The feeling of resignation is palpable. The quartet concludes with an energetic finale, which regains the drive of the opening movements. With its inventiveness and lyrical grace, Hensel's quartet is the equal of any of her brother's, which is to say that it stands with the best of its time. Her String Quartet in G minor, Op. The first movement is a solid piece of work in sonata form, with a graceful first theme and a prominent part for the cello.
Textures are occasionally dense but never overloaded.
A light, graceful scherzo is followed by a slow movement based on a German hymn and featuring passages of quiet, unfolding beauty. The finale is an energetic summing up, with contrasting themes and stormy energy. Incidentally, Mayer was also a respected sculptor whose works were catalogued in several royal collections. Dating from about the same time as Haydn's Op. 9, Sirmen's quartets betray the divertimento origins of the genre.