Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Nationality:
German
Born: February 3, 1809, Hamburg Died: November 4, 1847, Leipzig (age 38)
String Quartet No. 3 in D major, Op. 44, No. 1
(for 2 violins, viola and cello)
| 10:11 | I. | Molto allegro vivace | |
| 5:21 | II. | Menuetto. Un poco allegretto | |
| 5:30 | III. | Andante espressivo ma con moto | |
| 7:05 | IV. | Presto con brio |
Duration: 29 minutes (approximately)
Composed:
1838, April - July 24 (age 29)
Premiere:
February 16, 1839. Leipzig Gewandhaus. Ferdinand David, C.W. Ulrich, Carl Traugott Queisser, Andreas Grabau
Published:
1839, Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel. Parts in June; Score in 1840 (age 29-30)
Dedication: Crown Prince of Sweden
Note: Though no. 1 in the published set of Op. 44, it was the last to be composed.
9 recordings,
36 videos
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autoplay
9:16
Henschel Quartet
I.
Molto allegro vivace
4:54
Henschel Quartet
II.
Menuetto. Un poco allegretto
5:40
Henschel Quartet
III.
Andante espressivo ma con moto
6:56
Henschel Quartet
IV.
Presto con brio
9:05
Juilliard String Quartet
I.
Molto allegro vivace
5:32
Juilliard String Quartet
II.
Menuetto. Un poco allegretto
6:06
Juilliard String Quartet
III.
Andante espressivo ma con moto
6:11
Juilliard String Quartet
IV.
Presto con brio
12:24
Cherubini Quartet
I.
Molto allegro vivace
4:47
Cherubini Quartet
II.
Menuetto. Un poco allegretto
5:33
Cherubini Quartet
III.
Andante espressivo ma con moto
7:03
Cherubini Quartet
IV.
Presto con brio
9:49
Orion String Quartet
I.
Molto allegro vivace
6:08
Orion String Quartet
II.
Menuetto. Un poco allegretto
5:20
Orion String Quartet
III.
Andante espressivo ma con moto
7:23
Orion String Quartet
IV.
Presto con brio
12:40
Artemis Quartet
I.
Molto allegro vivace
5:55
Artemis Quartet
II.
Menuetto. Un poco allegretto
6:26
Artemis Quartet
III.
Andante espressivo ma con moto
6:35
Artemis Quartet
IV.
Presto con brio
9:49
Bartók Quartet
I.
Molto allegro vivace
5:37
Bartók Quartet
II.
Menuetto. Un poco allegretto
6:15
Bartók Quartet
III.
Andante espressivo ma con moto
7:54
Bartók Quartet
IV.
Presto con brio
8:18
Stradivarius Quartet
I.
Molto allegro vivace
3:49
Stradivarius Quartet
II.
Menuetto. Un poco allegretto
4:35
Stradivarius Quartet
III.
Andante espressivo ma con moto
5:57
Stradivarius Quartet
IV.
Presto con brio
11:40
Mandelring Quartet
I.
Molto allegro vivace
4:57
Mandelring Quartet
II.
Menuetto. Un poco allegretto
4:45
Mandelring Quartet
III.
Andante espressivo ma con moto
6:56
Mandelring Quartet
IV.
Presto con brio
9:49
Guarneri String Quartet
I.
Molto allegro vivace
6:08
Guarneri String Quartet
II.
Menuetto. Un poco allegretto
5:20
Guarneri String Quartet
III.
Andante espressivo ma con moto
7:23
Guarneri String Quartet
IV.
Presto con brio
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
- 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
- brio [I], con brio, brioso—vigor, vigorously, with fire
- 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
- con [I,S]—with
- espressivo [It], con espressione, expressif [Fr]—expressive, with expression.with feeling
- ma—but, however
- minuet, menuet [F], Menuett [G], menuetto [I], minuetto [I]—A graceful, courtly French dance of the Baroque and Classical period with a triple meter and a moderate tempo.It was introduced at the court of Louis XIV. In classical forms such as the symphony or chamber music, the minuet evolved into the more vigorous scherzo.
- molto [It]—very much
- moto, con moto, di moto—motion, with motion. Somewhat more lively than its context would suggest, e.g. "andante con moto", a little more lively than andante
- 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
- poco, un poco, poco a poco—a little bit, e.g. "andante un poco moto" is andante with a little more motion than typical. "poco a poco" means a little bit at a time, gradually.
- presto—very fast, more so than allegro.
- 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
- saltarello—a gay, sprightly, merry dance of Spanish origin dating back to the middle ages. Generally features a triple meter and a leaping dance step (saltare = to jump)
-
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. - vivace—brisk, lively tempo faster than allegro