Programs
Programma 1: ‘On the origin of pieces’
| F. Farkas | Early Hungarian dances from the 17th century |
| F. Devienne | Trio for flute, clarinet and bassoon, op. 61 no. 5 |
| A. Reicha | Andante ‘pour le cor anglais’ |
| F. Danzi | Quintet in g minor, op. 56 no. 2 |
| -Break- | |
| W.A. Mozart | Adagio and allegro ‘for a clockwork organ’ (arr. W. Meyer) |
| F. Mendelssohn | Quintet op. 12 no. 1 (arr. D. Walter) |
Where wind music mostly played a subordinate role in the Baroque period, it evolved rapidly in classical times. The technical development of the instruments encouraged their musical development, helped by composers like Devienne, a virtuoso on both flute and bassoon. This led composers to use wind instruments in smaller combinations, and eventually, in the 1810’s, the Wind Quintet was born, with Anton Reicha and Franz Danzi at the cradle.
After mainly having been used for playing arrangements, wind instruments finally had their counterpart of the string quartet. Mendelssohn, and also Charles Darwin (both born in February 1809) probably heard this result of the winds’ evolution.
Programma 2: Summer night wind
| F. Mendelssohn | Scherzo from A Midsummer Night’s Dream (arr. F. Gabler) |
| H. Berlioz | Les nuits d’été (arr. H. de Vlieger) |
| -pauze- | |
| S. Barber | Summer Music |
| J. Medaglia | Suite ‘Belle Epoque in Sud America’ |
| M. Ravel | Le tombeau de Couperin (arr. M. Jones) |
| Encore: | Summertime, Gershwin |
The word summer generates many different thoughts and emotions. We easily think of warmth and light, dance and love, but heat also symbolizes drying up and death. The Farkas Quintet Amsterdam will take you on a journey, from the beauty of fairytales to the bitter sweetness of Gautier’s poems, celebrating all aspects of life, love and nature.
Programma 3: Farkas Quintet XL
| W.A. Mozart | Quintet for piano and winds KV 452 |
| J. Jongen | Rhapsodie op. 70 |
| -Break- | |
| M. Ravel | Le Tombeau de Couperin (arr. M. Jones) |
| F. Poulenc | Sextuor |
After having finished his Quintet for piano and winds, Mozart wrote to his father that he considered it ‘to be the best thing I have ever written’. This quintet was a perfect example of how to write for the combination of piano and winds. Poulenc adored the pure beauty and joy of Mozart’s music, and knew this piece very well. With his Sextuor, Poulenc composed another landmark in the repertoire for piano and winds.
A more hidden gem for this combination is the Rhapsodie by Joseph Jongen, contemporary of Poulenc and Ravel.
© Farkas Quintet 2023