Mendelssohn - String Quintets Nos. 1 & 2 - CPO: 7773892 - download

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The Mendelssohn bicentenary this year will doubtless generate a flood of recordings, and with luck some of them will be devoted to perhaps the most unfairly neglected area of his output, chamber... — The Guardian, 6th February 2009 More…

Release Date: 2nd Feb 2009
Catalogue No: 7773892
Label: CPO
Length: 61 minutes

Mendelssohn: String Quintet No. 1 in A major, Op. 18

Work length31:05

$7.00

$9.05

Jone Kaliunaite
Mannheimer Streichquartett

I. Allegro con moto

Track length12:03

$3.00

$3.85

II. Intermezzo. Andante sostenuto

Track length8:20

$2.00

$2.60

III. Scherzo. Allegro di molto

Track length4:31

$1.00

$1.30

IV. Allegro vivace

Track length6:11

$1.00

$1.30

Mendelssohn: String Quintet No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 87

Work length30:03

$7.00

$9.05

Jone Kaliunaite
Mannheimer Streichquartett

I. Allegro vivace

Track length10:12

$3.00

$3.85

II. Andante Scherzando

Track length4:16

$1.00

$1.30

III. Adagio e lento

Track length9:34

$2.00

$2.60

IV. Allegro molto vivace

Track length6:01

$1.00

$1.30

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Mendelssohn’s chamber music is often overshadowed by his larger orchestral works and is rarely performed. The two works featured on this timely new release on CPO, brought out to celebrate Mendelssohn’s bicentenary, occupy an important place in the history of the string quintet.

Operating entirely in the tradition established by Mozart, Mendelssohn wrote his quintets for two violins, two violas, and one violoncello. The two String Quintets were composed at opposite ends of his career.

Quintet No. 1 was written in 1826 when Mendelssohn was only seventeen, whilst Quintet No. 2 dates from 1845, just two years prior to his premature death. The second quintet exhibits greater formal control and a character reminiscent of orchestral music.

The quintets are performed by the internationally renowned Mannheimer String Quartet. Having been awarded the German Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Prize they are well qualified interpreters.

“The Mannheim String Quartet play this rewarding music with fire and commitment, rhythmically very lively and with impressive unanimity of attack…” International Record Review on the Mannheimer String Quartet

Reviews

6th February 2009

The Mendelssohn bicentenary this year will doubtless generate a flood of recordings, and with luck some of them will be devoted to perhaps the most unfairly neglected area of his output, chamber music. Apart from the string quartets and piano trios, heard reasonably often in recital, there are other pieces that deserve a place in the chamber repertory, and two of them are the string quintets, Op 18 in A major, which dates from 1826, and Op 87 in B flat, from 1845. Mendelssohn writes for the Mozartian quintet with two violas rather than Schubert's two cellos, and there is a Mozartian feel to the first quintet especially, an airiness to its opening that recalls the lyricism of the Op 12 and Op 13 string quartets. The B flat Quintet is a different matter - weightier, more orchestral, and expressively more probing. It suits the austere approach of the Mannheim Quartet better than its sunnier predecessor, though both works would benefit from more light and shade.

Mendelssohn - String Quintets Nos. 1 & 2

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