- Allegro
- Andante
- Assez Lent / Allegro Scherzando
This is one of those iconic wind quintet works which just about all players will come across sooner or later. It is very showy and challenging particularly for the oboe and clarinet, although all instruments have their moments of glory. Exhilerating if pulled off "effortlessly".
The horn is asked many times thoughout the first and third movements to make major statements, also to be extremely quiet in accompaniment. It introduces the theme of the first movement with fortissimo straight semi-quavers, then the oboe takes over in a more playful version with a curious written-in swing-style lilt.
My favourite movement is the middle one which is a slow flute / clarinet duet, the rest of the group joining in only for the last half a dozen bars. Ibert has the melody initially in the flute with clarinet accompaniment, then the roles swap in a sublime moment.
The Assez Lent is a nice six bar introduction to the third movement with a tiny fanfare / stopped echo in the horn that is difficult to get in tune. Then the clarinet is required to pull off a screamer of a solo: played with just the right amount of rubato this is one of the best pieces of solo clarinet writing in the wind quintet repertoire. Our Arbor clarinetist Phillip does it proud.
Horn statistics
- Horn in F
- Highest note: A, ripped
- Hand stopping and muting
- Tonguing difficulty: 2/5
- Fingering difficulty: 3/5
- Rythmic difficulty: 3/5
- Stamina: 3/5