Felix & Fanny Mendelssohn: String Quartets

01. Mendelssohn- String Quartet in E Minor, Op. 44 No. 2- I. Allegro assai appassionato
02. Mendelssohn- String Quartet in E Minor, Op. 44 No. 2- II. Scherzo. Allegro di molto
03. Mendelssohn- String Quartet in E Minor, Op. 44 No. 2- III. Andante
04. Mendelssohn- String Quartet in E Minor, Op. 44 No. 2- IV. Presto agitato
05. Mendelssohn- String Quartet in E Flat-Major- I. Adagio ma non troppo
06. Mendelssohn- String Quartet in E Flat-Major- II. Allegretto
07. Mendelssohn- String Quartet in E Flat-Major- III. Romanze
08. Mendelssohn- String Quartet in E Flat-Major- IV. Allegro molto vivace
09. Mendelssohn- String Quartet in F Minor, Op. 80- I. Allegro vivace assai
10. Mendelssohn- String Quartet in F Minor, Op. 80- II. Allegro assai
11. Mendelssohn- String Quartet in F Minor, Op. 80- III. Adagio
12. Mendelssohn- String Quartet in F Minor, Op. 80- IV. Finale. Allegro molto

In the second instalment of the Consone Quartet’s cycle, the foursome continues its exploration of Felix Mendelssohn’s string quartets, simultaneously delving into the work of his sister Fanny, with her only work in the genre. Despite its turbulent character, Felix’s String Quartet in E minor, Op. 44 No. 2, was written three months after the composer’s marriage, during a period of stability and creativity. In contrast, the String Quartet in F minor, Op. 80, was composed while he was recovering from shock, following Fanny’s premature death. It is a work of striking bitterness and agitation, an unambiguous reflection of his distraught mental state. Fanny’s String Quartet in E flat major is an attractive and well-crafted work, which, due to her family discouraging her pursuit of a career in composition, remained unpublished until 1988. It is given a vibrant performance here by the Consone Quartet, the first period instrument quartet to be selected as BBC New Generation Artists.