1/12/2022 Mendelssohn Octet E flat major, op. 20

On October 15, 1825 Mendelssohn finished his first indisputable masterpiece, the Octet in E flat Major op.20, when Mendelssohn was sixteen years old.

Mendelssohn wrote this piece as a birthday gift for his great friend and violin teacher Edward Rietz (or Eduard Rietz, born in Berlin, October 17, 1802; died in Berlin, January 22, 1832 ). A year later, at age of seventeen, another of his masterpieces – the Overture to the Shakespeare play “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” was completed. Those two pieces are most well known among his earlier works.

Written for four violins, two violas, and two cellos (double string quartets), this piece was created a new chamber music genre. Conrad Wilson summarizes that "its youthful verve, brilliance and perfection make it one of the miracles of nineteenth-century music." This was one of the first works of Mendelssohn to be very well-received. Mendelssohn instructed in the public score; "This Octet must be played by all the instruments in symphonic orchestral style. Pianos and fortes must be strictly observed and more strongly emphasized than is usual in pieces of this character."

The work has four movements, and typically takes about 30 minutes. The first movement is the longest and takes about half of this.

Allegro moderato ma con fuoco (E-flat major)

Andante (C minor)

Scherzo: Allegro leggierissimo (G minor)

Presto (E-flat major)

I listened to the Octet performed by Jasper String Quartet and Jupiter　String Quartet; impressive for its fine execution. Mendelssohn always loved this piece and I highly recommend this extremely "enjoyable" piece he composed.