There are relatively few recordings of Mendelssohn’s pair of
String Quintets in the catalogue which is surprising given their
quality. Chamber music was an area in which he was especially adept no doubt
greatly assisted by the practical experience he had gained in the genre from
a young age.
The
String Quintet No. 1 was a product of his youth composed
in the spring of 1826 when he was just seventeen. Following the death of
Eduard Rietz in 1832 as a replacement for the original third movement
Minuetto Mendelssohn wrote an
Intermezzo to serve as a
memorial to his friend and former violin teacher. Cast in four movements
this A major work
was published in 1833 as his opus 18. The lengthy
opening
Allegro con moto is confidently played by the Leipziger
Streichquartett who unfold a rather curious character of strained
tenderness. In truth, this movement is a touch too long for its material.
The cantabile
Intermezzo marked
Andante sostenuto was named by
the composer as an “
Obituary” in memory of Rietz with the
music giving the quartet leader an especially fine and extensive part. Given
perfectly understated and tender playing - as heard here - this is not a
movement where Mendelssohn wears his heart on his sleeve. Contrapuntal in
design with
fugato passages the restless and persistently repetitive
Scherzo -
Allegro di molto is confidently and buoyantly
interpreted. In the extrovert
Finale:
Allegro vivace I love
the way the this warm summery music bowls along.
Mendelssohn’s
String Quintet No. 2 dates from 1845. It’s
a
late work composed at Bad Soden during a time of ill health. This was around
the
period he also commenced work on
Elijah. It wasn’t until 1851
that
the
Second Quintet received its posthumous publication. The windswept
opening
Allegro vivace with its fluctuating dynamics inhabits a rather
agitated
sound-world and one that has a prevailing sense of urgency. The marvellously
written
Andante scherzando with its curious and scuttling rhythmic shifts is
cheerful
and lyrical. Here I often imagine novice dancers swirling around on an
over-waxed
dance floor. The somewhat tense, dark and serious
Adagio e lento is
intensely
gripping. The temperamental quality of Mendelssohn’s writing ensures
that
the listener never knows what is coming next. Vigorously played by the
Leipzig
players, the scampering and hyperactive final
Allegro molto vivace
just
bursts with energy.
The MDG engineers have provided beautifully recorded sound being
fairly close, clear and well balanced.
In spite of my considerable admiration for this recording my first choice
for
these works is played by the Henschel with Roland Glassl. Recorded in 2009
at
the August Everding Saal, Grünwald in Bavaria the Henschel give
sparkling
and intense performances on Neos Classics (SACD) 30901 (c/w Bruch
String
Quintet
in E-flat major). Another version of note is from the Fine Arts Quartet
with
Danielo Rossi. They recorded the
Quintets together with the original
third
movement
Minuetto from the
first String Quintet. The Fine Arts
recording
was made in 2007 at Steinfurt, Germany on Naxos 8.570448.
Michael Cookson
