31. Gone With The Winds

Although wind, string, and percussion instruments have always existed side by side, at different times different groups among them gained greater popularity. For a long time, wind bands were particularly valued on European stages. However, the development of the violin family in the 17th and 18th centuries pushed them into the background, and the string section became the foundation of the orchestra. Furthermore, in the 18th and 19th centuries, no other instruments could rival the violin and the piano as solo instruments. Works for wind ensembles are therefore, unfortunately, much less well-known today, even when written by the most famous composers. Such is the case with Antonín Dvořák’s Serenade in D minor, which is in no way inferior to its string “cousin” except in terms of fame. The piece, written for two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, a contrabassoon, three French horns, a cello, and a double bass – a wind ensemble typical of Viennese serenades from Mozart’s time – is among the most cheerful works in the Czech master’s oeuvre. The March evokes the swagger of a rural band; in the Menuetto, Baroque dance blends with folk music; and the lyrical, pulsating Andante con moto offers a respite before the energetic, almost cartoonish finale. Equally light is the Sinfonietta for two flutes, two oboes, two bassoons, clarinet, and two French horns by the lesser-known Romantic composer Joachim Raff. After a joyful first movement, the second unfolds with tarantella-like fervor; in the third, bright lyricism blends with unsettling passages; and the finale once again captivates with short, rapidly repeated motifs.

– Dominika Micał (pisanezesluchu.pl)