HUMMEL, HAYDN, BEETHOVEN: Music for Winds

Johann Nepomuk Hummel(1778-1837)
Octet-Parthia E flat major (1803) for 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 horns and 2 bassoons

Joseph Haydn(1732-1809)
Symphony in C major (orig. D major), Hob. I:70(1779) (arr. Beat Briner) for 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 horns and 2 bassoons
Divertimento in F major, Hob. II:15(1760) for 2 oboes, 2 horns and 2 bassoons

Ludwig van Beethoven(1770-1827)
Sextett E flat major, op. 71(1796) for 2 clarinets, 2 horns, and 2 bassoons

Kammer-Solisten Zug
Luise Baumgartl, oboe
Esther Fluor-Baumberger, oboe
Tomoko Ferraino, clarinet
Adreas Ferraino, clarinet
Beat Briner, bassoon
Stefan Buri, bassoon
Olivier Darbellay, horn
Hanna Holder, horn

"You have no idea how difficult it is to arrange a work of this kind for wind instruments, so that it suits these instruments and yet loses none of its effect." Mozart wrote this to his father when transforming his "Entführung aus dem Serail" in a "Harmoniemusik". In the autumn of feudalism, such pieces of "Hamoniemusik" were highly en vogue: They were generally intended to be played in the streets or, more generally, simply outdoors as a notturno, cassation, serenade, divertimento or parthie. They were also at home at banquets, feasts and other special occasions organized by the nobility. Thus, a music was demanded which could be performed both indoors and outdoors: chamber music for wind band, which, in the German-speaking areas, came to be called "Harmoniemusik". The term "Harmoniemusik" initially designated an ensemble of wind instruments that were usually scored in pairs, later the term also came to comprise the music written or arranged for these ensembles. The actual name "Harmoniemusik" seems to have been suggested by the horns. Thanks to its unique sound spectrum, the horn is one of the instruments that blend the most smoothly with others. Such was the need for wind music that it could not be satisfied alone with original works. The wind-band adaptation of existing works was thus common practice, and even necessary. The three original works on this CD were all conceived to serve as background music for social events.