Performer Name: Bute Wind Quintet

Show Name: Parisian Affair

Show Description

A potpourri of French Wind Quintets from Les Six, to Ravel and Taffanel. Programme: La Cheminee du Roi Rene - Milhaud (15) Novelette in C - Poulenc arr. Emerson (3) Tombeau de Couperin - Ravel arr. Jones (15) Suite Provencal - Denwood (8) Trois Pieces Preves - Ibert (7) Wind Quintet - Taffanel (25) English Folk Song Suite - Vaughan Williams (10) Sous le Ciel de Paris - Giraud arr. Lin Y.E. (Encore - 3) This programme opens with two composers from the group of French (and Swiss) composers called Les Six. Milhaud’s La Cheminee du Roi Rene (1939) is a suite of miniatures originally written for film but take their name from the popular Provencal proverb of the same name. Poulenc’s Novelette in C Major (1927) comes from a set of three piano works, the C major presenting the fresh Neoclassicism we associate with Les Six. Ravel’s masterpiece Le Tombeau de Couperin (1914-17) is a touching yet bright Neoclassical memorial for friends lost in World War I but also one of the great Baroque Masters of French Music – Couperin. Following this are two shorter works, Denwood’s Suite Provencal explores themes from French folk-songs and Ibert’s Trois Pieces Breves (1930) is a mainstay of Wind Quintet literature. Taffanel is the only Romantic composer on the programme with the Wind Quintet being written in 1876, perhaps best known for his impact on the French Flute School. The final composer is not French but had a very strong relationship with France through his studies in Paris with Ravel. The concert closes with a work originally for wind instruments (albeit expanded from the Wind Quintet) – the English Folk Song Suite, what better way to bring us back from this Parisian Affair.

The Bute Wind Quintet are two time winners of the June Emerson Wind Music Launchpad Prize, championing the diversity of the wind quintet genre. The group have had a busy 2024, performing as Young Ensemble Artists for the Beaumaris Festival, Cowbridge Music Festival, and the Fishguard Festival of Music. The group have notably performed for the Royal Society of Musicians, the University of South Wales Graduation Ceremonies and the International Malcolm Arnold Festival. Their 2025 performance highlight was their London debut at Conway Hall. They have just completed a two year Artists Residency at the Norwegian Church Arts Centre. The group have given recitals for the Cwmdu Music Concert Series and Concerts at the Crossroads Recital Series, and were asked to record The Night Before Christmas by Oliver Tarney for Convivium Records, which will be released in 2025. Individually, Gabriella Alberti (flute), Sam Willsmore (oboe), Hannah Harding (bassoon), Nathan Barker (French horn) and Meg Davies (clarinet) have all freelanced with professional orchestras such as the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Welsh National Opera and recently, bassoonist Hannah Harding has joined Sinfonia Smith Square (formerly Southbank Sinfonia) for their 2024/2025 season. The Quintet have a busy 2025 booked, with recitals at Knighton Music Society, St Georges Bristol, Wellhayes Music Society, Lichfield Festival and at Wye Valley’s Coleford Summer Band Stand.