HDM in Concert: Mendelssohn – String Quartets I

Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy's String Quartets, Op. 44, were composed during a happy period in his life. In 1837, the composer, who had outgrown his status as a child prodigy and had risen to a leading position in European musical life as conductor of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, married Cécile Jeanrenaud, the daughter of a pastor—it was a love match, as was the norm in artistic circles at the time. The pieces are dedicated to Crown Prince Oscar of Sweden, a patron of the arts. They are fine examples of the special artistry of their creator, who drew on tradition to create something new. At the beginning of the theme in the first movement of the E minor quartet, for example, Mendelssohn quotes the beginning of the finale of Mozart's great G minor symphony and later also pays homage to Beethoven. However, his unmistakable, airy elegance often prevails in the three pieces. Playful details and constant tension characterize these works, which are essentially joyful.