which forms its first movement is a rare example of music
>influenced by Beethoven's last period.

It seems to me that the Bartok Quartets were profoundly influenced by
Beethoven's last period as well.

Bernard Chasan