Mendelssohn's String Quartet Op. 13 was inspired by his unrequited infatuation with Friederike Dorothea Elisabeth Pistor, a neighbor and friend of his sister.
Composition History
Mendelssohn's String Quartet Op. 44, No. 1, though numbered first in its group, was actually the last of three quartets he wrote after his marriage to Cécile Jeanrenaud, reflecting his renewed happiness.
Composer Biography
Felix Mendelssohn's parents, Abraham Mendelssohn and Lea Salomon, were both highly educated and musically active, with his mother being an outstanding Bach expert.
Performer Biography
The Kazakh State String Quartet, founded in 1988, has won numerous international awards and its members received their Master of Arts degrees in Basel after studying with Rainer Schmidt, a leading quartet teacher.
Critical Reception
For many decades, Mendelssohn's works were unfairly criticized as lacking substance, partly due to Richard Wagner's anti-Semitic pamphlet 'Das Judentum in der Musik'.
Compositional Technique
Mendelssohn's String Quartet Op. 13 incorporates elements from Beethoven's late quartets, including unaccompanied cadenzas and violin recitatives, and a motto with the same syllabic rhythm as Beethoven's 'Muss es sein?'.
Composer Biography
Mendelssohn was multi-talented, not only excelling in music but also translating a Latin comedy by Terence into German, and being a gifted horseman, swimmer, and gymnast.
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