Philharmonic Chamber Music Recital

After first attempts at the end of the 18th century, it was Anton Reicha who caused a sensation in early 19th century Paris with his quintets, which became a model for this new line-up. The wind quintet by Franz Danzi is an example of this development. Although new works for wind quintet appeared with decreasing frequency in the second half of the 19th century, the French composer Paul Taffanel wrote several pieces in the genre. His experience as flautist and later principal conductor at the Paris opera can be heard in the theatrical air of his music, which is combined with characteristic French elegance.

The wind quintet flourished anew in the course of the 20th century – Paul Hindemith’s »Kleine Kammermusik« op. 24/2 and the »Three Shanties« by English composer Malcolm Arnold are examples. Later famous for his film music to »Bridge of the River Kwai«, Arnold wrote his op. 4 at the age of just 22, when he was solo trumpeter with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. The work’s sound-ideal is indebted to the romantic mood of English sea shanties.