Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) was a musical child prodigy, composing from age 11. He composed the ever popular, boisterously joyous Octet in E flat, Op. 20, scored for double string quartet, at age 16. The Allegro moderato is optimistically cheerful, with contrasting and engaging melodies, the Andante simple and song-like, and the ebullient Scherzo shimmering quicksilver, like M’s very popular incidental music for A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The Presto “unleashes one of M’s most brilliant and most exhilarating finales.” The Quintet No. 2 in B flat, Op. 87, composed a year earlier, exhibits vivacity and drive, with an exuberant opening theme. The delightful 2nd mvmt leads to a soulful Adagio. The 4th mvmt shows brio and virtuosity, with counterpoint and quick harmonic changes that “provide thrills aplenty.”