Strings — Practical study pieces
Romantic · 1825

Octet for Strings — 1st mvt

F. MendelssohnOp. 20

Key
Eb
Time
C
Tempo
♩=132
AO focus
AO3

Incipit

Form

Allegro moderato ma con fuoco — sonata form. Mendelssohn aged 16. Eight strings (4 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos).

Teaching points

  • Mendelssohn at 16 — astonishing precocity
  • Eight-part string writing
  • AO3: chamber-symphonic genre
Full score ↓Public domain

Breitkopf + Bärenreiter, PD.

Topic T11Topic T9