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Pavane – Woodwind Quintet
Gabriel Fauré’s beautiful solo melodies for woodwinds and horn make this transcription work naturally for woodwind quintet. The thinner texture of the quintet makes the balance between primary and secondary voices even more practicable than in the orchestra version.
Composer: Mark Questad
Instrumentation: Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, F Horn & Bassoon
Duration/# of Pages: ca. 5:00 / 23 pages, 8.5″ x 11″
Key: Gm -
Sheep May Safely Graze – Woodwind Quintet
J.S. Bach wrote the Hunting Cantata, BWV 208 to celebrate the birthday of one of his patrons, Duke Christian of Saxe-Weissenfels. It is a secular cantata which contains the aria, Schafe könen sicher weiden (Sheep may safely graze.) This aria has become one of Bach’s most enduring pieces. The aria is sung by Pales, Roman deity of shepherds and is meant as a tribute to the Duke’s beneficence. This arrangement fashions a popular Baroque piece into an effective offering for the instruments of the woodwind quintet.
Composer: Mark Questad
Instrumentation: Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, F Horn & Bassoon
Duration/# of Pages: ca. 3:00 / 12 pages, 8.5″ x 11″
Key: F -
Tuba & 12 – Mixed Large Ensemble
Tuba & 12 was inspired by a Bedouin proverb that states: “While the words are yet unspoken, you are master of them; when once they are spoken, they are master of you.”
Proverbs, in general, state a general piece of advice. This piece assumed that words were spoken, resulting in tension and an apology. Relationships, the first movement, has brass vs. woodwinds, tonality vs. dissonance, duples vs. triplets, et al. as well as the synergy and cooperation among all. Unspoken Words is the second movement and the dissonant opening theme in the piccolo and flute is presented three times. The third movement is Resolution. Over a constant low pedal G, the horn ostinato adds tranquility as all the themes from the first two movements return in fragmented form, before all is finally resolved.
Although tuba has top billing in the title, each instrument is equally important.
The sample score shows the first page of each of the three movements. The complete recording is available for free.
Composer: Anne McGinty
Instrumentation: Piccolo, Flute, 2 Clarinets, Alto Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, 2 Trumpets, 2 Horns, 2 Trombones & Tuba
Duration/# of Pages: ca. 11:00 / 75 pages, 8.5″ x 11″
Key: N/A
