Ludwig van Beethoven: String Quartet No. 1, Op. 18 no. 1
Felix Mendelssohn: String Quartet No. 1, Op. 12
In their season finale, La Speranza revisits the first string quartets – Nos. 1 – of Beethoven and Mendelssohn. First, that is, according to their catalog numbers. As is often the case, the chronology of works can be more complicated than the numbers attached to them. In truth, these quartets were written subsequent to each composer completing his actual first string quartet. Mendelssohn's first quartets followed on the heels of Beethoven’s last, demonstrating that one need not be revolutionary to produce works of exquisite beauty and depth.
