France's Quatuor Ebène has been known for its classical-pop fusion
experiments (they dislike the term "crossover"). Here they stick with
classical string quartet pieces, but their style and choice of music is
still plenty unusual. The chief repertory attraction here is Fanny
Mendelssohn's String Quartet in E flat major, composed in 1834. This
work, the composer's only string quartet, is not usually included in
comparisons of music by Felix Mendelssohn and his older sister, but it
deserves to be better known. It is clearly something of an exercise in
mastering Beethoven's style -- hear the fugal central section of the
second-movement Allegretto (track 6), for example, whose clear
inspiration is the Scherzo of Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op.
67 -- but in spite of this has a strong undercurrent of suppressed
emotion. The work opens in harmonic ambiguity that is reflected in small
moments of tension throughout. The work's appeal resides in that
duality of exercise and strong feeling, and the Quatuor Ebène's
high-intensity performance brings it out effectively. The work is short,
but here it has a rather explosive quality. In the two quartets by
Felix Mendelssohn you may find the quartet either bracingly tough or
rather overbearing, but there are moments where both camps will agree:
hear the live-wire tension in the opening explosion of the finale of the
String Quartet No. 6 in F minor, Op. 80. This is a must-have for those
interested in Fanny Mendelssohn, and it's well worth sampling and
considering for general string quartet listeners. James Manheim
Tracklist
String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 13
1 1. Adagio - Allegro vivace 7:55
Felix Mendelssohn
2 2. Adagio non lento 7:43
Felix Mendelssohn
3 3. Intermezzo: Allegretto con moto 5:10
Felix Mendelssohn
4 4. Presto 9:21
Felix Mendelssohn
String Quartet in E flat major
5 1. Adagio ma non troppo 4:31
Fanny Mendelssohn
6 2. Allegretto 3:37
Fanny Mendelssohn
7 3. Romanze 6:44
Fanny Mendelssohn
8 4. Allegro molto vivace 5:39
Fanny Mendelssohn
String Quartet No. 6 in F minor, Op. 80
9 1. Allegro vivace assai 7:36
Felix Mendelssohn
10 2. Allegro assai 4:33
Felix Mendelssohn
11 3. Adagio 8:26
Felix Mendelssohn
12 4. Finale: Allegro molto 5:30
Felix Mendelssohn
