Woodwind Quintet No. 1 by Daniel Foley

Woodwind Quintet No. 1 was composed during the fall semester of 2008 while studying composition at San Jose State University. This was my first time working with this particular instrumentation and I found the vast richness of its timbral, textural and articulation palate exciting and intriguing. Samuel Barber's magnificent Summer Music for woodwind quintet, is an excellent example of American woodwind music and was the main score which I studied while writing this work. The harmonic language of the piece is dominated by vertical structures which do not stack up neatly into traditional or extended harmonies. This is due to the relative lack of harmonic 3rds and 6ths and the abundance of 4ths, 5ths, 2nds, and 7ths. The large scale form of the work is ABA with the moderate to fast, rhythmically intense, and aggressive Survival and Finale balanced by a slow, graceful, and contemplative Prayer. In addition each movement is set in a loose ABA form and could be performed as a stand-alone piece depending on the repertoire requirements of the ensemble.

score: 24 pages, 81/2x11, parts: (5) 44 pages, 81/2x11; duration 13'

Catalogue No. 03008

Sample recordings and score excerpts available to prospective customers upon request.

I) Survival is dominated by aggressive rhythmic gestures and articulations and also features tightly woven interlocking sections inspired by Balinese Kebyar Gamelan and a slower, beautiful, and expressive choral section.

	II) Prayer is slow and sustained. Through the beginning and end sections of the piece, the flute, oboe, and clarinet work to sustain a mostly static backdrop for the bassoon and later horn as they as they exchange short simple meditative gestures. The middle section is a more stirring contrapuntal section with a texture and structure reminiscent of the choral of the first movement.

	III) Finale is the longest and fastest of the three movements and returns to the aggressive and rhythmically intense feel of the first movement. Finale is also the most difficult of the three movements and is highly contrapuntal in nature and the thinner middle section affords each of the performers soloistic sections in the spotlight.