If the wind quintet genre has it's origins in the early 19th century, it was during the 20th that it came of age. The possibilities that the combination of flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and horn offered in terms of sounds and musical character were exploited to the full by composers such as Carl Nielsen, Paul Hindemith and Darius Milhaud. Once the ensemble had become firmly established, it also became common practice to add instruments, or to vary the timbres in other ways. In his Septuor, Charles Koechlin included not only an alto saxophone but also a cor anglais, the same instrument that Heitor Villa-Lobos replaced the (French) horn with in the Quintette en forme de Choros. One of the most extreme cases in the literature, however, is Hans-Werner Henze's L'autunno 'for five players of wind instruments', in which each player is required to perform on almost all the related instruments in the family of his main instrument, resulting in an instrumentarium ranging from piccolo flute to Wagner tuba and contrabassoon. Together with three other compositions, Henze's autumnal piece has lent it's name to the discs included in this box set, the others being Printemps by Henri Tomasi, Samuel Barber's Summer Music and Winter Songs, Brett Dean's settings of five poems by E. E. Cummings for tenor and wind quintet. Individually released by the Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet between 1992 and 2003, these four discs are here gathered into a full seasonal cycle: A catalogue of 20th-century music for wind quintet, performed by an ensemble that a reviewer in BBC Music Magazine has described as follows: 'Accustomed to working together with the world's most gifted and demanding conductors, the five players distil all the discipline, versatility and musical characterization that is demanded of them daily. They combine this with the mutual generosity and tangible sense of enjoyment of those just freed from the maestro's yoke.'

Tracklist:

3 Pieces Breves: No. 1. Allegro
3 Pieces Breves: No. 2. Andante
3 Pieces Breves: No. 3. Assez Lent - Allegro Scherzando
Printemps: I. Reveil Des Oiseaux
Printemps: II. Chant D'amour
Printemps: III. Danse Des Oiseaux
La Cheminee Du Roi Rene, Op. 205: I. Cortege
La Cheminee Du Roi Rene, Op. 205: II. Aubade
La Cheminee Du Roi Rene, Op. 205: III. Jongleurs
La Cheminee Du Roi Rene, Op. 205: IV. La Maousinglade
La Cheminee Du Roi Rene, Op. 205: V. Joutes Sur L'arc
La Cheminee Du Roi Rene, Op. 205: VI. Chasse A Valabre
La Cheminee Du Roi Rene, Op. 205: VII. Madrigal-Nocturne
Wind Septet, Op. 165: I. Monodie
Wind Septet, Op. 165: II. Pastorale
Wind Septet, Op. 165: III. Intermezzo
Wind Septet, Op. 165: IV. Fugue
Wind Septet, Op. 165: V. Serenite
Wind Septet, Op. 165: VI. Fugue
Wind Quintet: I. Andante Tranquillo - Allegro Assai
Wind Quintet: II. Presto
Wind Quintet: III. Tema. Variation 1 - 4
Wind Quintet: IV. Tempo Di Marcia Francese
Scherzo, Op. 48
Summer Music, Op. 31
Woodwind Quintet: I. Allegretto
Woodwind Quintet: II. Allegro Giocoso
Suite For Wind Quintet: I. Prelude
Suite For Wind Quintet: II. Blues
Suite For Wind Quintet: III. Toccata
American Folk Suite
Suite, "Belle Epoque In Sud-America": I. Tango
Suite, "Belle Epoque In Sud-America": II. Vals Paulista
Suite, "Belle Epoque In Sud-America": III. Chorinho 'walter´s Requinta Maluca'
Quinteto Em Forma De Choros: Quintette En Forme De Choros
Ajubete Jepe Amo Mbae
Suite Popular Brasileira: I. Choro Em Berlin
Suite Popular Brasileira: II. Baiao
Suite Popular Brasileira: III. Seresta
Suite Popular Brasileira: IV. Frevo
Kleine Kammermusik, Op. 24, No. 2: I. Lustig
Kleine Kammermusik, Op. 24, No. 2: II. Walzer
Kleine Kammermusik, Op. 24, No. 2: III. Ruhig Und Einfach
Kleine Kammermusik, Op. 24, No. 2: IV. Schnelle Viertel
Kleine Kammermusik, Op. 24, No. 2: V. Sehr Lebhaft
Quintet: I. Introduktion - Thema - Variationen
Quintet: II. Sehr Ruhig, Ohne Rubato - Noch Langsamer - Sehr Langsam, Schleppend
Quintet: III. Rasch, Heiter - Galopp
L'autunno: I. Moderato
L'autunno: II. Allegretto
L'autunno: III. Allegramente
L'autunno: IV. Vivace
L'autunno: V. Quia Respexit Humilitatem Ancillae Suae
Septet: I. Lebhaft
Septet: II. Intermezzo: Sehr Langsam
Septet: III. Variationen: Massig Schnell
Septet: IV. Intermezzo: Sehr Langsam
Septet: V. Fuge, "Alter Berner Marsch": Schnell
Winter Songs: I. (Introduction) - (E) - (N)
Winter Songs: II. (If In Beginning Twilight Winter Will Stand)
Winter Songs: III. (Who Are You Little I) - (N)
Architectonics I
In Memory Of A Friend: Music For A Deceased Friend
Quintettino: I. Schnell
II. Langsam
III. Massig
Wind Quintet, Op. 43, Fs 100: I. Allegro Ben Moderato
Wind Quintet, Op. 43, Fs 100: II. Menuet
Wind Quintet, Op. 43, Fs 100: III. Praeludium - Tema Con Variazioni - Andante Festivo

UPC: 7318590020722
Label: Bis
Release Date: 5.28.13
Format: CD

Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet - Seasons: 20th Century Music for Wind Quintet (4 CD)