Lamb & Hayward Curator's Series: Stravinsky, Mendelssohn

Stravinsky – Octet for Wind Instruments
Mendelssohn – String Octet in Eb Major Op. 20

Stravinsky wrote his Octet (for flute, clarinet, and two each of bassoon, trumpet and trombone) in 1923, after his huge ballet successes in Paris – The Firebird, Petrushka and The Rite of Spring. He said “the octet began with a dream, in which I saw myself in a small room surrounded by a small group of instrumentalists playing some attractive music... I awoke from this little concert in a state of great delight and anticipation, and the next morning began to compose.”

Mendelssohn wrote his bubbly Octet at the tender age of 16. With it he brought a groundbreaking new chamber music genre into existence that uses two string quartets to create an almost orchestral sound, but with eight equal voices. This configuration allowed for a fuller sound while preserving the intimacy of chamber music. Mendelssohn's writing gives each instrument an independent yet interwoven voice, creating complex, vibrant textures and rich harmonies that were unprecedented at the time. The Octet’s innovation inspired future composers and remains a cornerstone of the chamber repertoire for its lively energy and sophisticated craft.