It's Mendelssohn's birthday! Let's celebrate!

02/11/18 • 38 min

February is Mendelssohn's birthday month, and it's also the month of Valentine's Day. Felix wrote the Andante and Rondo Capriccioso for a girl he was smitten with, and his 2nd String Quartet is based on a gorgeous love song, "Ist es wahr?" ('Is it true?')!

Felix Mendelssohn: Andante and Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 14
Benjamin Grosvenor, piano

Felix Mendelssohn: String Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 12
Pacifica String Quartet: Simin Ganatra, violin; Sibbi Bernhardsson, violin; Masumi Per Rostad, viola; Brandon Vamos, cello

Recorded at WGBH's Fraser Performance Studio on November 5, 2013, and October 18, 2007 (string quartet).

Felix Mendelssohn: Andante and Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 14
Benjamin Grosvenor, piano

Felix Mendelssohn: String Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 12
Pacifica String Quartet: Simin Ganatra, violin; Sibbi Bernhardsson, violin; Masumi Per Rostad, viola; Brandon Vamos, cello

Recorded at WGBH's Fraser Performance Studio on November 5, 2013, and October 18, 2007 (string quartet).

Previous Episode

Happy Birthday Mozart!

Mozart's birthday is January 27th, and we're celebrating with a couple of great performances from our studio.

Mozart: Violin Sonata in G major, K.301.
Haldan Martinson, violin; Sally Pinkas, piano

Mozart, arr. Ulf-Guido Schäfer: Selections from “Cosi fan tutte”.
Ma’Alot Wind Quintet: Christina Fassbender, flute; Christian Wetzel, oboe; Ulf-Guido Schäfer, clarinet; Volker Tessmann, bassoon; Volker Grewel, horn

Recorded at WGBH's Fraser Performance Studioon February 26, 2009 (violin sonata), and at WGBH's, Studio One, February 6, 2004 (wind quintet).

Next Episode

A Celebration of Maurice Ravel!

Ravel once said: “We should always remember that sensitiveness and emotion constitute the real content of a work of art.“ Canadian pianist Janina Fialkowska brings his art to life in "Jeux d'Eau". Also, the Moet Trio was the first ensemble to participate in the New England Conservatory's Professional Piano Trio Training Program - and they did a great performance for us of Ravel's Trio.

Ravel: Jeux d'Eau
Janina Fialkowska, piano
Recorded in a live broadcast at WGBH's Fraser Performance Studio on October 6th, 2008.

Ravel: Piano Trio in A minor (1914)
Moet Trio: Yuri Namkung, violin; Yves Dharamraj, cello; Michael Mizrahi, piano
Recorded in a live broadcast at WGBH's Fraser Performance Studio on April 15th, 2008.