Hensel’s String Quartet in E-flat Major

OVERVIEW

String Quartet in E-flat Major highlights Fanny Hensel’s (née Mendelssohn) raw and exploratory approach to the string quartet, a distinct departure from the composition style traditional of the time. Her musical genius demonstrated here was severely undervalued during her lifetime, with no record of a performance of this quartet until after her death.

This performance is from Episode 3: Saint-Georges, Clarke & Hensel of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago’s 2020/21 season presented on CSOtv.

PERFORMERS

Genevieve Smelser violin
Joy Curtin violin
Benjamin Wagner viola
Najette Abouelhadi cello

SPONSORS

The 2020/21 Civic Orchestra of Chicago season was generously sponsored by The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation.

Major funding for the Civic Orchestra Fellowship Program is provided by The Julian Family Foundation.

The Negaunee Music Institute is endowed by a generous gift from The Negaunee Foundation.

This program was sponsored in part by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Illinois Arts Council Agency.