Classical Editor: Rob Barnett
 

Music Webmaster
Len Mullenger: Len@musicweb-international.com



STRING QUARTETS.
Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel
Quartet in E flat;
Emilie Mayer
Quartet in G minor Op 14;
Laura Lombardini Sirmen
Quartet No 2 in B flat, Quartet No 3 in G minor.

Erato Quartet Basel
CPO 999 679 - 2 [DDD] [72' 23"].

Firstly let me praise the excellent CD booklet which teems with information.

Fanny Mendelssohn was, of course, Felix's sister. In 1829 she married the painter Wilhelm Hensel. Her String Quartet is her only work in this genre and while it is clear that it is strongly influenced by her famous brother it is a lovely piece. The opening adagio ma mon troppo is both beautiful and serene. The second movement is marked allegretto but is quick, fast and very attractive. It is a scherzo inspired by the Bell Rondo from Paganini's Violin Concerto No 2. The Romanze that follows has a beguiling simplicity; it is somewhat repetitive but is a very warm piece. The finale has some compositional weaknesses, which reveals the composer's lack of maturity, but it is very pleasant.

Emilie Mayer was a German composer born in 1812. She studied with Carl Loewe and thereafter with Adolf Bernhard Marx. Her String Quartet in G minor Op 14 is a substantial work in four movements lasting half an hour. The well constructed opening movement is an allegro appassionato in sonata form. There is much dialogue work and some memorable themes. The scherzo is also leisurely and not therefore a contrast. At three minutes it is very short. The adagio molto contabile is very beautiful and based on a chorale suggesting that this quartet was written for a special occasion. The music has character but, sadly, it has predictable clichés as well. The finale is attractive but there is no drama, fire or telling contrast throughout the thirty minute work. While it has no low points, it has no high ones either.

Maddeline Laura Lombardine Sirmen was born in Vienna in 1745 and was a fine violinist and a pupil of Tartini. After the birth of her daughter she became an opera singer.

The two quartets are both two movement works. They are pleasant listening but not outstanding or memorable. Historically they are of interest and musicologists could have a field day determining the 'style' employed.

A pleasant CD and I am glad to review music by women composers and further dent Sir Thomas Beecham's inane comment, "There aren't any women composers nor will there be."

Reviewer

David Wright

Performances

Recording


Reviewer

David Wright

Performances

Recording


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