Mendelssohn: String Octet, MWV R 20, Op. 20 (arr. for piano 4-hands)

Description

It's too bad that there were no recordings back in the early 19th century, for the live recording of the duo performance given by Ignaz Moscheles and Felix in October 1835 would no doubt have thrilled the musical world: "With Mendelssohn, I played his octet for four hands; it went swimmingly again," Moscheles reported afterwards to his wife. Did he know that Mendelssohn had made the arrangement himself, since the one made by his sisters Fanny and Rebekka was too difficult for him? At all events, Mendelssohn's general publisher Breitkopf & Härtel was particularly satisfied with the composer's original version as "the musical public would look much more favorably upon the arrangement if it were to come from your pen."