This album was recorded at La Ferme de Villefavard in France's Limousin region, a converted granary with exceptional acoustics designed by international acoustician Albert Yaying Xu.
Compositional Technique
Felix Mendelssohn's String Quartet No. 6, Op. 80, uses string tremolos over pedal notes to imitate the tolling of a funeral bell, similar to Schubert's 'Death and the Maiden' quartet.
Composer Biography
Felix Mendelssohn and Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel were siblings who shared a deep bond; Felix often showed Fanny his works first, and she referred to him as 'my little Hamlet'.
Composer Biography
Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel was the only female Kapellmeister of the nineteenth century, conducting her own 'Sonntagsmusiken' (musical evenings) in the Mendelssohn's Berlin mansion.
Historical Context
Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel, despite being a talented composer and conductor, was prohibited from public performance by her father and brother due to her gender and social standing.
Interpretation
For this recording, the Quatuor Ebène swapped their violinists, with Gabriel Le Magadure playing the first violin part in Felix Mendelssohn's Op. 13, to offer a different perspective on the composer.
Composition History
Felix Mendelssohn's String Quartet No. 6, Op. 80, was written after Fanny's sudden death and is referred to as his 'Requiem for Fanny'.
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