The Romantic Woodwind Quintets, Part II

Mangold, Wilhelm (1796-1875)

Quintett D-Dur (D Major), Nr. 2

Published in Mainz by B. Schott’s Sohne.

In addition to this quintet, Mangold arguably was the first person to write a trio d’anche for oboe, clarinet and bassoon. See our blog post on The Earliest Trio d’Anches.

Mengal, Martin Joseph (1784-1851)

Quintet after Beethoven in B-flat Major (Quintetto tiré des œuvres de Beethoven)

Quintet after Haydn in B-flat Major (Quintetto tiré des œuvres de Haydn )

Quintet after Mozart in B-flat Major (Quintetto tiré des œuvres de Mozart)

All three of the above works were originally published as a set titled 3 Quintette in Paris by Ignaz Pleyel in the 19^th century). All three are now available individually from Phylloscopus Publications in Lancaster, United Kingdom, in a modern edition.

Mengal was a hornist and a student of Anton Reicha. So it’s no surprise these works were recorded by the Reicha’sche Quintett. Mengal also wrote two quintets for 2 flutes, 2 horns and bassoon, both in D Major.

Muller, Peter (1791-1877)

Alternate spellings include Müller and Mueller.

Quintet No. 1 in E-flat Major

• 1. Larghetto – Allegro
• 2. Scherzo: Allegro – Trio
• 3. Larghetto
• 4. Allegro molto

Publishers:

• Bremen: Praeger & Meier, 1874, engraved in Leipzig by F. W. Garbrecht
• London: Musica Rara, 1962
• Bradfield, Berkshire, England: Rosewood Publications

Duration: 8:00. Parts may be downloaded from the International Music Score Library Project, here.

The parts of the first three quintets by Muller were published in Bremen by Praeger & Meier, in 1874 (engraved by F. W. Garbrecht) and reprinted sometime thereafter in Leipzig by Carl Ruhle (probably during or after 1880). The parts available from the International Music Score Library Project are by Ruhle.

Quintet No. 2, in C Minor (also listed as E-flat Major)

• 1. Allegro con brio (4:52)
• 2. Andante con moto (2:49)
• 3. Menuetto (2:19) (Allegro & Trio)
• 4. Allegro ma non troppo (2:39)

Published by:

• Bremen: Praeger & Meier, 1874, engraved in Leipzig by F. W. Garbrecht
• London: Musica Rara, 1969 (edited by William Waterhouse)
• Bradfield, Berkshire, England: Rosewood Publications

Parts may be downloaded from the International Music Score Library Project (see link above). From the parts, the work does appear to be in C Minor (not E♭ Major), but the finale ends in C Major.

Quintet No. 3 in A Major

• 1. Allegro
• 2. Andante sostenuto
• 3. Menuetto & Trio
• 4. Allegro – Trio. Meno Allegro

Publishers:

• Bremen: Praeger & Meier, 1874, engraved in Leipzig by F. W. Garbrecht
• London: Musica Rara, 1969
• Bradfield, Berkshire, England: Rosewood Publications
• Parts may be downloaded from the International Music Score Library Project.

Quintets 1, 2 and 3 have been recorded on Crystal Records (CD252) by The Richards Quintet (Israel Borochov, flute; Daniel Stolper, oboe; Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr, clarinet; Edgar Kirk, bassoon; and Douglas Campbell, horn. There may be other recordings.

There are four more quintets by Peter Muller that appear not to have been published, but could be an interesting project for a publisher. The manuscripts for Quintets Nos. 4-7 are all available in the Landes- u. Hochschulbibliothek Darmstadt (Darmstadt State and University Library).

Quintet No. 4 in A Major

Quintet No. 5 in G Major

Quintet No. 6 in E-flat Major

Quintet No. 7 in C Minor

Normand, Albert ( 18??-1949)

Quintet in E Major, Op. 45 (1890)

• Adagio
• Scherzo

Publishers:

• Versailles: Vernède (1800s)
• San Antonio, Texas: Southern Music

This work is included in the Andraud 22 Quintets published by Southern Music.

Onslow, Georges (1784-1853)

Quintett, Op. 81, No. 1 (1850-1852)

• Allegro non troppo
• Scherzo. Energico
• Andante sostenuto
• Finale. Allegro spirituoso

Publishers:

• Leipzig: Chez Fr. Kistner (with Paris: Chez Brandus & Cie.), 1852
• Mettawa, Illinois: Edition Silvertrust (here)
• Possibly also published in New York by McGinnis & Marx Music Pub.

The Edition Silvertrust website gives an alternate title for the third movement: Larghetto. Duration: 23:10.

Parts available for free download from the International Music Score Library Project, here. These parts are for Quintet in F Major, which is presumably Op. 81, No. 1, although it is just marked Op. 81 with no number.)

Quintett, Op. 81, No. 2 (1850-1852)

Publishers:

• Leipzig: Fr. Kistner & C.F.W. Siegel (ca. 1852)
• Kassel: Kammermusik Verlag, 2006
• A copy is available in Indiana University Music Library, Bloomington.

Blaserquintett F-dur, Op. 81, No. 3 (1850-1852)

Publishers:

• Leipzig: F. Kistner, 1851
• New York: McGinnis & Marx
• Munchen: F.E.C. Leuckart 1956

Pessard, Émile Louis (1843-1917)

Aubade, Op. 6 (1882)

Publishers:

• Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1880s
• Boston: Cundy-Bettoney
• New York: Carl Fischer
• Boca Raton, Florida: Masters Music Publications, 2005 (arranged by Clark McAlister)

Also available from the International Music Score Library Project.

Prélude et Menuet du “Capitaine Fracasse”

Published in Paris by Alphonse Leduc.

“La Capitaine Fracasse” was an Opéra-comique in three acts, first performed in 1878. (Catulle Mendès was the librettist.) The original scoring included pairs of flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, cornets, trumpets, 3 trombones, 4 horns, ophicleide, contrabass saxhorn, percussion and strings. It’s worth visiting the IMSLP site just to see the original cover of the quintet arrangement by Leduc.

Taken from a comic opera by Pessard and arranged for quintet by the composer. Score and parts are available for download from the International Music Score Library Project, here. Click on the tab for “Arrangements and Transcriptions.” The parts are now also available for download from ScorSer.com.

Peter, Ludwig (1817-1899)

Quintet

Published in Amsterdam by Edition Compusic in 1992.

Pfeiffer, Georges Jean (1835-1908)

Pastorale, Op. 71

Dedication is to “á mon ami Paul Taffanel.”

Publishers:

• Apparently published in Paris, ca. 1870, but the publisher is not listed.
• Cincinnati: Andraud (now Southern Music)
• Rödental, Germany: Befoco, 2011
• Cincinnati: Andraud (now Southern Music)

Available under a Creative Commons license from the International Music Score Library Project, here. A more modern score and parts is also available on the same page, edited by Gebhard Chalupsky.

The Befoco publication also includes a trio d’anche entitled “Musette.”

Rasmussen, Peter (1838-1913)

Quintet in F (1896)

• Lento – Allegro moderato
• Andante cantabile (B-flat major)
• Menuet. All[egr]o con moto
• Finale. Allegro con brio

Published in Amsterdam by Edition Compusic in 1992.

A PDF of the manuscript score may be downloaded from the International Music Score Library Project here.

Respighi, Ottorino (1879-1936)

Quintetto a fiati in sol minore (Wind Quintet in G Minor), Op. 28 (1897-98)

Publishers:

• Bologna: Edizioni Bongiovanni, 1986
• Holzkirchen: Accolade Musikverlag, 2015 (edited by Luca Franceschelli)
• Tallevast, Florida: Trevco Music Publishing (edited by Trevor Cramor)
• Eboli, Italy: Vigor Music, 2015 (edited by Claudio Paradiso)

This is an original work for woodwind quintet, not an arrangement. Respighi wrote it while he was still a student.

Reuling, (Ludwig) Wilhelm (1802-1879)

Quintett

Published in Mainz by B. Schott’s Sohne.

Rietz, (August Wilhelm) Julius (1812-1877)

Quintett

Published in Leipzig by F. Hofmeister.

Rorich, Karl (or Carl) (1869-1941)

Quintet in E Minor, Op. 58 (probably 1910)

• I. Langsam und ausdrucksvoll – Lustig und übermutig
• II. Sehr langsam und mit tiefster Erinnerung
• III. Gemächlich, aber mit Humor
• IV. Etwas langsam (wie in trauriger Erinnerung)

Publishers:

• Leipzig, Berlin: J. H. Zimmermann, 1921
• Amsterdan: Edition Compusic, 1992
• Bradfield, Berkshire, England: Rosewood Publications

Rorich’s quintet has a duration of 16 minutes. Score and parts are also available for download from the International Music Score Library Project, here. They may also be downloaded from UR Research here.

Schmid, Heinrich Kaspar 1874-1953

Woodwind Quintet in B-flat Major, Op. 28 (possibly before 1914)

• Allegro
• Grazioso amabile
• Moderato – Allegro giusto

Published in Mainz by B. Schott Sohne, 1914, 1921.

Score and parts available for download from the International Music Score Library Project, here.

The dating of “before 1914” is based on a report of a 1914 edition by B. Schott Söhne. If that is inaccurate, however, it might indicate a 1920 or 1921 composition date (or a bit earlier). Based on earlier publishing information, an article about this work appeared in our Roaring 20s Woodwind Quintet series, here.

Sobeck, Johann (or Jan) (1831-1914)

Fantasie über Motive aus Donizetti’s Oper Lucia di Lammermoor, Op. 3

Publishers:

• Burgwedel: Louis Oertel, 1904
• Bradfield, Berkshire, England: Rosewood Publications, www.rosewoodpublications.co.uk

Quintet No. 1 in F Major, Op. 9 (1879)

• I. Quasi Presto
• II. Adagio cantabile
• III. Scherzo. Molto vivace
• IV. Finale. Allegro molto

Publishers:

• Berlin: Bote & G. Bock, 1879
• Edition Compusic, 1992
• Bradfield, Berkshire, England: Rosewood Publications, www.rosewoodpublications.co.uk
• Mettawa, Illinois: Edition Silvertrust, https://www.editionsilvertrust.com/

Parts for all four quintets (but not the Fantasie) are available on the International Music Score Library Project website, here.

Woodwind Quintet No. 2 in E-flat Major, Op. 11 (1891)

• I. Andante sostenuto – Allegro vivace
• II. Andante sostenuto
• III. Allegretto giojoso e leggière
• IV. Larghetto – Doppio Movimento, quasi Allegro – Fuga

Publishers:

• Leipzig: Bosworth & Co., 1891, 1930
• Bradfield, Berkshire, England: Rosewood Publications
• Mettawa, Illinois: Edition Silvertrust

Wind Quintet No. 3 in G Minor, Op. 14 (circa 1891)

• 1. Allegro mosso
• 2. Tema con Variazione e Scherzino
• 3. Tarantella. Vivo

Publishers:

• London, Leipzig: Bosworth, 1930, 1891
• Gloucester, UK: IH Music http://www.ihmusic.co.uk/
• Bradfield, Berkshire, England: Rosewood Publications
• Mettawa, Illinois: Edition Silvertrust

Duration: 13:00. Unlike the usual four-movement form in Sobeck’s other quintets, the second movement combines a theme and variations (which begins as Andante piu tosto Adagio) and a quick Scherzino.

Wind Quintet No. 4 in B-flat Major, Op. 23

• I. Lento – Allegro non tanto
• II. Scherzo. Allegro con brio
• III. Adagio molto
• IV. Finale. Allegro spiritoso

Publishers:

• Hannover: Verlag von Lehne & Komp. (engraved? by Schubert & Winkler in Leipzig-Gohlis)
• Gloucester, UK: IH Music http://www.ihmusic.co.uk/
• Bradfield, Berkshire, England: Rosewood Publications

Sowerby, Leo (1895-1968)

Quintet (1916)

Publishers:

• Chicago: H. T. FitzSimons, 1930
• New York: G. Schirmer, 1931
• Malvern, Pennsylvania: Theodore Presser Co. https://www.presser.com/

Duration: 15:00. According to their website, the Renaissance City Winds (of Pittsburgh) is preparing the world premiere recording of this work. For those who can’t wait there is a much too short excerpt by the Chicago Symphony Woodwind Quintet available on the orchestra’s Facebook page.

Taffanel, Claude Paul (1844-1908)

Quintette (1876)

• I. Allegro con moto
• II. Andante
• III. Vivace

Publishers:

• Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1878, 1990
• Kalmus – Belwin-Mills
• New York: International Music Corp.
• San Antonio, Texas: Southern Music Co. (Part of the Andraud 22 Quintets)

Duration: 20:00. Score and parts also available for download on the International Music Score Library Project site, here.

This is possibly the most popular of the later Romantic-style quintets in the literature. It was written for a music competition in 1876 and received an actual gold medal. Although Taffanel founded the Société de musique de chambre pour instruments à vent (Society of Chamber Music for Wind Instruments) in 1879, he never had his own Quintette performed by the ensemble.

Uhlig, Theodor (1822-1853)

Quintett

Published in Leipzig by Pfefferkorn in 2008.

The duration is reportedly a hefty 45 minutes. The autograph score is in the Museum Wurzen near Leipzig.

Vendler, Bohumil (1865-1948)

Landler für Bläserquintett

The manuscript is held by the Janackova akademie muzickych umeni [Janácek Academy of Music and Performing Arts] in Brno, Czechia. But the online catalog offers no date or other information.

Sousedská (Neighbor) (1890)

This quintet is also in the music catalog of the Janackova akademie muzickych umeni [Janácek Academy of Music and Performing Arts] in Brno, Czechia. The catalog doesn’t say whether it is a manuscript or a printed version of the work.

Waterson, James (1834-1893)

Quintet in F

Printed in London by J. R. Lafleur in 1921.

The score specifies “horn in F (with pistons)” and clarinet in E-flat. Waterson spent most of his musical career as a British military band conductor and composer, hence the choice of horn with pistons. (If you use a horn with rotary valves, I won’t tell.)

Weber, Josef Miroslav (1854-1906)

Bläserquintett (1900)

The quintet was published in Bradfield, Berkshire, England by Rosewood Publications, www.rosewoodpublications.co.uk, in 2004.

Weber’s manuscript is reportedly in the Janackova akademie muzickych umeni [Janácek Academy of Music and Performing Arts, or JAMA] in Brno, Czechia.

Wood, Charles (1866-1926)

Quintett in F major (1891)

The F Major quintet was published in London by Boosey & Hawkes in 1933.

Quintett in B major (date?)

Also published in London by Boosey & Hawkes, Ltd., in 1933.

This Quintet is not in the current online catalog of B&H. If it exists, it is also possible it is in B-flat major instead of B Major (B Major is an odd key for early woodwind quintets).

Zöller, Carl (1840-1889)

Alternate spellings include: Zoller, Zoeller, and Carli.

Quintett in F, Op. 132 (ca. 1883)

• Allegro moderato
• Andante cantabile
• Scharzo
• Finale: Allegro vivace

Published in London by W. D. Cubitt Son & Co. in 1883.

Parts are available for download from the International Music Score Library Project, here.

Postlude

It’s taken 50 years of research to make me confident enough to put this list together along with several years of planning.

Although this may be the most complete listing of the Romantic quintets, it likely not complete. There are some mystery chamber works that may or may not be woodwind quintets, and there may have been quintets I have not found (still sitting around in old libraries in Europe or Russia or other countries). Other potential quintets may be excluded because I haven’t a clue when they were composed. Even as I was compiling this list in November, 2024, I found several “new” works to add to the list. I also found at least one composition that I thought was an original quintet was actually an arrangement.

Feel free to add to the general knowledge about these quintets, including possible corrections and additions by leaving a note at the end of this article, or email me at andybrandt531 [at] zoho.com.