From Street Corner to Concert Hall

The Franco-Prussian War, which concluded in 1870, led to revolutions in the French classical music community. After the war, many French musicians formed elite societies and commissioned French composers to write for their ensembles in the neo-classical style, revitalizing the practices of Mozart and Haydn’s time. One such group, the Société de musique pour instruments à vent, requested that Gounod write a nonet for one flute and two oboes, clarinets, bassoons, and horns. Paul Taffanel, the father of the French flute school, was the leader of the group, so one can infer why the work calls for one flute, not two. The Scherzo of Gounod’s Petite Symphonie, which was first performed in 1885, is a triumphant display of the whole ensemble. Each instrument is showcased through virtuosic solos, particularly in the minor mode trio section. The Scherzo’s light-hearted melodic material embodies the homophonic style of neo-classicism, simple and dignified with no strings attached.

The occasion for which Mozart’s Serenade for Winds in C Minor was commissioned
is unknown, but Mozart is thought to have favored the piece because he arranged it for string quintet several years later. The Allegro opens with a bold tutti forte in c minor, but that changes rather quickly. Most of the movement is written in the relative Eb Major, but there are certainly some darker moments in c minor as well as some dramatic shifts in mood and a couple grand pauses. The Andante is almost pastoral in its dainty simplicity at the start, then there’s a surprise when the primary theme returns in the minor mode. But the bright Eb Major returns for the second iteration of the secondary theme. The Menuetto in canone begins with a vibrant fanfare in the woodwinds with the brass close behind. As the movement progresses, the canon transforms from an initial statement with a simple echo to something reminiscent of a Bach fugue. There are suddenly three independent lines in the canon, followed by an intricate inverted canon in the trio — the second line mirrors the first rather than parroting the first iteration precisely. The finale Allegro could be heard as a series of musings on the primary theme from the first movement. Following the standard theme and variation form, this movement pulls the whole piece together and ties it up with a bow.

Obviously, Prokofiev among many other artists have been inspired by Shakespeare’s infamous play Romeo and Juliet. Prokofiev wrote music for a ballet by the same title in 1935, and later reworked the material from the ballet to compose three separate suites for orchestra as well as a solo piano piece. Prokofiev’s colorful melodies paint a vivid story even without dance or words, and it works naturally in this wind quintet arrangement.

This rendition of Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet calls for two oboes (the second player doubling on English horn), clarinets, bassoons, and French horns, which allows for a complex blend of orchestral colors in an intimate chamber music setting. The first movement, Dance of the Girls, tells the charming story of teenagers falling in love at a formal event. Characterized by fragmented melodies and oom-pahs in the French horns, this movement captures the awkwardness of young love. The Street Wakens and Morning Dance each have a bright spirit about them, brimming with anticipation for what’s to come. Morning Dance begins with a flurry of tutti sixteenth notes, and a fanfare in the French horns as if to signal the official start of the day. Madrigal’s lyrical melodies and delicate harmonies give new life to the truncated motif from Dance of the Girls. Rewritten in a more mature voice, the motif seems to be evolving alongside Romeo and Juliet. Aubade is a virtuosic movement, particularly for the clarinets who play energetic runs amidst a stark staccato backdrop. Montagues and Capulets begins with the most famous section of Prokofiev’s original ballet. The bold dotted rhythm motif simultaneously evokes a sense of pageantry and instability, illustrating the futility of the families’ rivalry. Friar Laurence is lyrical and thoughtful as his character is in the original play, and the final movement of this adaptation is Mercutio, which shares the carefree, witty spirit of its namesake, Romeo’s best friend.

– Jennifer Candiotti