Wind Quintet
A wind quintet, also sometimes known as a woodwind quintet, is a group of five wind players (most commonly flute, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon). The term also applies to a composition for such a group.
Unlike the string quartet with its homogeneous blend of color, the instruments in a wind quintet differ from each other considerably in technique, idiom, and timbre. The modern wind quintet sprang from the ensemble favored in the court of Joseph II in late 18th century Vienna: 2 clarinets, 2 horns, 2 oboes, and 2 bassoons. The influence of Haydn's chamber writing suggested similar possibilities for winds, and advancements in the building of these instruments in that period made them more useful in small ensemble settings, leading composers to attempt smaller combinations. However, it was Antoine Reicha's 24 quintets, begun in 1811, and the 9 quintets of Franz Danzi that established the genre, and their pieces are still standards of the repertoire. Though the form fell out of favor in the latter half of the 19th century, there has been renewed interest in it by leading composers in the 20th century, and today the wind quintet is a standard chamber ensemble, valued for its versatility and variety of tone color. Return to the home page
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Based in Montreal, Canada, Pentaèdre is a wind quintet offering a full seasonal concert programme featuring classical music, chamber music and contemporary music, as well as inter-disciplinary shows integrating dance, theatre or mime. Its members, 