Mendelssohn: Octet; Quintets Nos. 1 & 2; Quartet No. 2

Felix [1] Mendelssohn (Composer), Hausmusik London (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Hausmusik London
• Composer: Felix [1] Mendelssohn
• Audio CD (October 10, 2000)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: EMI Classics
• ASIN: B00004TQQU
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #33,888 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

57 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great value period performance with depth and commitment, June 10, 2001

By 

sphaerenklang "stringph - at - gmail" (UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mendelssohn: Octet; Quintets Nos. 1 & 2; Quartet No. 2 (Audio CD)

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.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding - Wonderful Scherzo and Presto in the Octet, December 30, 2005

By 

Classicalfan "Classicalfan" (Reston, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mendelssohn: Octet; Quintets Nos. 1 & 2; Quartet No. 2 (Audio CD)

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.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Precision and elegance, awsome quintet, March 13, 2006

By 

Erez Katz "katzer" (CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mendelssohn: Octet; Quintets Nos. 1 & 2; Quartet No. 2 (Audio CD)

I agree with the other reviewer, the Scherzo from the Octet is wonderfull, there aren't many recordings out there with such high level of chamber playing.

I must also mention the L'Archibudelli recording of the Octet. Though not as clean, it is more dynamic (though this recording is certainly not lacking at all).

L'Archibudelli also recorded the quintet, but I like this recording more.

The strength of L'Archibudelli is also it's weakness, they are great soloists on the expense of chamber work.

As I recommended on the L'Archibudelli review, I would get both recordings since both excell in different aspects.

As for the Quintet, I feel that this recording is the better of the two.