Sinfonie Nr. 1 op. 11

After the success of his First Symphony in London in 1829, the composer arranged his work no doubt at the request of his English publisher for the unusual scoring "piano duet, violin (ad libitum) and violoncello (ad libitum)." In spite of the "ad libitum" qualification, it is a genuine "double piano quartet" or extended piano trio. The violin and cello are treated independently and occasionally as equals. An echo of the symphony’s reception in the British Isles can be seen in the Scherzo from the Octet op. 20, with which Mendelssohn had temporarily replaced the original Minuet there and which can now be played in a unique chamber setting.