MENDELSSOHN Octet op. 20 - IV. Presto | Nicolas BALDEYROU

Dear friends, I hope you’re well! Today’s sacrilege is dedicated to Mendelssohn, again 😁 (sorry, it’s one of my favorite composers🔥), not the violin concerto this time but one of the most exciting piece for strings, the famous octet opus 20! Composed in 1825 and dedicated to his violin teacher Eduard Rietz, imagine that Mendelssohn was only 16… 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.“ This was by the way one of the first works of Mendelssohn to be very well-received. I’m playing here the finale that I arranged for one piccolo Eflat clarinet, three Bb (one BC XXI, one Légende in mopane, another one in boxwood, 2 basset horns and two Tosca basses. This movement showcases fugal elements from the beginning as well as a melody from “Hallelujah Chorus