Mendelssohn - String Quintets Op. 18 and 87

String Quintets op. 18 and 87 by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy for two violins, two violas and cello

Editor : Ernst Herttrich

Titles :

• Quintett A-dur - A major - La majeur Opus 18

Anhang - Appendix - Appendice

• Ursprünglicher 3. Satz - Original 3rd movement - 3e mouvement original

• Quintett B-dur - Bb major - Sib majeur Opus 87

Anhang - Appendix - Appendice

• Verworfener Abschnitt aus dem 4. Satz - Rejected passage from the 4th movement - Passage rejeté du 4e mouvement
• Verworfener Schluss des 4. Satzes - Rejected close of the 4th movement - Conclusion rejetée du 4e mouvement

The genesis of Mendelssohn’s string quintets is closely connected to his friend Eduard Rietz and the latter’s brother Julius. Deeply affected by Eduard’s death in 1832, Mendelssohn exchanged the “Minuetto” movement in his A major Quintet op. 18, written six years previously, for a newly composed adagio. It was in this form that the work was finally sent to the publisher. The Quintet in B flat major was only published after Mendelssohn’s death; numerous, unauthorized entries by Julius Rietz thus found their way into performance practice. An examination of the autograph allowed us to return the work to ist original form – the commentary contains detailed information on this.