With their often turbulent and dark-hued openings, poignant slow movements, elfin Scherzos reminiscent of the music for A Midsummer Night's Dream, and tense, thrilling last movements of perpetual motion, Mendelssohn's String Quartets are works of considerable emotional range and mastery of form. This first disc of the complete String Quartets ranges from the youthful No. 1, Op. 12 (actually the second of the published quartets) to the great, tragic String Quartet No. 6, Op. 80, Mendelssohn's last major work, composed after the death of his sister.

Tracklist:

String Quartet No.6 in F Minor, Op.80: I. Allegro Vivace Assai
String Quartet No.6 in F Minor, Op.80: II. Allegro Assai
String Quartet No.6 in F Minor, Op.80: III. Adagio
String Quartet No.6 in F Minor, Op.80: IV. Finale. Allegro Molto
String Quartet No.1 in E Flat Major, Op.12: I. Adagio Non Troppo - Allegro Non Tardante
String Quartet No.1 in E Flat Major, Op.12: II. Canzonetta. Allegretto - Piu Mosso
String Quartet No.1 in E Flat Major, Op.12: III. Andante Espressivo
String Quartet No.1 in E Flat Major, Op.12: IV. Molto Allegro E Vivace
String Quartet No.4 in E Minor, Op.44/2: I. Allegro Assai Appassionato
String Quartet No.4 in E Minor, Op.44/2: II. Scherzo. Allegro Di Molto
String Quartet No.4 in E Minor, Op.44/2: III. Andante
String Quartet No.4 in E Minor, Op.44/2: IV. Presto Agitato

UPC: 747313000173
Label: Naxos
Release Date: 3.25.08
Format: CD

New Zealand String Quartet - String Quartets 1 Nos 1 4 & 6 (CD)