In 1844, Mendelssohn moved his family from Berlin to Frankfurt, partly to escape the demands of the King of Prussia and dedicate more time to his own work.
Composition History
Mendelssohn composed his String Quintet No. 1 at age seventeen, following the successful semi-private premiere of his Octet.
Recording & Production
The Doric String Quartet performs on this recording using a set of classical bows made by Luis Emilio Rodriguez Carrington.
Composition History
Mendelssohn revised his String Quintet No. 1 before its 1832 publication, excising a Minuet movement and replacing it with a new Intermezzo in memory of his recently deceased violin teacher, Eduard Rietz.
Performer Biography
Hélène Clément, the violist of the Doric String Quartet, plays an instrument made by Francesco Guissani in 1843, which was previously owned by composers Frank Bridge and Benjamin Britten.
Composition History
Mendelssohn was dissatisfied with his String Quintet No. 2 upon its completion in 1845, telling Ignaz Moscheles (a composer and pianist) that he thought the finale "not much good," and he made no attempt to publish it during his lifetime.
Critical Reception
The String Quintet No. 1, despite being a youthful masterpiece, is programmed far less frequently than Mendelssohn's early string quartets or his Octet.
