David Wechsler’s

Divertimento for Woodwind Quintet

and Piano

THE DIVERTIMENTO FOR WIND QUINTET AND PIANO IS A PIECE THAT UTILIZES THE DISTINCT SONIC COMBINATION OF WIND QUINTET, WITH THE ADDED RHYTHMIC VITALITY, HARMONIC SUPPORT AND COLORISTIC CHARACTER THAT THE PIANO GIVES TO THIS COMBINATION OF INSTRUMENTS. IT IS A ONE MOVEMENT WORK, THAT HAS AN ATONAL INTRODUCTION OF DESCENDING CHROMATIC FIGURES THAT ENTER ONE INSTRUMENT AT A TIME, WINDING UP ON A PEDAL POINT, UPON WHICH THE PIECE THEN UNFOLDS.  IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PIECE THERE IS A CHARMING TRIO FOR FLUTE, BASSOON AND PIANO. THIS TRANSITIONS TO A FORMIDABLE, RHYTHMIC ALLEGRO WHICH CONCLUDES WITH A RETURN TO THE ORIGINAL OPENING SECTION. PLAYING ARE DAVID WECHSLER, FLUTE; MATTHEW SULLIVAN, OBOE; JEFF ADLER CLARINET; SARA SCHOENBECK, BASSOON;  BARBARA OLDHAM, HORN; SYLVIA KAHAN, PIANO.