Both Felix Mendelssohn and George Enescu were considered child prodigies, demonstrating artistic maturity and mastery of their craft at a very young age.
Composer Biography
Felix Mendelssohn was dubbed 'the Mozart of the 19th century' by Robert Schumann, while Pablo Casals called George Enescu 'the greatest musical phenomenon since Mozart'.
Compositional Technique
String octets are rare because the eight instruments (four violins, two violas, two cellos) all produce sound in the same way, making it challenging to achieve clarity and distinguish individual parts.
Instruments
The musicians on this recording play a collection of historic and valuable instruments, including violins by Antonio Stradivari and Bartolomeo Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù, and a cello by Matteo Goffriller.
Composer Biography
Both Mendelssohn and Enescu were dazzling multi-instrumentalists, particularly virtuosic violinists, which influenced their octet compositions.
Composition History
Mendelssohn composed his String Octet at age 16 as a birthday gift for his violin teacher, Eduard Rietz.
Performer Biography
The recording features two internationally renowned ensembles, Quatuor Ébène and Belcea Quartet, who have collaborated for nearly a decade.
You might also enjoy...
Fiedler & Friends
Eternal Movement
Shall We Dance
Georg Friedrich Händel: Oratorio Choruses
The Antiphonal Music of Gabrieli & Frescobaldi
The Antiphonal Music of Gabrieli
El cant de la Sibilla: Sacred Music from medieval Catalunya
Tango - Argentinian Tangos arranged for String Quartet
Wiener Walzerträume
Christmas in Vienna III [Live]
Ormandy Conducts Works by McDonald, White, Hanson and Kennan
Les Grandes Eaux de Versailles (Musiques des fêtes royales)
