Mendelssohn: String Quartets Op.13 & Op.80

On this CD:

1. String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 13
Composed by Felix Mendelssohn

2. String Quartet No. 6 in F minor, Op. 80
Composed by Felix Mendelssohn

Tracks:

I. Adagio - Allegro Vivace
II. Adagio Non Lento
III. Intermezzo: Allegretto Con Moto
IV. Presto
A Tempo Ordinario
I. Adaigo Non Troppo - Allegro Non Tardante
II. Canzonetta: Allegretto
III. Andante Espressivo
IV. Molto Allegro E Vivace

Tracks:

I. Allegro Assai Appassionato
II. Scherzo: Allegro Di Molto
III. Andante
IV. Presto Agitato
I. Allegro Vivace
II. Scherzo: Assai Leggiero Vivace
III. Adagio Non Troppo
IV. Molto Allegro Con Fuoco

Tracks:

I. Molto Allegro Vivace
II. Menuetto: Un Poco Allegretto
III. Andante Espressivo Ma Con Moto
IV. Presto Con Brio
Andante con Moto - Allegro Fugato, Assai Vivace
I. Allegro Vivace Assai
II. Allegro Assai
III. Adagio
IV. Finale: Allegro Molto
Andante Sostenuto
Allegro Leggiero

Tracks:

I. Allegro Moderato, Ma Con Fuoco
II. Andante
III. Scherzo: Allegro Leggierissimo
IV. Presto
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Adagio Non Troppo
III. Minuetto
IV. Fuga

Amazon.com

Trust the Emerson Quartet to do nothing by halves. This 4-CD set presents all of Mendelssohn's quartets, including one written at 14, the five pieces Op. 81, as well as the Octet. This set should disprove the assertion that Mendelssohn, a sensational prodigy, blossomed young and never developed further. The difference in compositional skill and emotional depth between the early and late quartets is unmistakable; the miracle is that he could write the Octet at 16. The quartets are of uneven quality: Op. 44 No. 3 is distinctly inferior to the more-familiar Nos. 1 and 2; of the two Fugues Op. 81, the later one is far better. The quartets Op. 12 and 13 (written in reverse order) pay homage to Beethoven in Mendelssohn's very own romantic voice. Op. 80 is masterful although perhaps less disciplined: written just after his beloved sister Fanny's death and shortly before his own, it is a turbulent, heart-rending outcry of anguish. Some of the most-magical moments occur in the inimitable Scherzi and Intermezzi. The performances are vintage Emerson: impeccable individually and together, beautiful in sound, clear, carefully worked out. Although generally a little cool, they can rise to considerable warmth and passion. Not surprisingly, the best pieces elicit the most involved, exciting playing. As always, the violinists switch parts, but the whole group also alternates old Italian and modern American instruments, for the players have a surprise in store: they give the Octet a new twist by "doubling" on all eight parts through a complicated process of over-dubbing (a documentary video of the recording process is included). Here, using the different instruments is intended to combine the old and the new and to give the voices more-distinct timbres. However, the differences throughout are imperceptible. The idea of playing the Octet with themselves, so to speak, is intriguing, but the result is disappointing. Hearing four rather than eight individual voices is disconcerting, and worse, the balance is completely awry, especially in the corner movements. The busy tremolo accompaniment makes the middle register thick and heavy, the tone gets rough, important lines are obscured, and the Quartet's customary admirable textural transparency is lost. And even a cellist as splendid as David Finckel cannot save the opening of the Fugue from sounding like a growl. This may be a triumph of recording technology, but it adds nothing to the music or the performance. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

First Rate Performances.......2006-09-18

This is a series of first rate performances by the outstanding Emerson String Quartet. They include all the Mendelssohn quartets, including rarely heard juvenile work, and as a bonus, the very enjoyable Octet. This is a good deal of lovely music. The Mendelssohn quartets, however, are generally excellent as opposed to outstanding chamber music. Well worth owning and listening to but a step below the pinnacles of the chamber literature.

Fantastic.......2006-07-01

I never have cared much for Mendelssohn, nor have I cared much for String Quartets, but after listening to the Emerson String Quartet's Shostakovich cycle and finding that I enjoyed it immensely, I undertook listening to the Mendelssohn cycle.

In the privacy of my living room, on several occasions I stood up and cheered! Absolutely magnificent. Enough said.

Highly recommended.

Beautiful Performances.......2005-09-10

Mendelssohn's string quartets are very appealing, tuneful works that engage the listener completely. Chamber music was an important part of Mendelssohn's output and one does not gain a full picture of his growth as a composer by only being familiar with his orchestral works. This 4-CD set by the Emerson String Quartet brilliantly explores not only the six numbered quartets but includes the shorter Op. 81 works (published after Mendelssohn's death), the student quartet (written when the composer was 14) and the stunning Octet for strings.

Naturally, the early quartets (written in 1827 and 1829 but published in reverse order in 1830) reflect the influence of other composers, most notably Beethoven. The movements of these quartets were linked by thematic ideas. The quartet in A minor uses Mendelssohn's song Frage (Question) as the musical link. The quartet in E-Flat (Op. 12) was composed during Mendelssohn's trip to the British Isles, which also inspired his Scottish Symphony and Hebrides Overture.

When Mendelssohn next turned to the form he was the director of the Gewandhaus and a famous composer. The composition of the three quartets Op. 44 (number 3, 4 and 5) occurred after his marriage to Cecile Jeanrenaud in 1837 and were composed during his two month long honeymoon. These quartets reflect the composer's maturity and accessible style. The sixth quartet was published after Mendelssohn's death and was written following the sudden death of his sister Fanny in May 1847. It follows that the quartet is darker than the others and is agitated and dissonant in tone; the first movement begins with dark tones from the cello then proceeds with a beautiful melody punctuated with tremolos. The scherzo is characterized by an unusual tempo that has a frantic quality to it. The Adagio allows Mendelssohn to fully express his grief and the Finale has the syncopated rhythm of the scherzo.

The five pieces collected as Op. 81 contain what probably are two movements for an unfinished quartet - a Theme and Variations in E major and Scherzo in A minor. It was reported by the composer Ignaz Moschelles that Mendelssohn was at work on a new string quartet before his death and of these two pieces the Theme and Variations is closest to the description of the work. The earliest of Mendelssohn's quartets appears last on the CDs and is a pleasant work written under the influence of Mozart and Haydn.
The Octet receives a marvelous performance with the Emerson playing all of the parts with each member playing different instruments and seated in different positions during the recording sessions.

The performances are impeccable with beautiful and clear sound. I purchased the set anticipating a performance of three of the quartets by the Emerson. As I have listened to the set the warmth and sensitivity of the playing makes this the Mendelssohn quartets to own. I have only become interested in chamber music in recent years and Mendelssohn was a natural choice for me because of his gift of melody. I think this music would appeal to someone getting to know chamber music.

LIKE WATER FROM A PUBLIC FOUNTAIN.......2005-05-12

That was Wagner's dismissive description of the music of Mendelssohn. In the later 19th century there was a critical reaction against both of the great Germans who had dominated English music for a century and a half overall, Handel and Mendelssohn. As is usual with such debunking, much of it was trivial and petulant. However Handel has recovered strongly over the last 50 years and by now is probably almost as familiar as Bach is, whereas Mendelssohn has not. The popular favourites among his compositions have never ceased to be that, but opportunities to hear most of his chamber music and songs are still rare. I am myself in the happy position of having attended two years ago a festival dedicated to those sides of his output, and consequently I know the works on this distinguished set fairly well.

The performers are the Emerson Quartet, and the quality of their work is well known. In every imaginable respect it is superlatively good. Technically these accounts are flawless, and in terms of comprehension of the music and insight into the spirit of the composer I prefer to learn from them rather than to pass otiose comment. There are 7 complete quartets here, plus 5 isolated movements. Being moderately familiar with the music I would advise newcomers that the approach taken throughout is `normal' in the best sense and free from idiosyncrasies - if you are looking for `model' performances of these works this would be where to look. Mendelssohn's tempo markings, unlike those of greater composers such as Beethoven Schubert and Brahms, are almost invariably clear and unambiguous. In the one case where a bit of interpretation is called for, the central two movements of the D major quartet op44/1, I am convinced and delighted by the solution adopted. The Emersons take the minuet slowly and the following `andante con moto' at a very flowing pace, almost like an andante in Handel, so that the minuet seems like the slow movement and the andante like an intermezzo in moderate tempo.

I love Mendelssohn and I love these quartets. However I can't get it out of my mind that Wagner had a bit of a point. Shaw complains of Mendelssohn's `kid-glove gentility' and he is uncomfortably near the bone. Mendelssohn is truly unique, and what he does best he does better than anybody. At the age of 16 or 17 he turned out the octet, the rondo capriccioso for piano and the Midsummer Night's Dream overture, all of them truly astounding. However by age 20 he was only one precocious prodigy among a larger number who had caught up by then and went on to surpass him. There is a definite sense of development as between the quartet he wrote at age 14 (contemporary with the string symphonies, which I commend strongly to those unfamiliar with them) where the unmistakable personal idiom has not yet quite emerged and the op12/13 quartets and then the op44's and later in which it has. However it's development within a narrow range of expression, and his early death means we can never know whether he had it in him to raise his game drastically, as Wagner and Verdi so spectacularly did when older than Mendelssohn lived to be.

The Emersons have also taken it into their heads to record the octet played by themselves only. People with their amount of talent must be tempted to such brilliant but completely dotty schemes at times. There is an enthusiastic contribution to the liner-note by Eugene Drucker, and the disc will run on a pc to show the process of recording. I can confirm that it actually does this, but I have no sound-card nor any wish for one, so all I can attest is the visual aspect, and only a little of that. I must also warn that I had difficulty in getting the exit-button to obey me. As a performance it is really very good, with the finale fully up to speed as I like it, and I would never have known what nonsense they were getting up to. However something goes wrong with the recording, which is very bottom-heavy in the first movement in particular.

Otherwise the recording is excellent. The main liner-note is fine if a little lengthy. When I began to think it didn't really say a lot, that brought me back to the question - how much, really, is there to say?

Mendelssohn: The Complete String Quartets / Pacifica Quartet

Average customer rating:

Be Certain to Preview Before Buying
Young Contenders

Mendelssohn: The Complete String Quartets / Pacifica Quartet
Felix Mendelssohn , and Pacifica Quartet
Manufacturer: Cedille
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Declarations: Music Between the Wars
Mendelssohn: Octet; Quintets Nos. 1 & 2; Quartet No. 2
String Quartet No 13 in G, Op 106 and String Quintet in E flat Op 97
Shostakovich: Violin Concerto No. 1; Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 1
Scarlatti: Piano Sonatas

ASIN: B00082ZSIY
Release Date: 2005-04-26

Album Description

One of today's most dynamic and exciting ensembles, the Pacifica Quartet celebrates its 10th anniversary with a three-CD set of Mendelssohn's complete string quartet cycle. Known for its "stunningly expressive performances" (The Guardian) and "ideal balance" (Washington Post), the youthful Pacifica is a perfect match for this early Romantic composer's exuberant chamber music.

Customer Reviews:

Be Certain to Preview Before Buying.......2006-02-24

I had heard rave reviews for this box set so many times, that I decided to buy it and check it out. I hate being critical, but I also don't want others to just blindly go by other's opinions, which could possibly be biased. Classics Today gave this a 10 out of 10, but understand that Cedille Records is a major sponsor of theirs, and they always give high ratings to their records.

To sum up my impression of this CD, while they are very competent performances, they are far from excellent in my opinion. Perhaps it is just me, but I can swear the first violinist is SLIGHTLY off pitch in certain moments, noticeably the second movement in Op. 80. I am not fond of her technique either. She at times "feels" for the notes, rather than immediately hitting them right away, producing a glissando effect where none is called for. To me they draw attention to themselves performing the pieces. In other words, I can hear them in the process, not just the music itself being itself, which is overall the good mark of an excellent recording. This might be their youth, and I see this ensemble perhaps being one of the great ones down the road.

In sum, don't go by my word, or all the over-positive hype either. Listen to this recording before you purchase it. If you can't, then I personally would stick with the Talich Quartet's version (which Classics Today rightly praised), or for an older analogue version, the Melos Quartet on DG.

Young Contenders.......2005-08-03

When I first heard the Pacifica Quartet in New York last year, I was mightily impressed. Here was a young quartet that had the potential to take its place among the first ranks of quartets playing today. Listening to their complete Mendelssohn string quartets, I am more than confirmed in my initial enthusiasm. They have beautiful sound, refinement, energy - in short, a high quality quartet and a 3 CD set that I personally treasure.

Average customer rating:

Gemutlich Mendelssohn from the Ysaye Quartet
Another fine offering by Trio.
A Gem from "Trio"

Complete String Quartets
Felix Mendelssohn , and Quatuor Ysaye
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Beethoven: Complete Violin Sonatas
Mendelssohn: Piano Sextet, Op. 110; Piano Quartet No. 1
Mendelssohn: String Symphonies Vol. 2, Nos. 7-9
Mendelssohn: String Quartets, Vol. 2
Mendelssohn: String Symphonies, Vol. 3

ASIN: B000076GYH
Release Date: 2003-01-14

Customer Reviews:

Gemutlich Mendelssohn from the Ysaye Quartet.......2006-05-10

If you like your Mendelssohn mellow and refined, this may well be the set for you. Certainly, some of these works are genteel and angst free. This is especially true of the First and Fifth Quartets, and in these works and the slightly more dramatic No. 2, the Ysaye Quartet are at their best. They're at their very best in No. 5, which in its easy melodiousness and bubbling good spirits is like Hausmusic, the stuff 19th-century composers turned out for performance by amateurs in the home. Except that Mendelssohn's difficult music requires four first-rate performers. The last movement especially is Mendelssohn at his most smilingly infectious, and the Ysaye are hard to beat here.

In Quartet No. 4 (No. 2 of Opus 44), however, they are anything but passionate about Mendelssohn's appasionata first movement, and they are almost as low key in my favorite among the quartets, No. 3 (Opus 44 No. 1). A comparison with the Aurora Quartet, also at budget price on Naxos, is instructive. The Aurora throw themselves into the music with what seems like dangerous abandon, except that they maintain rock-solid intonation and hit every note like a master carpenter driving home a nail. The Ysaye slow down appreciably for the minor-key second melody and for parts of the development section. Their playing is so good you hardly notice, but they take about three minutes longer in this movement than do the Aurora. The result is that the music is seriously lacking in the elan it should have in a truly fine performance. But this is perhaps the only outright disappointment in the set.

Again, the Ysaye's performance of the Opus 80, Mendelssohn's final and greatest quartet, is moving when heard in isolation, but compare it with the white-hot intensity of the Aurora Quartet and you realize something is missing.

So for truly compelling readings of Nos. 3, 4, and 6, you'll have to look elsewhere. But for refined playing and an approach that brings out the Gemutlich charm of Mendelssohn, this is a very good set indeed. In terms of recording, at least, it is superior to the Aurora set, which lacks body and detail because of an overly resonant venue. Still, I'll return more often to the Aurora's performance of Nos. 3 and 6, for I think they have the measure of these two very different quartets.

Another fine offering by Trio........2005-09-24

Not only are the discs bargain-priced, but they are well-packaged with informative liner notes. The music is exceptional, and like much of Mendelssohn's chamberworks, it is not as celebrated as, say, the "Italian" Symphony or the Violin Concerto. However, the music spans much of Mendelssohn's composing life. The two early quartets, 1 & 2, Are written in a distinctly Beethovenian style with notable homage paid to Bach (there is a fair amount of counterpoint in the early pieces). The 3 middle quartets, op.44, are more in a classical vein than the earlier works, but show the composers skill with the style. The last quartet is not as strong a piece as the others, and the same can be said for the included fragments. It has been said that Mendelssohn's abilities as a composer began to wane as he became more and more sickly. It seems to hold when listening to the 6th quartet. However, it is interesting to listen to in the sense that it further illustrates yet another clear developmental period in the composer's life.
Being a fan of Mendelssohn, I could not resist the purchase. his scoring for strings is simply beautiful and that holds with these works. If you are interested in Mendelssohn through his popular works, you will find this works very accessible, and they will hold your attention. At this price it is worth a purchase.

A Gem from "Trio".......2004-06-06

While I have criticized a few of the releases in Universal's new "Trio" series in my previous reviews, the vast majority of these 3CD sets are important reissues. Take for example, Mendelssohn's Complete String Quartets by Quatuor Ysaye (Christophe Giovaninetti, violin I; Luc-Marie Aguera, violin II; Miguel da Silva, viola; Michel Poulet, cello). Prior to this release, there were no competing titles from the major labels, and none at all available at a budget-price from the independents save Naxos. But filling a void in the catalog is worthless unless the performances are good, and rest assured that these digital recordings from 1993 & '96 hit their mark. If the "Trio" series continues to focus its efforts on releases such as this, it will be very successful.

Mendelssohn: String Quartets Op. 13 & Op. 44 No. 3

Average customer rating:

Mendelssohn: String Quartets Op. 13 & Op. 44 No. 3
Henschel Quartet
Manufacturer: Arte Nova Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Mendelssohn: String Quartets Op.44 1-2 & Op.81
Mendelssohn: String Quartets, Opp. 12 & 80

ASIN: B000AMPZOE
Release Date: 2005-09-13

Tracks:

I. Adagio. Allegro Vivace
II. Adagio Non Lento
III. Intermezzo: Allegretto Con Mot. Allegro Di Molto
IV. Presto. Adagio Non Lento
I. Allegro Vivace
II. Scherzo: Assai Leggiero Vivace
III. Adagio Non Troppo
IV. Molto Allegro Con Fuoco

Album Description

A total of eight works by Mendelssohn have come down to us which can be ascribed to the genre of the string quartet. Already in his first proper quartets we can see that the young composer was not only building on the classical models of Haydn and Mozart, but had also made an intensive and creative study of Beethoven's late quartet works. The Henschel Quartet have been awarded a number of prizes for their interpretations, e.g. for their much-recognized recording of Ginastera string quartets for Arte Nova. The quartet performs regularly in prestigious chamber music cycles worldwide and is a guest at numerous renowned music festivals. The Henschel Quartet has won numerous prizes since 1995, and their highly-acclaimed stand-in for the Juilliard Quartet in London's Wigmore Hall, broadcasted by the BBC, led to international recognition as one of today's finest chambe ensembles.

Mendelssohn: String Quartets, Opp. 12 & 13

Average customer rating:

Mendelssohn: String Quartets, Opp. 12 & 13

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Brahms: String Quintets Nos. 1 & 2, Opp. 88 & 111
Dvorák, Tchaikovsky, Borodin: Quartets

ASIN: B00005NWO1
Release Date: 2001-09-11

Tracks:

Str Qt in E flat, Op.12: I. Adagio Non Troppo - Allegro Non Tardante
Str Qt in E flat, Op.12: II. Canzonetta. Allegretto
Str Qt in E flat, Op.12: III. Andante Espressivo
Str Qt in E flat, Op.12: IV. Molto Allegro E Vivace
Str Qt in a, Op.13: I. Adagio - Allegro Vivace
Str Qt in a, Op.13: II. Adagio Non Lento
Str Qt in a, Op.13: III. Intermezzo. Allegretto Con Moto - Allegro Di Molto
Str Qt in a, Op.13: IV. Presto - Adagio Non Lento - Andante Come I

Mendelssohn: Complete String Quartets, Vol. 1, Op. 12 & 13

Average customer rating:

Mendelssohn: Complete String Quartets, Vol. 1, Op. 12 & 13
Leipzig String Quartet
Manufacturer: MD&G Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Mendelssohn-Bartholdy: Complete String Quartets, Vol. 2
Mendelssohn: Complete String Quartets, Vol. 3

ASIN: B00005O59F
Release Date: 2001-11-20

Tracks:

String Quartet op. 13: Adagio-Allegro
String Quartet op. 13: Adagio non lento
String Quartet op. 13: Intermezzo. Allegretto con moto
String Quartet op. 13: Presto
String Quartet op. 12: Adagio non troppo/Allegro non tardante
String Quartet op. 12: Canzonetta. Allegretto
String Quartet op. 12: Andante espressivo
String Quartet op. 12: Molto allegro e vivace

Average customer rating:

Higher octane needed
A lovely CD.

Mendelssohn String Quartets

Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Mendelssohn String Quartets Volume 2 (Quartet No. 3 in D Major and Quartet No. 4 in E minor) Op 44 No. 1 & No. 2

ASIN: B00000I438
Release Date: 1999-02-09

Tracks:

Adagio ma non troppo/Allegro non tardante
Canzonetta
Andante espressivo
Molto allegro e vivace
Adagio/Allegro vivace
Adagio non lento
Intermezzo
Presto
Allegro moderato
Adagio non troppo
Minuetto
Fuga

Amazon.com

Here is an entirely unaccustomed perspective on Mendelssohn's quartets. These English "period" musicians believe that Romantic music, too, should be played in the original style, with sparing vibrato, distinct articulation, great clarity, and transparency. They even discovered--and use--the bowings and fingerings of Mendelssohn's friend, the violinist Ferdinand David. Since they play extremely well, with a beautiful, full, warm, homogeneous tone, they give the music extraordinary vitality, excitement, and passion as well as a wistful, dreamy inwardness. Their rhythm is alive and flexible, their phrasing echoes human speech, their climaxes are thrilling, and their expression encompasses devout simplicity, songful lyricism, whimsical charm, and turbulent drama. In addition to the famous quartets Op. 12 and 13, the disc includes the Quartet in E-flat Op. Posthumus, written when Mendelssohn was 14. Though naturally less skillfully composed and original than the others, it bears the seeds of future greatness in its pensive, increasingly tragic slow movement; its startling modulations; and its amazing final double fugue. --Edith Eisler

Album Description

The influence of Beethoven is unmistakable in these works, yet it is Mendelssohn's humane sophistication, urbanity, and sense of well being that make these quartets uniquely his own.

Customer Reviews:

Higher octane needed.......2003-02-02

I first listened to this CD on a car audio system--
thus the gasoline analogy. There is much to
commend about the disc, including lovely performances
of the Canzona and Intermezzo movements of Op. 12 and Op. 13,
respectively. I do miss the high-octane drama, particularly in the violins, that the outer movements need (and get in other performances). Memories of the Guarneri Quartet's version of Op. 13, recorded at the very beginning of that quartet's illustrious career, still convince me that their's is THE version of this work with its echoes of Beethoven's quartets, Op. 95 (slow movement with fugue) and Op. 132 (the recitative for first violin leading into the finale of Mendelssohn's Op. 13 comes close to exact quotation). Of course the Eroica Quartet is bravely trying a wildly different approach in basing their interpretation on the supposed performance style of Ferdinand David, violinist and contemporary of Mendelssohn. Such an approach revises the conventional wisdom about how such standard chamber works should sound, so this is a great CD to have for
comparison with "standard" performances of this repertoire.

A lovely CD........2000-05-27

Mendelssohn's early death robbed the world of a great promise-still his music shows an astonishing maturity of emotion for one so young. This is most apparent in the great quartet in F Minor (not on this CD)-but still the early quartet's that are recorded here are undeniably beautiful and played with great tenderness. A lovely CD

Average customer rating:

Exceptionally charming

String Quartets #1 & 2
Cherubini Quartet
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Mendelssohn: String Quartets No. 3 & 4; Cherubini Quartet
Mendelssohn: String Quartets Nos. 5 & 6

ASIN: B000246J6S
Release Date: 2004-01-01

Tracks:

I: Adagio Non Troppo - Allegro Non Tardante
II: Canzonetta (Allegretto) - Piu Mosso
III: Andante Espressivo - Attacca
IV: Molto Allegro E Vivace
I: Adagio - Allegro Vivace
II: Adagio Non Lento
III: Intermezzo (Allegretto Con Moto - Allegro Di Molto)
IV: Presto - Adagio Non Lento

Customer Reviews:

Exceptionally charming.......2007-05-20

These two qaurtets were composed while Mendelssohn was young. The Quartet No. 2 in A minor was composed first, in 1827 while Mendelssohn was 18. The Quartet No. 1 in E flat major was composed two years later in 1829, but was published before the A minor quartet.

Both of these pieces contain melodies and tonal textures that are exceptionally charming. The melodies are songlike or dancelike with the fast movements being somewhat forceful and the slow movements being either light and capricious or thoughtful and reserved. It is in the middle slow movements that the music really shines. The delicate melodies and exquisite balance of tonal texture among the different instruments just reach out and grab the listener. Although both of these quartets bear structural similarities to Beethoven's quartets,in overall aspect and feel they are more like Haydn's.

The Cherubini Quartet plays both pieces with a somewhat light feel that fits the music perfectly. Their playing is well synchronized, in tune, clear and precise. The recordings were made in 1989 and 1990 and the sound is excellent digital that captures the tone and timbre of the instruments very well. The recording is well balanced and all four instruments come through equally clearly.

When I picked this CD up, I was unfamiliar with Mendelssohn's string quartets (he wrote 6 of them). The two youthful efforts on this CD are exceptional compositions. If you like classical or early romantic string quartets, you may wish to give this recording a try. The two compositions on this CD have become some my favorite string quartets not quite ahead of Haydn or the delightful little quartets of Rossini but above the quartets of Beethoven, Borodin, Dvorak, Schubert and others. These quartets by the young Mendelssohn are just plain enjoyable.

Mendelssohn: String Quartets Nos. 1 & 2, Opp. 12 & 13

Average customer rating:

Mendelssohn: String Quartets Nos. 1 & 2, Opp. 12 & 13

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00000GV4K
Release Date: 1999-01-19

Tracks:

String Quartet In E-Flat Major, Op. 12: I. Adagio non troppo - Allegro non tardante
String Quartet In E-Flat Major, Op. 12: II. Canzonetta. Allegretto
String Quartet In E-Flat Major, Op. 12: III. Andante espressivo
String Quartet In E-Flat Major, Op. 12: IV. Molto allegro e vivace
String Quartet In A Minor, Op. 13: I. Adagio - Allegro vivace
String Quartet In A Minor, Op. 13: II. Adagio non lento
String Quartet In A Minor, Op. 13: III. Intermezzo. Allegretto con moto - Allegro di molto - Tempo I
String Quartet In A Minor, Op. 13: IV. Presto - Adagio non lento - Adagio come I

Amazon.com

Founded in 1947, the Juilliard is the oldest American string quartet but has undergone several personnel changes. The present constellation was formed in 1997; this is its debut recording. It is superb. Tonal homogeneity was never the group's first priority, but the players have already achieved an extraordinary degree of technical, musical, stylistic, and expressive integration. Their intonation, balance, and pacing are impeccable; their rhythmic flexibility, dynamics, mood, and tempo changes unanimous. Joel Smirnoff, formerly second, now first violinist, has a brilliant technique and an exceptionally beautiful, warm, sweet, intense, variable tone, just right for the ardor, passion, exuberance, and inward serenity of these mercurial works, written when Mendelssohn was not yet 20 but displaying incredible compositional skill and emotional maturity. Op. 13, written first, pays homage to Beethoven with virtual quotes from the quartets Op. 95 and 132. Both are vintage Mendelssohn with their beguiling, songful melodies that recur through all the movements; their partly wistful, partly scintillating intermezzos; and their poetic, rapturous romanticism. --Edith Eisler