The medium of the wind quintet, consisting of urgency by its short-breathed opening Eugène Bozza’s career followed a northerly stories set in the seventeenth, nineteenth and of flute, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon, theme, introduced in quiet octaves between direction: he was born in Nice on the twentieth centuries – among which Milhaud was firmly established in France in the early low clarinet and bassoon, and recapitulated Mediterranean, studied and worked as a chose the earliest. The title of the suite nineteenth century by the 24 quintets of the in a full-textured fortissimo. The second conductor in Paris, and in 1951 became refers to a ruler in an even earlier period, the Czech-born Antoine Reicha, professor at movement is an E flat majorAndante with director of the music school in Valenciennes fifteenth-century King René of Provence, and the Paris Conservatoire. That its existence a principal theme introduced by the horn, a near the Belgian border. He wrote a large to the sunny spot in the centre of his capital, continued into the twentieth century is more active middle section, and a reprise led number of pieces for wind instruments, Aix, known as “King René’s fireplace”, where largely due to the efforts of Paul Taffanel, off by the clarinet with the horn adding a including several for wind quintet. His he used to stroll every day. The first three of the leading French flautist of his time, counter-melody. The finale is in the southern Scherzo, published in 1944 with a dedication the seven short movements represent in turn a an influential teacher, and in later life an Italian dance rhythm of the tarantella, and to the newly founded Paris Wind Quintet, is a procession, a gentle “Morning Serenade” and important conductor. In 1879, he founded anticipates the lively wit of twentieth-century virtuoso miniature indebted both to Rimsky- deft “Jugglers”. La Maousinglade, according the Société de Musique de Chambre pour French music in its sudden switches of key and Korsakov’s Flight of the Bumble-bee and to to a note in the score, is the name (literally Instruments à Vent, which he directed for its surprise ending. the fairy world of Mendelssohn’s Midsummer meaning “badly arranged”) of a district in fifteen years in its promotion of concerts of Night’s Dream music. Milhaud’s native provençal countryside; wind chamber music. Surprisingly, although Early in his career, Gabriel Pierné took Joutes sur l’Arc were nautical tourneys on the he was also a prolific composer, Taffanel wrote part as pianist in some of the concerts of Darius Milhaud was one of the most innovative river Arc; Chasse à Valabre (which the flautist only one Quintet, and that was before the Taffanel’s Wind Music Society, and one of his French composers of the twentieth century, a begins on piccolo) depicts hunting parties at inception of the Society. It was his entry in a compositions was championed by Taffanel pioneer of the use of jazz idioms, of percussion the castle of Valabre. The Madrigal-Nocturne competition for a new wind quintet organised as conductor. Pierné in turn became a writing and of polytonality (more than one provides the equivalent of a zoom-out ending in 1876 by the Société des compositeurs de distinguished conductor, giving among other key at once). A member of a provençal Jewish of a film. musique. It was awarded the first prize, and important premieres the first performances of family, he left France after the Nazi invasion in was published and first performed in 1878. Stravinsky’s Firebird by the Ballets Russes. His 1940 for California, where he taught at Mills In his late twenties, Milhaud was a member The Quintet, in G minor, adheres to the Pastorale is an arrangement for wind quintet College. He may have been carrying his wind of what was dubbed Les Six, a group of six traditional forms associated with chamber of the first piece in his 1887 Album pour mes quintet suite La cheminée du roi René in his composers who wrote deliberately cheerful, music, and neatly solves the problems of petits amis, ‘Album for my little friends’, for luggage: it was written in the summer of 1939 inconsequential (and un-Germanic) music in giving each of the instruments an individual piano. In the 6/8 metre traditionally associated and first performed at Mills College in March the wake of the First World War. Perhaps the voice in counterpoint and combining them with its genre, it places suitable emphasis on 1941. The music is mostly adapted from last composer to inherit the carefree aesthetic euphoniously in harmony. The first movement the pastoral piping of the oboe. Milhaud’s contribution to the score of the 1939 of Les Six was Jean Françaix, who as a child is predominantly lyrical, but is given a sense filmCavalcade d’amour, based on parallel love prodigy was encouraged by Ravel and taught

Page 1 Page 2 by the redoubtable Nadia Boulanger. His As former BBC New Generation Artists the has given many British and world premieres. work list shows a distinct leaning towards Galliard Ensemble has become one of Britain’s She has performed with orchestras, including wind instruments. The first of his two wind leading chamber groups, with repertoire appearing as guest principal with the London quintets was written in 1948 and dedicated to ranging from Mozart and Beethoven to Berio Sinfonietta. Her concerto performances include and Schoenberg. Soon to celebrate their 20th works by Ibert, Honegger, Arnold, Bach, Barber, the wind quintet of the Orchestre National, anniversary, they have performed in many of the Rawsthorne, Mozart and Telemann. Kathryn though it had to wait until December 1954 world’s leading venues and festivals, including the has released two critically acclaimed solo CDs for its first performance, by the Quintet of Wigmore Hall, South Bank Centre, Bridgewater for Deux-Elles Classical Recordings (Pièces the Austrian Radio Orchestra. This delay was Hall, Sage Centre, BBC Proms, and in countries Romantiques, DXL 923; Fauré and his Circle, perhaps caused by the extreme demands the including Portugal, Spain, France, Ireland and DXL 1125). piece makes both on individual techniques Lithuania. They have worked with some of the and on ensemble coordination. After a greatest contemporary composers, including Owen Dennis ~ Oboe deceptively calm introduction, the Allegro Gyorgy Ligeti and Sir Harrison Birtwistle. They Owen Dennis read Mathematics at Corpus assai sets the pace with irregular rising oboe are frequently broadcast on BBC Radio 3 as well Christi College, Cambridge and graduated as internationally. The ensemble’s CDs have with a first class honours degree in 1995. He scales answered by downward chromatic scales been selected by the Sunday Times, BBC Music then studied at the Royal Academy of Music on cuivré (“brassy”) horn, over an intricately Magazine, Gramophone, and BBC Radio 3 in with Douglas Boyd and at the Rotterdam dovetailed accompaniment; and it keeps up their critics’ choices of outstanding releases. Conservatoire with Emanuel Abbuhl, winning its momentum all the way to a final section of the Leila Bull prize for oboe as well as the 1999 overlapping flute and clarinet arpeggios. The Royal Overseas League Wind Final. With the second movement is a high-speed scherzo with Kathryn Thomas ~ Flute Galliard Ensemble, Owen has released many CD’s a slower, waltz-like trio, punctuated by bursts Kathryn Thomas, selected by the Times as a ‘Great including the first recording of Birtwistle’s ‘An of the scherzo tempo but then slowing further. British Hope’, is a graduate of the Royal Academy Interrupted Endless Melody’ for oboe and piano. The third consists of a theme led by the oboe of Music, and has been made an Associate of As a BBC Radio 3 New Generation artist, Owen the Royal Academy of Music for distinction in has performed the Mozart and five contrasting variations, which each Sinfonia Concertante the music profession. She regularly appears as a with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and begin by replicating the initial opening-wedge recitalist and chamber musician at venues such as numerous live broadcasts, in particular Britten’s shape of the theme. The finale is in the time the Wigmore Hall, the South Bank Centre and Metamorphoses after Ovid for solo oboe in the of a brisk “French march”, whipped along by the Bridgewater Hall, and at festivals including BBC Proms. In addition to his chamber music, flute and clarinet arpeggios, and twice coming the BBC Proms, and is frequently broadcast on he freelances with the London Philharmonic to a stuttering halt – though not for long. BBC Radio 3 and internationally. Kathryn has Orchestra, the London Mozart Players and the © 2012 Anthony Burton worked with many leading composers including London Sinfonietta and holds the Principal Oboe Photo Eric Richmond György Ligeti and Sir Harrison Birtwistle, and seat with English Touring Opera. Page 3 Page 4 Katherine Spencer ~ Clarinet Orchestra in Haydn’s Concerto for two horns the RPO, taking music into schools, hospitals, Clarinettist Katherine Spencer made her concerto and Britten’s Serenade for tenor, horn and strings. day centres and youth clubs. Helen plays on a debut at the age of fourteen at the Royal Festival Richard performs regularly with many of the 10000 series Heckel bassoon. Hall and has since performed there as concerto UK’s symphony and chamber orchestras and soloist many times. She has appeared as soloist he has a passion for early music, working with Also available by the Galliard Ensemble: at the Birmingham Symphony Hall and Queen Gabrieli Consort, Academy of Ancient Music Elizabeth Hall, made many live Radio 3 solo and English Baroque Soloists among others. As Harrison Birtwistle, “Refrains and Choruses” broadcasts, and performs regularly on Classic FM well as being a founder member of the Galliard DXL1019 and European radio stations on both modern and Ensemble, Richard’s interest in chamber music Ibert, Berio, Ligeti, “Opus Number Zoo” period instruments. She has recorded the Brahms has led to performances of the Mozart Quintet DXL1025 Sonata and Beethoven Trio for the Oxford Classic for horn & strings and recordings with the Portuguese Wind Quintets, “LIGHT-DISTANCE” label with Sam Haywood and Martin Storey. Her Wallace Collection and the Golden Section brass DXL1084 past prizes include Yamaha European Foundation ensembles. award winner and prize winner in Concertina Further information at: Praga competition that lead to tours throughout Helen Storey ~ Bassoon www.galliardensemble.com Europe. She continues to perform internationally Helen studied at the Purcell School of Music with her Duo partner Sam Haywood. As a before continuing her studies with scholarships to chamber musician Katherine is a long-standing the Royal Academy of Music and the Hochschule member of the Galliard Ensemble as well as being fur Musik in Vienna, studying with John Orford, a member of many other diverse ensembles. She Rachel Gough, Milan Turkovic, and David Cover art work “Sunk” by Ashley Davies. has also performed Mozart with the remaining Chatterton. After several years of freelancing Ashely Davies has an art studio practise in East members of the Amadeus Quartet. Katherine Helen took a position in the Royal Philharmonic London where she creates works for national has been a member of the Orchestra of the Age Orchestra where she has been a member for 12 exhibitions and solo projects. She also works of Enlightenment for the last 6 years as well as years. She continues to freelance with groups as Artist/Educator for the Courtauld Institute, guest principal in The Irish Chamber Orchestra such as the English Chamber Orchestra and Somerset House Trust. The Galliards and Davies and Gabrieli Consort and Players. the London Symphony Orchestra alongside have collaborated on projects together for the last her positions in the RPO and the Galliard 8 years, ranging from joint art/music exhibitions Richard Bayliss ~ Horn Ensemble. Helen has recently become a member at the South Bank Centre, London, to art/music Richard enjoys a varied musical career, of the professorial staff at the Guildhall School of workshops throughout Britain. Ashley Davies encompassing historical performance, orchestral Music and Drama in London where she teaches produced over 15 art works in response to the music, chamber music and musical theatre. His undergraduate and postgraduate students as well collection of music on Jeux d’été and this one studies at the Royal Academy of Music (RAM) as coaching chamber music. Helen has been a “Sunk” is a wonderful celebration of the colourful led to solo appearances with the RAM String member of the RPO education team since joining music within. Photo Eric Richmond Page 5 Page 6 DXL1149 JEUX D’ÉTÉ THE GALLIARD ENSEMBLE Paul Taffanel (1844–1908) Quintet galliard 8 Jongleurs 1:09 1 Allegro con moto 9:57 9 La Maousinglade 2:15

2 Andante 6:19 10 Joutes sur l’Arc 0:53

3 Vivace 7:50 11 Chasse à Valabre 1:30 12 Madrigal-Nocturne 3:13 Gabriel Pierné (1863–1937)

4 Pastorale, Op. 14 No. 1 3:05 Jean Françaix (1912–1997) Quintet No. 1 Eugène Bozza (1905–1991) 13 Andante tranquillo – 5 Scherzo, Op. 48 2:41 Allegro assai 4:21

Darius Milhaud (1892–1974) 14 Presto 4:50 Suite: La cheminée du roi René, Op. 205 15 Theme: Andante and Variations 6:56 16 Tempo di marcia francese 4:12 6 Cortège 2:01

7 Aubade 1:37

Recording engineer and producer - John Taylor Booklet Notes - Anthony Burton Photos - Eric Richmond Cover artwork - “Sunk” by Ashley Davies Design - Frank Parker, A Creative Experience Recorded in St Michael’s Church, Highgate, London, 8th and 9th August 2011. C P 2012 Deux-Elles Limited, Reading, UK. www.deux-elles.co.uk