Quartet in A minor for 2 Oboes and 2 Bassoons (2019-2021)

As I may have mentioned before, one of my specialties is writing for unusual combinations of instruments.  Here I have written a four-movement quartet for a rare ensemble consisting of 2 Oboes and 2 Bassoons.  I tried to make all the parts as equal as possible.  I realize much of what I've written is challenging, but I have shown this piece to professional musicians who have assured me that there is nothing here that is beyond the pale.        

The opening movement is a standard Sonata-Allegro.  I reversed the traditional order of the inner two movements so that the Menuetto is second, and the Adagio ed affettuoso is third in order; I feel this Adagio is one of my better slow movements, owing much to Mozart for its styling.  The final movement is unusual in that it is a sort of fugal Sonata-Rondo, with chromatic contrapuntal sections interspersed with contrasting material.

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Quartet in A minor for 2 Oboes and 2 Bassoons (2019-2021)

- Composed: December 27, 2019 - April 6, 2021 at Austin

- Style: Classical, ca. 1790-1800

- DuratIon: 24:30

I. Allegro non tanto ma con fuoco (00:00)

II. Menuetto: Allegro (08:20)

III. Adagio ed affettuoso (12:10)

IV. Tempo giusto alla breve (18:35)

- Electronic Rendering by Finale 26 music notation software "Human Playback" with NotePerformer 3 artificial intelligence assisted interpretation.

Great score, very playful!

@HtWinsor  Thanks very much!  It is rather playful!  

Hi @J. Lee Graham,

I enjoy this whole work in classical style. The interplay between instruments is lovely and 

Let me take note on some passages I like:

1st movement: 

-I like in b.15 when you have a Neapolitan sixth followed by a deceptive cadence.

-B.36 reminds me of the cadence in Haydn's Quinten Quartet in the first movement, b.48 with that "mixolydian" flat ^4.

-B.63 reminds me of Mozart's Sonata for two pianos with the interplay between the two oboes.

-The modulation to b.78 is interesting. The extended C minor passage in b.92 seems to compensate what's not fulfilled in the second subject when C minor is suppressed by its major counterpart.

2nd movement:

-I love those parallel thirds in the oboes! So pastoral here!

3rd movement:

-I love that minor preparation in b.11!

4th movement:

-A nice double fugue opening!

-That interrupted cadence is becoming the feature of this piece esp when you repeat that in b.43.

-I like that suspension in b.83 which is also derived from the fugue subject.

- I find the return of A minor in b.138 abrupt though. But at the same time I think you may be giving a false impression for audience that it's a repetition of the exposition. I think you can modify this A section though to become shorter.

-Will a F# in b.238 second oboe better?

On 6/19/2023 at 10:56 PM, J. Lee Graham said:

The final movement is unusual in that it is a sort of fugal Sonata-Rondo, with chromatic contrapuntal sections interspersed with contrasting material.

-Where is the middle C section or development section?🤪

-I think that chromatic subject has never been played by the bassoon. Maybe some invertible counterpoints to be used?

I hope maybe the bassoons can be featured more in the piece. But overall this is an enjoyable piece from you as always. Thx for sharing!

Henry

@Henry Ng Tsz Kiu  Thanks for listening to and commenting on my piece!  I'll respond at greater length later!  🙂

HI @Henry Ng Tsz Kiu - just a little more of a response to your kind review, for which I thank you.  

On 6/23/2023 at 2:51 AM, Henry Ng Tsz Kiu said:

1st movement: 

-I like in b.15 when you have a Neapolitan sixth followed by a deceptive cadence.

-B.36 reminds me of the cadence in Haydn's Quinten Quartet in the first movement, b.48 with that "mixolydian" flat ^4.

-B.63 reminds me of Mozart's Sonata for two pianos with the interplay between the two oboes.

-The modulation to b.78 is interesting. The extended C minor passage in b.92 seems to compensate what's not fulfilled in the second subject when C minor is suppressed by its major counterpart.

It's interesting to me that you found these parallels with specific Haydn and Mozart works, and I appreciate your observations.  

On 6/23/2023 at 2:51 AM, Henry Ng Tsz Kiu said:

2nd movement:

-I love those parallel thirds in the oboes! So pastoral here!

You mean at the beginning of the Trio, I assume.  I like the interplay between the oboes and bassoon I.

On 6/23/2023 at 2:51 AM, Henry Ng Tsz Kiu said:

3rd movement:

-I love that minor preparation in b.11!

Ah, I'm glad you liked that.  What did you think of the rest of the movement though?  I'm curious because to me, it is one of the most beautiful and well-constructed slow movements I've ever written, highly informed by Mozart (parts of it are reminiscent of the slow movement of the G minor Viola Quintet). 

Thanks for all you said about the last movement.  I'm considering revising it, not sure yet.  Thanks again, Henry!    

Well, I did remove 8 measures that seemed superfluous in the last movement.  It was like giving it an appendectomy - removing something not needed that had been bothering me (thought unlike with appendicitis, without me really realizing it).  Now the movement feels balanced.