CONCERT PROGRAM II Wind Variations

The Music@Menlo writes:

During the eighteenth century, divertimentos and serenades lived up to their names as pleasant “diversions” and musical gestures of affection. Often performed outdoors, the clear timbres of wind instruments could be perfectly heard. Inspired by the examples of Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, composers that followed evolved a colorful tradition of chamber music for winds. Ludwig van Beethoven’s ingratiating Serenade, written for a unique ensemble combination, is essential listening for ...