Felix Mendelssohn composed his fourth string quartet in 1837 while on his honeymoon in the Black Forest -- a hugely talented 28-year-old with a new wife and a burgeoning international career as a composer, conductor, pianist, and man of letters. Yet by his nature Mendelssohn was a conservative soul, more given to celebrations of Classical beauty and proportion than the passionate flights of Romanticism that contemporaries like Beethoven were beginning to exhibit. Still, the Quartet No. 4 in E Minor displays all the passion, verve, and virtuosity that anyone could hope for, and it has remained one of the most popular of Mendelssohn's quartets amongst string players and audiences alike.

Acclaimed for its bold interpretive strength and electrifying performances, the Verona Quartet -- Jonathan Ong &  Dorothy Ro, violin, Abigail Rojansky, viola, and Jonathan Dormand, cello -- is the 2020 recipient of Chamber Music America’s prestigious Cleveland Quartet Award. The Quartet’s members represent four different nations, but their singular approach and unanimity of purpose in both musical and cultural cooperation have quickly earned the group a reputation as an “outstanding ensemble...cohesive yet full of temperament.” (The New York Times)

Formed at Indiana University under the tutelage of the Pacifica Quartet and Atar Arad, the Verona Quartet went on to complete residencies at The Juilliard School with the Juilliard String Quartet, and the New England Conservatory with Paul Katz. The group also counts among its principal mentors Alex Kerr, David Finckel, Donald Weilerstein, Martha Katz, Merry Peckham, Miriam Fried, Kim Kashkashian and Nicholas Kitchen. The ensemble’s “thoughtful, impressive” performances (Cleveland Classical) emanate from the spirit of storytelling; the Quartet believes that the essence of storytelling transcends genre and therefore the name "Verona" pays tribute to William Shakespeare, one of the greatest storytellers of all time.

Mendelssohn: String Quartet No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 44 No. 2 – Verona Quartet

Mendelssohn - String Quartet No. 4 -- IV. Presto Agitato

Mendelssohn - String Quartet No. 4 -- III. Andante

Mendelssohn - String Quartet No. 4 -- II. Scherzo- Allegro Di Molto

Mendelssohn - String Quartet No. 4 -- I. Allegro Assai Appassionato

New England Conservatory educates and trains musicians of all ages from around the world, drawing on the talent and deep reservoir of experience of our distinguished faculty. We are dedicated to inculcating the highest standards of excellence and nurturing individual artistic sensibility and creative growth. Understanding that music is one of the transcendent expressions of human civilization, NEC aspires to ensure it a central place in contemporary society. Additionally, we present over 1,000 free concerts a year in our world class performance spaces which include historic Jordan Hall.

Mendelssohn: String Quartet No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 44 No. 2 – Verona Quartet

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