String Quartets, Op.44, Nos. 1-3 (urtext, parts) by Felix Mendelssohn
Urtext edition by Ernst Herttrich. Published by Henle
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) is one of the most important German composers of the Romantic era. He was most comfortable composing in a charming, relatively conservative style influenced by the Classical period and free from many of the developing trends of the Romantic Era, while incorporating important innovations in many works. He also held a singular position in German musical life as the founder of the Leipzig Conservatory, a prominent conductor of the renowned Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, and a seminal figure in the revival of the music and legacy of Johann Sebastian Bach.
Mendelssohn composed his set of three String Quartets, Op.44 (Nos. 3-5) in 1837, shortly after his marriage, the start of his directorship of the Gewandhaus Orchestra, and his rise to international fame. These 'middle' quartets represent a departure from the Beethoven-influenced early quartets (Opp.12, 13), seeing him return to the immaculate classicism of Haydn and Mozart while developing his own original style. These three masterpieces are presented in this premium Henle urtext edition with critical commentary and historical background. Parts only. Master level, Grade 6.
CONTENTS:
String Quartet No. 3 in D Major, Op.44/1
- String Quartet No. 4 in E minor, Op.44/2
- String Quartet No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op.44/3
