Bernard was a French organist and composer. He studied piano at the Paris Conservatoire before becoming the organist of the Paris Church of Notre-Dame de Champs from 1887 to 1895. He composed mainly for chamber ensembles, although he did compose an overture and suite for orchestra, a conzertstück for piano and orchestra, and two cantatas. Many of his compositions reflect his serious and reflective disposition.
Gustav Schreck was born on September 8, 1849, at a time when German music was flourishing, drawing on its roots and national traditions. In the early 1800’s Germany was aligned with Vienna, the center of classicism. Though the Austro-German empire broke up in 1806, the linguistic and cultural ties were never broken. The music of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven was well known in Germany and Austria. Around the 1830’s a historical perspective emerged in German music. The rediscovered works of Bach and Handel were performed, and complete editions of their works were printed by mid-century. Consequently, music of the past secured a place in German musical repertoire and became an important part of composing, influencing Schumann, Mendelssohn, Liszt, Wagner, Brahms, and Gustav Schreck, who helped maintain those traditions throughout his career.
Georges Enesco was a true “triple-threat” composer of the 19th century. He was a violin virtuoso of world standing, a conductor of exceptional talent, and a composer whose works for orchestra have become repertoire staples. His compositional output was small (especially after 1914) due to the conflicting demands of his career: divided loyalty between two countries (he went by his original name, Enescu, in Romania, and by Enesco in France), virtuoso performer, teacher, conductor, and composer.
Cheryl Fogg, flute
Wendy Wilhelmi, flute and piccolo
Shannon Spicciati, oboe and English horn
Florie Rothenberg, clarinet
Robert Rasmussen, French horn
Kristen Reitz-Green, French horn
Keith Bowen, bassoon
Michel Jolivet, bassoon
Cheryl Fogg, flute and piccolo
Susan Telford, flute
Eleanor Havens, clarinet
Robert Rasmussen, French horn
Kristen Reitz-Green, French horn
Francine Peterson, bassoon
Romantic Divertimenti CD Notes
Divertissement, Op. 36, by Emile Bernard
The Divertissement, Op. 36, was first performed at the Parisian Société des Instruments á Vent. It is written for pairs of oboes, clarinets, flutes, French horns, and bassoons. The introduction is beautiful and lyrical, with soloistic passages from each instrument. The calm opening tempo soon gives way to a lively section. Bernard used great care in designating a variety of styles and effects to be used by the individual players.
The second movement progresses quickly, requiring the performers to move with agility in response to the quick changes in dynamics. The final movement opens with a fantasy-like bassoon solo. The lyrical solo passages of all of the instruments are reminiscent of the opening style. Changing to a faster tempo, the pairs of instruments move together until they ritardando into the slow theme that began the composition. After a brief revisit to the opening theme, an allegro carries us to the end.
Divertimento for Nine Wind Instruments, Op. 40, by Gustav Schreck
In addition to the deepening historical perspective, 19th century German music pioneered a Romantic’s search for a national consciousness. Attempts to define what was specifically German resulted in Romantic individualism, satire, patriotic love of nature, and themes of popular heritage. The Romantic search, and the anti-realistic trait also found in German literature, led to a wide variety of programme music — music inspired by a non-musical idea. In the midst of this cultural climate Felix Mendelssohn founded the Leipzig Conservatory in 1843, six years before Schreck was born, dramatically changing the face of music education in Germany by teaching scholarly history of music. It was the first German counterpart to the Paris Conservatoire. Schreck studied there with the famous piano teacher Louis Plaidy and the unequalled pillar of conservative musical pedagogy, Salomon Jadassohn.
After his Leipzig studies, Schreck taught in Finland where he met his wife, Emmy, then returned to Leipzig as a teacher in 1887. Aside from the Divertimento for Nine Wind Instruments (also referred to as the Nonett), Schreck’s works include a Sonata for Bassoon and Piano and a Sonata for Oboe and Piano; an oratorio, Christus der Auferstandene, and other sacred works; piano pieces; and songs.
True to his classical training, Schreck in his Divertimento for Nine Wind Instruments produced music symmetrical in form, traditional in harmonic structure and abundant in melody. After a slow introduction, the first movement enters into a lively allegro in three parts, setting the tone for this energetic work. The second movement is a vivacious scherzo with delicately interwoven parts. The lush colors and expressive transitions prominent in the third movement eloquently speak to the Romantic tradition. The three-part finale proceeds with determination and clarity to the end.
This work was a buried treasure. The treasure hunt began when our bassoon player, Ann, played a trio by Schreck and noticed a “Nonett” in the composer’s bibliography. With the help of Jim Cochran at Shattinger’s Music, this out-of-print Nonett was found in the archives of Breithopf and Härtel. We hope this buried treasure will find its way to a secure place in wind repertoire.
Dixtuor, Op. 14, by Georges Enesco
Born in 1881, Enesco began playing the violin at the age of four and composing at the age of five. By age eight he was regarded as a mature performer. He finished his musical studies in Vienna in 1894 at the age of thirteen. From there he went to the Paris Conservatoire where he began his lifelong participation in French musical life. Enesco studied with Fauré, Dubois, Gédalge, and Massenet, and his compositions reflect their influence as well as the influence of his Romanian culture.
Enesco’s Dixtuor (1906) displays a vast array of coloristic writing for ten wind instruments, created through the use of the English horn as well as French horn “stopping”: achieved by inserting the hand into the bell to create a different sound quality. This work represents a maturity of melodic themes and development (despite the composer’s young age) that make this piece a favorite among players and listeners alike.
The traditional first movement is crafted with majestic melodies and great fluidity. The middle movement opens with a melancholy oboe-English horn duo in octaves accompanied by the warm low-register unison of two flutes. A lively trio in the major mode provides a sudden contrast to the forlorn melody, with a return to the principal section masterfully combining both themes. Melody continues to be a focus to the end of the work, as the third movement weaves together several themes, expressing them through the various instrument colors.
Players for Enesco and Bernard
Players for Schreck