Mendelssohn: The Complete String Quartets
by The Emerson String Quartet

From EyeKanFly 08/23/2021 15:38 | #272743

Mendelssohn assigned his own opus numbers to the majority of his pieces during his lifetime, but wasn't 100% comprehensive about assigning numbers to all of his compositions, or assigning one number to multiple pieces, and they weren't always in chronological order.

As such, the quartets are presented here in chronological order as composed even though the numbers make it seem otherwise. That also includes Op. 81 which was recorded over the course of 5 years and published piecemeal, and presented as such throughout this album. The only pieces outside of chronological order here are the last 2 (tracks 29-36): the Octet and the unnumbered Quartet in E Flat Major, which were presented as a bonus disc as part of this set.

If someone did want to listen in full chronological order, the 1823 quartet would be first, followed by the octet, followed by the rest of the tracks as listed from 1-28.

Also, the octet was recorded by overdubbing the Emerson Quartet over itself. I personally think this was very well done, though for some this definitely indicates a loss in authenticity. Composition-wise, the Octet is the clear highlight of Mendelssohn's string pieces, as well as a personal highlight, and this is one of the best recordings of this which I've heard.