Modern: Designating the most innovative forms of art in a given period, particularly those of the 20th century. This definition from the French Larousse Dictionary explains the performers' choice of title 'Moderniste' for this new anthology of music for wind instruments: what draws the attention in these works - in different ways at different times and in different fields - are their innovative, progressive and adventurous qualities. Four of the composers featured on this album can legitimately be associated with what is very broadly known as Modernism, referring to the general proliferation of new ideas and new musical aesthetics at the turn of the 20th century and beyond. As for the two works by Philippe Hersant and Thierry Escaich, they call on us to reflect on what modernity means to us today. And, while it is easy to set Modernism in opposition to traditionalism, it is also interesting to distinguish between a composer's personality and his or her approach to composing.
We tend not to think of the 19th century as a golden age for wind instruments. While the individual instruments themselves enjoyed varying fortunes, their standing was much less significant than that of string instruments or the piano. However, the situation improved for all of them with the onset of Romanticism and a remarkable new repertoire for ensembles of differing types. One such type grew out of the Classical tradition of the divertissement or serenade, bringing together winds and strings in sizeable ensembles ranging from the sextet to the nonet. Another also hailed back to the end of the 18th century and combined winds with piano. And then there was the wind quintet per se, a recent innovation brilliantly exemplified by Anton Reicha and Franz Danzi up until the mid-1820s, which had established itself as a separate genre, characterised by skillful and sophisticated writing. Despite not having widely used them in the guise of true soloists, Romantic composers nevertheless turned to wind instruments more frequently than we might think, delighting in their expressive colours which were found to be ideal for depicting a whole range of emotions in some of the most refined works of chamber music. This recording presents a striking sample from this repertoire.
Each of the five members of wind 'supergroup' Les Vent Francais, partnered by pianist Eric le Sage, plays a sonata written by Paul Hindemith in the dramatic years between 1936 and 1943 - compact, lucid and engaging works for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and alto horn. "These Hindemith sonatas are a great asset to the wind repertory," says oboist Francois Leleux. "Hindemith took a very particular approach to each instrument, with a wonderful sense for it's individual sound."
