Harmonious Winds

This montage from our Podcast Vault revisits a post from 24 June 2016. It can be found in our archives at https://archive.org/details/pcast224

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One of the popular performing ensembles, wind bands are orchestras comprised of wind (woodwinds and brass, or brass only) and percussion instruments. Wind bands developed as stable performing groups in several European countries in the 17th century, appearing in Russia toward the end of the 17th century and beginning of the 18th as military orchestras composed of wind instruments and attached to regiments of the Russian Army.

According to the Free Dictionary, the instrumental makeup of the wind band developed gradually. In its modern form it has three varieties, each representing an orchestra of mixed composition: small (20 members), medium-sized (30), and large (42-56 or more). The large wind band is made up of flutes, oboes (including the alto oboe or English horn), E-flat, B-flat, and bass clarinets, saxophones (soprano, altos, tenors, and baritones), bassoons (including the contrabassoon), French horns, trumpets, trombones, cornets, alto horns, tenor horns, baritone horns, basses (tubas and double bass), and percussion instruments of determined and undetermined pitch. In performing concert works the wind band occasionally includes a harp, glockenspiel, and piano.

Our montage features works by Mozart, Vaughan-Williams, Sousa, and Beethoven.

Founded by Frederick Fennell in 1952, the Eastman Wind Ensemble is often credited with helping popularize wind band music. Under his leadership the group became known as the pioneering force in the symphonic wind band movement in the United States and abroad. Its core of about 50 performers includes undergraduate and graduate students of the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester.

The ensemble is featured in today’s montage, but I thought I’d provide some bonus material from YouTube.

I think you will (still) love this music too.