String Quartets Opus 13 et 44.1

Description

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy String Quartets No. 2 Op. 13 & No. 3 Op. 44,1; At the age of 18, Felix Mendelssohn composed his String Quartet Op. 13, one of his first major works. The fact that it was written after Beethoven's death reveals a wealth of references: the young master was playfully experimenting with form and content. The Quartet also has an autobiographical component that traces back to the song "Frage" ("Question"), the beginning of which (highlighted by the question "Isst wahr?" - "Is it true?") provides the motto for the first movement and returns towards the end of the finale - a very personal message from Mendelssohn. The quartet Op. 44/1 was written during a period of infatuation for Cécile Jeanrenaud, whom he married in 1837. Here, the composer's mature mastery is palpable; everything comes from his own intuition. He creates a fascinating symbiosis between traditional classical form and a romantic style that is deeply his own, exuding great unity - in addition to a wealth of musical themes, harmonic impulses, a slow, singing, and emotional movement, and an engaging and virtuosic scherzo and finale. This music is performed with deep passion by the young musicians of the Kazakh string quartet.