Search - Felix [1] Mendelssohn, Begona Uriarte, Karl-Hermann Mrongovius :: Mendelssohn: Complete Works for Piano 4 Hands

Mendelssohn's chamber masterpiece sounds great on the piano

Hexameron | 02/14/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Brahms and Mendelssohn were always happy to transcribe their works to four hand arrangements. Such arrangements are always excellent and they manage to successfully transfer the music over to the medium of the piano. The 17 Volumes in the Naxos "Brahms Four Hand Piano" series has proven that the intimacy and nuances of chamber music can indeed be captured through the piano's registers. This recording features Mendelssohn's own arrangement of his Octet, the Andante e Allegro brilliant, and his Op. 83a, a four hand arrangement of his Op. 83 Variations. All of them sound breathtaking as four hand piano arrangements.



I actually wasn't that familiar with the Octet before buying this CD. I had heard it on the radio but I do not own a recording of the original chamber performance. Having been impressed and biased towards piano transcriptions and four-hand arrangements, I pounced on buying this CD so I could familiarize myself with Mendelssohn's Octet. It is without a doubt one of his greatest achievements, especially since it ranks among the finest works of his youth. He composed this at the tender age of 16. Yet the maturity, depth and compositional mastery of this Octet is phenomenal, showing no signs of callowness or inexperience. The first movement alone is sonata-form at its zenith. I distinctly remember the first movement from the radio and I have to say, the piano is in a class of its own. In the first movement, the themes sound incredibly rich on the piano, and the development section is a continuously gorgeous display of pianistic grandeur and beauty. The Andante movement may sound starkly different on the piano, but the sublime and mystical atmosphere is present, not to mention the clarity of the notes. The piano duo's interpretation of the Scherzo may be questionable but they tap into the exquisite "fairy music" that is so characteristic of Mendelssohn's piano style. In the last movement, the piano duo summons up all the gusto needed for this brilliant Presto, displaying virtuosity and arousing plenty of excitement. You can expect a skilled piano duo like this one to highlight on all of the sonorities, intricate phrasings, and most importantly, the mood of this Octet.



The Op. 92 is a pair of two contrasting works: a lovely Andante and a sparkling Allegro. I think the Andante is as remarkable as one of Mendelssohn's best Songs Without Words. Thus, the lyricism sounds all the more beautiful under the sumptuous tones of the piano. The Allegro assai demonstrates Mendelssohn's proficiency with lavish ornamentation and brilliant passagework. It's generally more thrilling to the ears than some of his more laidback solo piano works, and the piano duo makes the most of it. While they won't unleash too much fury, which would damage the elegance of the work, their performance is commendable for its technique and articulation. Mendelssohn's Op. 83a is actually a four hand arrangement of his Variations in B flat major for solo piano. Its theme is not that original or memorable, but Mendelssohn's adroitness with composing marvelous variations is always striking. There is a fascinatingly meticulous and noble design to his variations and this work showcases them well. Unfortunately, there is an error on the CD pamphlet. It only lists 11 tracks when there are 12. It's a simple mistake because Track 9 is listed as Variation 3-6, when it should really be 3-4. Essentially there are two variations on each track so someone failed to mark the missing Variation 5-6 on the CD pamphlet.



Bottom line: This is a stupendous recording of Mendelssohn's music arranged for four hands. The Octet retains all the attractive features and extraordinary moments through Mendelssohn's own four hand arrangement. And although the Op. 92 and 83a are less noteworthy, they are still above-average works that make for pleasant listening."