Octet in E-flat major | |
---|---|
by Felix Mendelssohn | |
Key | E-flat major |
Opus | 20 |
Composed | 1825 |
Dedication | Eduard Ritz |
Performed | 30 January 1836 |
Duration | about 30 minutes |
Movements | four |
Scoring | double string quartet (4 violins, 2 violas, 2 celli) |
The String Octet in E-flat major, Op. 20, MWV R 20, was written by the 16-year-old Felix Mendelssohn during the fall of 1825 and completed on October 15.[1] Written for four violins, two violas, and two cellos, this work created a new chamber music genre. Conrad Wilson summarizes much of its reception ever since: "Its youthful verve, brilliance and perfection make it one of the miracles of nineteenth-century music."[2] This was one of the first works of Mendelssohn to be very well received.[3]