Piano Quartet No. 1 (Mendelssohn) Explained

Felix Mendelssohn's Piano Quartet No. 1 in C minor, Op. 1 (MWV Q 11), for piano, violin, viola and cello was completed on 18 October 1822 and dedicated to Polish Prince Antoni Radziwiłł. Mendelssohn's three numbered piano quartets were the first works of his to be published, hence their opus numbers. The piece was published in 1823, when Mendelssohn was fourteen years old.^[1]

Structure

The work has four movements:

1. Allegro vivace (C minor)
2. Adagio (A-flat major)
3. Scherzo: Presto (C minor)
4. Allegro moderato (C minor)

A typical performance lasts just under half an hour.^[2]

Notes and References

1. Cooper, John Michael. Historical Dictionary of Romantic Music. United States: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Incorporated, (n.d.). p.412.
2. Web site: Piano Quartet No.1, Op.1 (Mendelssohn, Felix) - IMSLP . 2024-03-25 . imslp.org . en.