Search - Felix [1] Mendelssohn, Hausmusik London :: Mendelssohn: Octet; Quintets Nos. 1 & 2; Quartet No. 2

Great value period performance with depth and commitment

sphaerenklang | UK | 06/10/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this set after a slight disappointment with L'Archibudelli's disc of the quintets. Not only is this one cheaper, it has twice as much music and I prefer the performances. I listened to the A major quintet in both versions and the obvious difference is in the pitch and the overall sound. Hausmusik (H) is lower in pitch and the sound is richer, warmer, with less high frequencies, while the modern pitch that L'Archibudelli (A) use results in a brilliant, highly polished sound, almost as if there were four violins rather than two and two violas. There are two main effects on the music: first, when there are several lines at once in the music it is difficult to disentangle them in A, the upper instruments tend to get in each other's way. In H the inner parts are much more clearly audible because of the distinctive darker colour of the violas and the less assertively bright violin sound. This is particularly noticeable in the middle of the 1st movement where violas have important low-placed figures while the violins have the main melody; also at one point in the last movement, you can even hear a humble viola accompaniment if you listen carefully to H, but it doesn't get a chance in A. Second, the range of tone colour in H is much greater, since the viola sound is clearly different from the violins. The best example is at the beginning of the slow movement: there is a particular hushed, dark, intimate quality to H which is lacking in the other performance. This is one place where the composer's life really did influence the music - the movement was a tribute to a friend who had recently died, so a dark elegaic quality is appropriate. Also, in the whole piece in fact, H has more contrast between loud and soft.Other aspects also favoured this performance. The leader of A, while throwing off semiquavers with the best of them, is somewhat at a loss in sustaining long melodic lines, and suffers at times from a wobbly bow when trying to play softly. In the slow movement marked "sostenuto", the main melody is anything but, being cut into bar-long pieces by the "expressive" phrasing. H is not ideal in this either, but does give a sense of a continuous melody. At one point in the last movement a new theme in long notes comes in on the first violin and is passed to the other instruments. All the players in A and H play it legato - except the leader of A, who for some reason plays the crucial first entry in a light, detached way, as if it was just another accompanying part, or even not noticing that it's an important new theme! Musically it makes little sense, because the other instruments then seem to contradict the first violin rather than replying to or imitating it.Most of the tempos were quite similar, but the 3rd movement scherzo is quicker in H, which along with the darker tone quality creates more character in the music, an hushed, frantic, almost conspiratorial fugue which foreshadows other Mendelssohn scherzos. In comparison A sounds like a counterpoint exercise.So A is a technically brilliant, bright-sounding performance, but this set (H) reveals the depth and character that A misses."

Outstanding - Wonderful Scherzo and Presto in the Octet

Classicalfan | Reston, VA USA | 12/30/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Another reviewer, Sphaernklang, has written a thoughtful, detailed, and scholarly review of this oustanding 2-CD set. My own review is meant only to supplement his. First, I absolutely agree with his comments about the range of tone color and the clearly audible separate parts. The musicians play these pieces seamlessly, as a unit, while also making clear the different parts played by each instrument.



I have not yet heard L'Archibudelli's version of these compositions, which the other reviewer contrasts with Hausmusik in describing them as "technically brilliant". However, I have listened to these two Hausmusik CD's many times and find that this group is also technically brilliant, while also performing the music with depth, charm, and soul. All of the lyrical beauty of the adagio and andante passages is captured in these recordings. That being said, nowhere is Hausmusik's brilliance more impressive than in their exuberant glowing performance of the Octet, which, as the fourth and final selection on this 2 CD set, may be considered in a way as Hausmusik's finale.



The Octet is performed with consummate mastery, with the Scherzo and Presto having a wonderful energy. The electrifying performance of these last two movements radiates with the musicians' enthusiasm and their love for the music. Amidst the unending deluge of adagio compilation CDs that have been released, there are occasionally a few compilations of energetic classical music. If EMI decides to release this kind of compilation, Hausmusik's outstanding performance of the Octet's last two movements will hopefully be included.



The sound quality of these digital recordings is excellent.



The CD instert has an interesting short essay in English, translated into German, and a different short essay in French that is also well-written and informative."

Could this be Beethoven?

Bill Atkinson | Staunton,VA USA | 02/02/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The gem of this collection of four chamber works by Mendelssohn is the A minor quartet. It was published at the same time that the late Beethoven quartets were appearing and there is a strong family resemblance. The delightful third movement Intermezzo is similar in spirit to the Alla Danza Tedesca of Beethoven's Opus 130 and the opening bars of the fourth movement are similar to the passage at the end of the fourth movement of Beethoven's Opus 132 which introduces the soaring theme originally considered for his Ninth finale. This is not imitation Beethoven but it is in the spirit of the late quartets and may have even preceded Opus 130 and Opus 132.

The two quintets are not of the same stature but are still worth careful listening. The first, like the A minor quartet, is a youthful work while the second is a more mature composition. I won't comment on the Octet - I just don't like it.

The playing is superb and well balanced; unfortunately there are not more recordings by Hausmusik London available on CD. And the engineering is excellent. Finally, Virgin Veritas should be commended for making available two discs for the price of one."