Repertoire
Quintets
“Little” Fugue in G Minor — J.S. Bach/arr. Roger Stevens
This brilliant arrangement is the cornerstone of Calico Winds, reflecting our aesthetic goals: interesting and beautiful material, artfully performed to reveal a full array of blended tone colors. Recorded on All In One.
Aires Tropicales
Paquito D’Rivera
D’Rivera highlights several Cuban dances, reinventing the classical medium to incorporate Latin rhythms.
Serenade “Music-Making in the Forest”
Jörgen Jersild
This unique work from Danish composer Jersild vividly invokes the stark beauty of nature, with sound images of crystal clear icy landscapes, warm meadows, the excitement of the hunt and frolicking dance.
Three Songs from “Das Knaben Wunderhorn”
Gustav Mahler/arr. T. Cramer
Romanticism at its finest! These charming arrangements preserve the ingenuity of Mahler’s orchestration.
Fireside Tales, Op. 61
Edward MacDowell/arr. Ronald Hess
Calico’s commission of the arrangement of this American piano masterpiece results in remarkably innovative wind writing, both tenderly expressive and dazzlingly virtuosic. Recorded on Vintage America.
Adagio and Allegro, K. 594
W. A. Mozart/arr. Michael Hasel
Written in the last year of his life, Mozart offers touching and dramatic music in the Adagio with all the technical fireworks expected in a mature Mozart Allegro.
Divertimento
Daniel Gregory Mason
A New World composer whose composition echoes the great Old World Romantics. Recorded on Vintage America.
Serious Variations
Ronaldo Miranda
This contemporary Brazilian composer wields both captivating dance and deep expression from a famous haunting melody.
Miniatures and Folk Suite
William Grant Still/arr. Adam Lesnick
Melodious vignettes highlighting the music of the many peoples of the Americas. Recorded on Vintage America.
Braintree Quintet
Gwyneth Walker
Rhapsody, Jazz, Rock ‘n Roll, a March and a bit of audience participation make these unique hymn settings a fun experience for the audience.
Opus Number Zoo
Luciano Berio
Combines spoken poetry and music in an imaginative and compelling way, using animal characters to bring to life various aspects of the human condition.
Sea Sketches
David Chadwick
Yeo ho ho! Three kinds of chanteys display a magical variety of sound textures. Recorded on Vintage America.
Very Fast Wind Quintet
Frank Zappa
A short, rhythmically exciting piece.
Scherzo
Eugene Bozza
An original “Flight of the Bumble Bee” for wind quintet.
Woodwind Quintet
Elliott Carter
A wonderful introduction into the world of atonality, its light and snappy style shows Carter’s jazzy side. Recorded on All In One.
Petite Piece
Claude Debussy arr. Eugene Bozza
A delightful companion piece to other pieces using the jazz idiom.
Quintet
Jean Francaix
In a quintessential French style, Francaix challenges each member of the quintet with virtuosic writing. This four-movement work is a whirlwind tour of the full ranges of the instruments.
Quintet
Robert Muczynski
An animated work by a great American composer, this piece is pleasing to both the performers and the listeners.
Quintet, op.43
Carl Nielsen
Masterpiece! Nielsen skillfully uses the colors of the different instruments in this major three movement work. Recorded on All In One.
Quintet, op.88, No. 2
Anton Reicha
Highly virtuosic both for the individual player and the ensemble this quintet illustrates why Reicha is so well-loved for his wind writing.
La Nouvelle Orleans
Lalo Schifrin
This work cleverly juxtaposes classical and jazz styles, while employing spectacular ensemble gestures. It’s a wild ride! Recorded on All In One.
Solo Suite for Wind Quintet
Alec Wilder
Written for the famous New York Woodwind Quintet, this little-known work shows Wilder at his best.
Three Quickies
Ross Wright
This award winning composition widens the colors and range of the ensemble by using auxiliary instruments from piccolo to contrabassoon. The movements are humorously entitled: “Before Work”, “Lunch Break” and “During the Commercials”.
Quintet Plus
Piano
Sextet, Op. 6
Ludwig Thuille
The influence of Richard Strauss, Thuille’s friend and mentor, is heard beautifully in this wonderful work for piano and winds. Lush harmonies and soaring, haunting melodies shine through the dazzling array of late Romantic color.
Sextuor
Francis Poulenc
The piano joins the wind quintet in this three-movement triumph of French playfulness and lyricism.
Bass Clarinet
Mládí
Leos Janácek
Translated as “Youth”, this endearing work expands the traditional wind quintet to include bass clarinet to create a deep and rich tone palate. Czek composer Janacek draws on music from his childhood, with wonderful contrasts of sweet and tender melodies with playful and lively energy.
Sextet for Winds
Benjamin Britten
The evidence of genius is heard throughout this one-movement work written when the composer was 16. Perhaps inspired by the Janacek work of the same instrumentation, the clever counterpoint of Britten’s interweaving motives is mesmerizing.
Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass
Nonet
Ludwig Spohr
The style of this almost chamber-orchestra-scale work sits delightfully between the Classical and Romantic. With sparkling passagework and elegant lines, Spohr’s character-filled writing showcases the virtuosity of every instrument in the ensemble.
Orchestra
Sinfonia Concertante
Damian Montano
An eternally engaging work with sweeping themes and intricate, bubbly technical lines from the ensemble and orchestra, Montano’s Sinfonia Concertante is a thrill to experience from beginning to end. A Calico commission.