PETITE SYMPHONIE (score & parts)

French composer Charles-François Gounod (1818-1893) is perhaps best known for his lyric opera Faust, but there are many delightful and varied pieces in his output.

One of Gounod’s friends was Paul Taffanel, the leading flautist of the day. In 1879 Taffanel founded the Société de Musique de Chambre pour Instruments á Vent, and its concert ensemble, La Trompette and it is for this group that Gounod wrote the Petite Symphonie.

The work calls for the standard ‘Mozart serenade instrumentation’ of pairs of oboes, clarinets, horns and bassoons, to which Gounod added a single flute part for Taffanel. The Petite Symphonie has four movements, following the format of a classical symphony. The first movement’s solemn introduction gives way to a cheerful, bustling allegro in sonata form. In the second movement, Gounod wrote Taffanel a beautiful, aria-like melodic line for the flute. The rollicking scherzo is more vigorous, evoking a bucolic hunting scene, whilst the finale is an animated, jaunty rondo.

In Gounod’s score the second oboe has very little to play. Some hypothesize that Gounod did this deliberately as he suspected the player was having an affair with his wife. Others suggest that the second oboist was, although a valued benefactor, an inadequate performer. Whatever the ‘back story’ Gounod’s work is really an octet for nine players. Here the Petite Symphonie has been arranged for wind quintet by the bassoonist, Lisa Portus.

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