Mendelssohn: String Quartets Nos. 5 & 6 (2004)

Why not Mendelssohn's String Quartets? After all, wasn't Mendelssohn a great composer, too? In some people's opinion, no. There are hundreds of recordings of the quartets of Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, and Dvorák, and occasional revivals of the quartets of Schumann. There are even recordings of the quartets of Schoenberg, Berg, and Webern. But recordings of the quartets of Mendelssohn? Sorry, no. There can be recordings of his Italian Symphony and his Scottish Symphony. There can be recordings of his Violin Concerto and ... Read More

Why not Mendelssohn's String Quartets? After all, wasn't Mendelssohn a great composer, too? In some people's opinion, no. There are hundreds of recordings of the quartets of Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, and Dvorák, and occasional revivals of the quartets of Schumann. There are even recordings of the quartets of Schoenberg, Berg, and Webern. But recordings of the quartets of Mendelssohn? Sorry, no. There can be recordings of his Italian Symphony and his Scottish Symphony. There can be recordings of his Violin Concerto and his Midsummer's Night Dream Overture. But recordings of Mendelssohn's brilliantly crafted and emotionally compelling quartets? Afraid not.This terrific recording of Mendelssohn's E flat major and F minor quartets by the Cherubini Quartett is proof that he was a great composer because these are clearly great works. The Cherubini Quartett performs the music with the kind of concentrated intensity usually reserved for Beethoven or Brahms. Although the ensemble does not lack rhythmic drive... Read Less