We’re Flandering in nonets
NewsA couple of weeks ago, I delighted in the discovery of a nonet by the Italian film composer Nino Rota to add to one of my all-time favourites, the deathbed nonet by the Czech exile Bohuslav Martinu.
Today, I received a new release by the Flanders group Oxalys, featuring both the Martinu and Rota nonets, together with a nine-movement nonet by the Hollywood exile Hanns Eisler.
Joy upon joy.
Fantastic stuff from all three composers here – can’t wait to enjoy the full recording
Don’t forget Gounod (the Petite symphonie, 1885) and Previn (two string quartets and double bass, 2014).
Don’t forget ‘No-no Nonette for assorted winds and toys’ by P. D. Q. Bach.
Btw, the distinguished P.D.Q. Bach scholar Peter Schickele turns 86 this week.
His titles are always the best:
Oratorio The Seasonings
and the operas
The Abduction of Figaro
A Little Nightmare Music
The Stoned Guest
Wishing him many happy returns!
And let’s not forget the marvelous music Schickele writes under his own name.
I’ve known the Rota and Martinu nonets (the latter is technically Nonet #2, though #1 is a different instrumentation) for some time, looking forward to hearing the Eisler. Starting with Spohr, the nonet configuration of wind quintet, string trio and bass became something of a standard, and there are many fine examples.
Interesting that Martinů and Rota both follow the scoring of nonet pioneer Spohr (except that Martinů 1 substitutes a piano for the double bass). Gounod of course is all winds. But Eisler innovates: in his No.1 ditching the oboe in favor of a second violin (less mellow perhaps) while in No.2 bringing in trumpet and timpano and unbalancing the strings (sign of the times). Previn follows Eisler 1 but makes of the four winds a second string quartet: Mendelssohn plus double bass.
I dearly hope there’s a Nono Nonet. “No, no, Nanette” doesn’t count.