Mendelssohn Beethoven (Mendelssohn: Quartet In F Minor; Beethoven: Quartet In F Major, Op. 13)

Chronique

Boston's young Jupiter String Quartet offered a convincing two-work program with its Britten/Shostakovich release and does it again here with two chamber music swan songs: the comparatively little-heard and strikingly grim String Quartet in F minor, Op. 80, of Felix Mendelssohn and the roughly jocular String Quartet No. 16 in F major, Op. 135, of Beethoven. The group has members of the Cleveland Quartet in its lineage of training, and the combination of warmth and precise ensemble work in its playing may bring to mind that ensemble. The reading of the Beethoven, however, does not resemble the Cleveland's venerable version. The Jupiter's tempi are brisk indeed in the outer movements, to the point where the treatment of the opening movement especially is difficult to reconcile with Beethoven's Allegretto marking. The sudden stops and rhythmic interjections that give this late Beethoven quartet its unique flavor are pushed in the direction of ornament. It's an odd interpretation, but the group delivers the high spirits necessary to make it work, and the group's rendition of the profoundly lyrical slow movement is flawless. The Mendelssohn is very strong, as well, with a dark but not overly emotional take on music written after the death of the composer's sister, Fanny, and shortly before his own demise. The contrast between the two works is arresting, and perhaps the depths of the Mendelssohn conditioned the rather manic reading of the Beethoven rather than simply having each interpretation develop in isolation. A strong release from Canada's small Marquis label.
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