I have just spent nine days (4 – 13 September) in Munich chairing the ARD Wind Quintet competition – four rounds of fine playing from 22 quintets comprising players from 21 countries. A real international event. It was marvelous to hear such varied playing with some ensembles going for a more blended sound, others showing greater individual freedom.

There were some memorable individual performances of Barber’s Summer Music, the Taffanel Quintet,  Danzi (op 68 No 2) and Reicha (op 91 No 3) , the quintets by Pavel Haas and Villa Lobos, the Ligeti Ten Pieces and Berio’s Ricorrenze. The beautiful quintet by Giya Kantscheli was played as the set piece by all in the second round and most notably by the canorusquintett.

The semifinals also featured the Quintetto Spirito but the final awarded Second Prize to the to the Spanish Azahar Ensemble with the German/Luxembourg Acelga Quintet and the French Klarthe Quintette sharing Third Prize. There was no First Prize.

It was a pleasure to work Pirmin Grehl, Karl Leister, Wolfgang Meyer, Ramon Ortega-Quero, Marc Trenel and Szabolcs Zempleni on the jury. We were supported so well by the ARD administration – thanks to Axel Linstadt, Elisabeth Kozik, Oswald Beaujean, Anja Krainz and our assistant Amelie Pauli.

 

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