“Mendelssohn’s Octet is widely regarded as one of the greatest chamber music works ever written, which makes the fact that he was 16 when he wrote it all the more impressive. Scored for a double string quartet, Mendelssohn wrote “the Octet must be played by all the instruments in symphonic orchestral style” and the listener hears this immediately in both the scope and dimension of the work, demanding virtuosity from all eight players. Despite being composed so early in his life, Mendelssohn declared it his favorite composition in his later years, filled with trademark youthful exuberance, sentimentality, playfulness, and technical fireworks it is easy to understand why it was not only Mendelssohn’s favorite work but one of the most beloved works of music ever composed,” commented Dr. Katherine McLin, AZ Phil’s principal violinist and Concertmaster (shown at left in photo).