Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Nationality:
German
Born: February 3, 1809, Hamburg Died: November 4, 1847, Leipzig (age 38)
String Quartet No. 1 in E-flat major, Op. 12
(for 2 violins, viola and cello)
| 7:35 | I. | Adagio non troppo - Allegro non tardante | |
| 4:00 | II. | Canzonetta. Allegretto | |
| 4:13 | III. | Andante espressivo | |
| 8:09 | IV. | Molto allegro e vivace |
Duration: 24 minutes (approximately)
Composed:
1829, September (age 20)
Published:
1830 (age 20-21)
10 recordings,
37 videos
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autoplay
7:04
Quatuor Ysaÿe
I.
Adagio non troppo - Allegro non tardante
4:07
Quatuor Ysaÿe
II.
Canzonetta. Allegretto
4:29
Quatuor Ysaÿe
III.
Andante espressivo
7:30
Quatuor Ysaÿe
IV.
Molto allegro e vivace
8:19
Orlando Quartet
I.
Adagio non troppo - Allegro non tardante
4:20
Orlando Quartet
II.
Canzonetta. Allegretto
4:46
Orlando Quartet
III.
Andante espressivo
8:36
Orlando Quartet
IV.
Molto allegro e vivace
7:10
Henschel Quartet
I.
Adagio non troppo - Allegro non tardante
4:08
Henschel Quartet
II.
Canzonetta. Allegretto
4:22
Henschel Quartet
III.
Andante espressivo
8:00
Henschel Quartet
IV.
Molto allegro e vivace
7:48
Emerson String Quartet
I.
Adagio non troppo - Allegro non tardante
3:56
Emerson String Quartet
II.
Canzonetta. Allegretto
3:58
Emerson String Quartet
III.
Andante espressivo
7:52
Emerson String Quartet
IV.
Molto allegro e vivace
8:02
Ulbrich Quartet
I.
Adagio non troppo - Allegro non tardante
3:51
Ulbrich Quartet
II.
Canzonetta. Allegretto
4:13
Ulbrich Quartet
III.
Andante espressivo
8:34
Ulbrich Quartet
IV.
Molto allegro e vivace
8:15
Juilliard String Quartet
I.
Adagio non troppo - Allegro non tardante
3:56
Juilliard String Quartet
II.
Canzonetta. Allegretto
4:17
Juilliard String Quartet
III.
Andante espressivo
8:41
Juilliard String Quartet
IV.
Molto allegro e vivace
6:45
Bartók Quartet
I.
Adagio non troppo - Allegro non tardante
3:28
Bartók Quartet
II.
Canzonetta. Allegretto
3:43
Bartók Quartet
III.
Andante espressivo
8:35
Bartók Quartet
IV.
Molto allegro e vivace
25:22
Zemlinksy Quartet
8:01
Melos Quartet
I.
Adagio non troppo - Allegro non tardante
4:11
Melos Quartet
II.
Canzonetta. Allegretto
3:51
Melos Quartet
III.
Andante espressivo
8:01
Melos Quartet
IV.
Molto allegro e vivace
7:32
Mandelring Quartet
I.
Adagio non troppo - Allegro non tardante
4:05
Mandelring Quartet
II.
Canzonetta. Allegretto
4:11
Mandelring Quartet
III.
Andante espressivo
8:13
Mandelring Quartet
IV.
Molto allegro e vivace
Related Composers
Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel (1805-1847)
sister
Nationality:
German
Born: November 14, 1805, Hamburg Died: May 14, 1847, Berlin (age 41)
Woldemar Bargiel (1828-1897)
colleague
Nationality:
German
Born: October 3, 1828, Berlin Died: February 23, 1897, Berlin (age 68)
Johann Hummel (1778-1837)
Teacher
Nationality:
Austrian
Born: November 14, 1778, Pressburg (now Bratislava) Died: October 17, 1837, Weimar (age 58)
Heinrich Marschner (1795-1861)
Friend/Colleague
Nationality:
German
Born: August 16, 1795, Zittau Died: December 14, 1861, Hanover (age 66)
Eduard Franck (1817-1893)
Student
Nationality:
German
Born: October 5, 1817, Breslau Died: December 1, 1893, Berlin (age 76)
Ignaz Moscheles (1794-1870)
colleague/friend
Nationality:
Bohemian
Born: May 23, 1794, Prague Died: March 10, 1870, Leipzig (age 75)
glossary
- adagio [It]—slow tempo, often implying a lyrical, poignant character
- allegretto—moderately quick tempo. slower than allegro but faster than andante
- allegro [I]—fast, lively tempo. From the Italian word for cheerful or gay.
- andante [I]—moderately slow tempo (e.g. walking). Faster than adagio but slower than allegretto
- canzonetta, canzonet—"little song" - a short vocal or instrumental piece in a light vein with some dance characteristics
- chamber music, Kammermusik [G], musique de chambre [F], musica da camera [I], musica cameralis [L]—"Classical Music" for a small ensemble, generally 8 or fewer players with a canonical emphasis on 3-6 players. explore
- espressivo [It], con espressione, expressif [Fr]—expressive, with expression.with feeling
- molto [It]—very much
- opus [L], opera[pl], Op., Opp, WoO, Op. posth—work, as in a work of art. For unique identification, publishers/composers often assign an "opus number", abbreviated as "Op." (e.g. Op. 1). A range of works by opus number, uses the plural "opp." (e.g. "Opp. 1-3"). A single opus number may refer to a collection of works (e.g. a set of quartets) giving rise to designations like "Op. 1, No. 4". For misc. works without opus numbers, "WoO" is often used (e.g."Without Opus"). Posthumously assigned numbers may use "Op. posth". Opus numbers may not precisely reflect chronology (publication vs. composition), can be erroneous, sparse or duplicative. Thus, the works of some historically important composers may use separate catalog numbers (e.g. Bach, Haydn, Schubert). See wiki
- quartet, quatuor [F], quartett [G], quartetto [I], cuarteto [S]—ensemble or work for four players the most important examples being the string quartet and the piano quartet
-
string quartet, Streichquartett [G], quatuor à cordes [F], quartetto d'archi [I], quartetto di cordi [I], cuarteto de cuerda [S]—an ensemble as well as music written for that ensemble comprising 2 violins, viola and cello. This is one of the essential genres / forms / ensembles of chamber music and arguably a critical "core" of "classical" music.
Explore the string quartet. - tardo, tardamente, tardando, tardante—slow, slowly, slowing
- troppo [I], non troppo, trop [F]—too, too much. non troppo means "not too much". e.g. "Allegro ma non troppo" means fast, but not too much
- vivace—brisk, lively tempo faster than allegro