Over the years developing this site my brother has been both my strongest critic, and at the same time my most supportive advocate! We’ve spent a lot of time talking about music and I’ve sent him CD’s and a USB flash drive with the music he likes.
These exchanges comparing our musical tastes came to a head the other day after I sent him the Utube link below. He decided that this genre was his musical manna! – Wind – Just the wind instruments. Quartets, quintets, sextets or a whole bunch at once! (Like Mozart’s piece for 13 wind instruments) The use of exclusively wind instruments has an interesting history. The gist of it seems to be that the patrons of the composers in the 17 and 18 hundreds who weren’t filthy rich! .. some of them could only afford to have a little in-house musical group; and they came to be known as Harmonie. At the same time the article notes that some street musicians of the time played in these ‘wind groups.’
Anyway here in order are: The Utube link to a delightful piece by Beethoven. The Wikipedia article and another much more detailed account of Harmoniemusik. (* The next day: An important update) And finally a Long Play selection of all wind lasting an hour and 12 minutes. Enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtxbEKM3l9E
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonie
A very detailed link about Harmoniemusik
http://www.lipscomb.edu/windbandhistory/RhodesWindBand_04_Classical.htm
* A friend sent me an alternate version for the Mozart Serenade K361 and my brother and I both agree that’s it’s much better. Unfortunately my friend doesn’t know who it is playing! Anyway it will provide a lovely Intro to the long play.
Mozart’s Serenade For Winds K361 third movement
New Wind Instrument Long Play
Playlist: The first 3 movements of Beethoven’s Sextet for 2 clarinets, 2 French horns and 2 Bassoons
Wind quartet in E flat major (andante grazioso) by Anton Reicha. Then Reicha‘s Wind quintet #2 in E flat maj. op 88 IV
Then 4 movements from Mozart’s Serenade for 8 wind instruments in E flat maj. KV 375
Followed by Beethoven’s quintet for Oboe, 3 French horns and Bassoon (all 3 movements)
Finally … Mozart’s Serenade K361 “Gran Partita” for 13 wind instruments: third, fourth, fifth and seventh movements.