Long considered a second-rate Schumann in the pantheon of the Great German Composers, listeners these days want to embrace the greatness of Felix Mendelssohn. They want to hear ecstatically joyful Italian Symphonies, passionately compelling Scottish Symphonies, luminously hilarious Midsummer Night's Dream Overtures, brilliantly blissful Violin Concertos, and soulfully expressive yet deeply intellectual string quartets so they can raise Mendelssohn to the front ranks of the Great German Composers.Unfortunately, these are not ...
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Long considered a second-rate Schumann in the pantheon of the Great German Composers, listeners these days want to embrace the greatness of Felix Mendelssohn. They want to hear ecstatically joyful Italian Symphonies, passionately compelling Scottish Symphonies, luminously hilarious Midsummer Night's Dream Overtures, brilliantly blissful Violin Concertos, and soulfully expressive yet deeply intellectual string quartets so they can raise Mendelssohn to the front ranks of the Great German Composers.Unfortunately, these are not those performances. The Henschel Quartet is a fine ensemble with plenty of energy and power and it tears into Mendelssohn with a strong tone and firm control. But too often it soars over the surface of the music, leaving the soulful depths untouched. In these recordings of the E flat major and F minor String Quartets, the Henschel pushes Mendelssohn's opening Allegros and forces his closing Molto allegro and Allegro molto, missing the tension of the music in the drive to the double...
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