French Wind Music

Since the symphonic works of Hector Berlioz and the many concours pieces by the academic contemporaries of Chausson, Magnard, Saint-Saëns and Taffanel, the woodwinds have consistently played a significant role in introducing new ideas in French music. Some of the most distinguished fathers of contemporary music, like Francis Poulenc in his neo-classical works of the 1920s, entrusted the wind instruments with ideas of such importance that one must now readily admit several works of French origin into the ranks of the masterpieces of musical literature. The pieces presented on this disc are some of the best examples of 20th century French chamber music for wind instruments by some of the most distinguished composers in the genre.