The early String Quartet in E flat major by Mendelssohn includes a concluding double fugue, which was somewhat unusual for its time, though Haydn and Mozart had written similar examples.
Composition History
Mendelssohn's String Quartet in E flat major, Op. 12, was composed during his first visit to England in 1829 and was originally dedicated to his childhood friend, Betty Pistor.
Compositional Technique
The Canzonetta from Mendelssohn's String Quartet in E flat major, Op. 12, is popular for its folk-song-like melody and distinctive instrumentation, featuring two-part violin staccato over viola and cello pizzicato.
Performer Biography
The Escher String Quartet is named after Dutch graphic artist M. C. Escher, inspired by his method of individual components working together to form a whole.
Composition History
Mendelssohn's first String Quartet in E flat major, written when he was 14, was neither given an opus number nor published until 56 years after its composition in 1879.
Compositional Technique
Mendelssohn's String Quartet in E minor, Op. 44 No. 2, like Beethoven's works, strengthens connections between movements by having the finale take up material from an earlier movement, specifically the scherzo.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, a prodigy in almost every musical genre, turned relatively early to the string quartet, which was considered the 'most sublime form of composition'.
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Mendelssohn: String Quartets Nos. 1 and 4 / Quartet in E-Flat Major
