Felix MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847)
String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 13 (1827) [30:08]
String Quartet No. 6 in F minor, Op. 80 (1847) [26:05]
Fanny MENDELSSOHN-HENSEL (1805-1847)
String Quartet in E flat major (1834) [26:06]
Quatuor Ebène (Pierre Colombet (violin); Gabriel Le Magadure (violin);
Mathieu Herzog (viola); Raphaël Merlin (cello))
rec. 11-14 July 2012, 1-4 November 2012, La Ferme de Villefavard en Limousin,
France
VIRGIN CLASICS 4645462 [76:50]
When I first heard Quatuor Ebène in 2006 at the Lake District Summer
Music International Festival, England they were fresh-faced, relative newcomers
to the international stage. Earlier in 2004 they had won the prestigious ARD
international competition in Munich. The next year they secured victory in
the Forberg-Schneider Foundation’s Belmont Prize. Immediately I was
struck by the smoothness of their playing which had a polished elegance. In
truth their stylishness probably came at the expense of a harder more decisive
edge that they now have available.
With this new Virgin Classics release of quartets from Felix Mendelssohn and
his sister Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel it was fascinating to hear the undoubted
progress that Quatuor Ebène had made. Felix Mendelssohn was devoted
to his older sister, Fanny a pianist and highly talented composer in her own
right whom he described as his “guiding light”. Poignantly
close together in death as in life I have visited the graves of these soul-mates
who lie adjacent to each other at the Dreifaltigkeitsfriedhof I (Trinity Cemetery
I) in the Kreuzberg district of Berlin.
Felix Mendelssohn composed his String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op.
13 when he was eighteen in 1827 the year of Beethoven’s death. Although
the work has a later opus number it was actually composed two years earlier
than the String Quartet No. 1 in E flat major, Op.12. It is not surprising
that this early period work uses the string quartets of Haydn, Mozart and
Beethoven as stylistic models. Lyricism and high drama combine in this highly
expressive opening movement marked Adagio - Allegro vivace. Passionately
interpreted by Quatuor Ebène, gone is the gentle romanticism that so
often describes Felix Mendelssohn’s writing; this is playing of unadulterated
full-blooded romanticism. With a performance of such yearning quality at times
it felt as if the music was weeping. It was impossible not to feel the intensity
of the playing which squeezes out every last drop of emotion. The second movement
marked Adagio non lento is a complex structure with a dramatic climax.
With the player’s displaying remarkable concentration the poignancy
they convey is powerful yet feels distinctly introspective. There is light,
calm and affectionate playing in the third movement Intermezzo: Allegretto
con moto with its swiftly agile trio section. The Finale: Presto
returns to the emotional world of the opening movement. Incisive and ferocious
playing from Quatuor Ebène is infused with vast reserves of virile
energy.
The String Quartet No. 6 in F minor, Op. 80 from 1847 is a work full
of striking contrasts in a way that Felix Mendelssohn had not expressed before.
Remarkable for its emotional force the score is deeply moving, tragic and
full of dissonance. Here we leave behind the elves and fairies for the realities
of the grown-up world. This poignant and turbulently charged score serves
as a fitting elegy to the death of his older sister and a reflection of his
personal grief; he was himself to die a few months later. In the opening Allegro
vivace assai Quatuor Ebène play with a sort of nervous anger, mixed
with extremes of elation and despair. The Scherzo feels intensely acrimonious
together with a sense of torment and the A flat major Adagio is almost
unbearably poignant. Deep sobs of anguish rack the Finale: Allegro
molto with the players conveying fury and sorrow.
In the last decade or so recordings of the complete Felix Mendelssohn String
Quartets have experienced quite a surge in popularity. There are several
high quality digital sets that I have enjoyed. The complete set that I reach
for first is from the Henschel Quartet especially for their noble playing;
so sparkling, exhilarating and expertly performed throughout. I have the three
disc set on Arte Nova 82876 64009 2; which sadly is currently unavailable.
However, the remaining Henschel accounts with the exception of the String
Quartet in E flat major (1823) are available on 3 separate volumes: Vol.
1 Arte Nova 74321 96521 2 (Op. 12; Op. 80); Vol. 2 Arte Nova 82876 57744 2
(Op. 13; Op. 44/3); Vol. 3 Arte Nova 82876 60848 2 (Op. 44/1; Op. 44/2; Op.
81). The Emerson Quartet’s complete 4 disc set is splendid for its power
and classy playing. Recorded in 2003/04 at the American Academy of Arts and
Letters, New York City the Emerson set includes the Octet for strings,
Op.20 on Deutsche Grammophon 4775370. The three other complete collections
that I also highly rate are: the three disc set from the Pacifica Quartet
on Cedille CDR 90000 082 (USA import); the 3 disc set from the Talich Quartet
on Calliope CAL3311-3 and from the Leipzig Quartet a 5 disc set that includes
arrangements of the First and Fifth Symphonies, The Hebrides
and Ruy Blas overtures for piano four hands with violin and cello on
MDG3071571. The Leipzig accounts are also available individually on four volumes:
Volume 1 MDG 307 1055-2 (Op. 12; Op. 13; Volume 2 MDG 307 1168-2 (Op. 44/1;
Op. 44/2; Op. 81: Fuga, Capriccio); Volume 3 MDG 307 1056-2
(Op. 44/3; Op. 80; Op. 81: Scherzo, Tema con variazioni) and
Volume 4 MDG 307 1057-2 (E flat major 1823; Octet for strings,
Op.20). In addition the Eroica Quartet using authentic performance practice
has completed their survey on three volumes for the Harmonia Mundi label:
Volume 1 HMU907245 (Op. 12; Op. 13; E flat major 1823); Volume 2 HMU907287
(Op. 44/1; Op. 44/2) and Volume 3 HMU907288 (Op. 44/3; Op. 80; Op. 81: Tema
con variazioni, Scherzo and Capriccio without the Fuga).
Prohibited from pursuing the equivalent musical career as her brother Felix
by the constraints of the gender conventions of the time Fanny Mendelssohn
wrote around 400 scores and managed to publish a small number of scores. In
1834, and now a married woman, Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel composed her String
Quartet in E flat major at her Berlin home. This was Fanny’s only
work in the quartet genre and one in which she acknowledged her debt to the
quartets of Beethoven. It is an imaginative work high on lyrical elegance
which the Ebène clearly savour. The poignant Adagio ma non troppo
contains music of a distinctly elegant quality. Here I was strongly reminded
of the second movement of Felix’s Quartet A minor, Op.13. Rhythmic
and decidedly memorable, the Scherzo comes across as the work of a
brilliantly assured composer. The intensely concentrated third movement Romanze
has a somewhat reserved quality and a distinct tinge of melancholy. At times
it felt as if I was intruding on Fanny’s deeply private thoughts. Brisk
and upbeat in character, the Finale marked Allegro molto vivace
is such extrovert music which is put across with characteristic vibrancy.
This disc has been splendidly if closely recorded and makes indispensable
listening for chamber music lovers.
Michael Cookson
This stellar release makes indispensable listening for chamber music lovers.
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