Wind Quintet

Wind Quintet with Narrator. Written for the Oxford based wind quintet 'The Five Winds' for a Children's Christmas concert. First performed at the Holywell Music Rooms Oxford 1985. A sleepy bear (bassoon) a romantic lady (cor anglais) a mad cobbler (clarinet) and a fisherman's son (piccolo) are all visited by the 'Mountain Wind' (horn) of Stephen Pegg's imaginative story.

Pour Quintette de Vents-French composer and conductor Henri Tomasi (1901-1971) published Five Secular and Sacred Dances for Wind Quintet in 1963. As with his other wind compositions Five Secular and Sacred Dances was well-received by audiences. Tomasi was born in Marseille but his Father and Mother were originally from La Casinca in Corsica. Despite being pressured into musical studies by his parents Tomasi dreamed of becoming a sailor and during the summer he stayed with his Grandmother in Corsica where he learnt traditional Corsican songs. However in 1921 he began his studies at the Paris Conservatoire and wenton to become a high profile composer and conductor. Tomasi did not forget his Corsican routes often incorporating themes of the songs he had learnt during the summers with his Grandmother in to his compositions. Five Secular and Sacred Dances is a reduction arrangement of his work of the same name for Chamber Orchestra. Comprising five movements; 1) Rural Dance 2) Secular Dance 3) Sacred Dances 4) Bridal Dance and 5) Warrior Dances Five Secular and Sacred Dances is one of three Wind Quintets by the composer. This Tomasi piece is suitable to an advanced Wind Quintet providing an exciting alternative addition to the ensemble repertoire.

for Flute Oboe Clarinet in Bb Bassoon and Horn in F-Alan Bullard's Dances for Wind Quintet were commissioned by the Marlborough Wind Quintet and first performed by them in the Purcell Room in June 1983. It was subsequently taken up by the Vega Wind Quintet who broadcast it on BBC Radio 3 and since then it has received numerous performances worldwide.