Cape Cod Chamber Orchestra Sandbar Series: Woodwind Quintet

Program Notes:

In the autumn 1921, Danish composer Carl Nielsen was inspired by a rehearsal of the Copenhagen Wind Quintet, who were playing Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante, to compose a Wind Quintet. Nielsen's affinity for wind instruments was linked to his fascination with nature and human character, and he wrote each part to match the individuality of each player.

Nielsen's program notes explain his intent to capture the character of each instrument. He described the work's three movements: Allegro, Minuet, and Prelude – Theme with Variations, the latter based on a melody from one of his spiritual songs. Critics have highlighted the balance between modernism and neo-classicism in the quintet.

Nielsen completed the Wind Quintet in 1922 in Gothenburg, Sweden. It premiered privately on April 30th at Herman and Lisa Mannheimer's home, performed by the Copenhagen Wind Quintet musicians who inspired its creation. The official concert debut followed on October 9th at the Odd Fellows Mansion in Copenhagen, where the unique qualities of each instrument were showcased.

Umoja (pronounced "oo-MOH-juh") is a Swahili word meaning "unity" and is the principle of the first day of Kwanzaa. Valerie Coleman's piece, Umoja, has evolved into various forms over more than 20 years. The original version was composed for a women's choir to celebrate the first day of Kwanzaa, featuring a repeated melody and call-and-response structure, with lyrics calling for unity. Coleman described this version as embodying "tribal unity" and the feel of a drum circle sharing oral histories.

Category: Live Music | Classical

Price:
General Admission: USD 35.00