• THE ETESIAN ENSEMBLE
• Molly Marsh oboe
• Katherine Spencer clarinet
• Anneke Scott horn
• Wouter Verschuren bassoon
• Kathryn Cok fortepiano

Mozart wrote his Quintet in E flat, K452 for piano, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon for a concert in Vienna on 1 April 1784, and wrote to his father: ‘I consider it the best thing I have ever written in his life’. Indeed, it is one of his finest chamber works, and it created a new and exotic genre for piano with wind instruments. In 1796 Beethoven wrote a companion work, op. 16, in the same key and for the same combination of instruments; he performed it with the Mozart in a concert in Vienna the following year. In this programme these two masterpieces are contrasted with Haydn’s great E flat piano sonata Hob. XVI/52, written in London in 1794, and an arrangement for clarinet, bassoon and piano of Beethoven’s wind sextet op. 71, made by A. F. Wustrow in 1812.

The Etesian Ensemble specialises in performing wind music of the Classical period on period instruments, and brings together five of the most accomplished and prominent young musicians in the field. The horn player Anneke Scott has played for us many times, and gave a very successful recital with Kathryn Cok in the 2004 Festival.

‘The Etesian Ensemble have an admirable rapport and unanimity of intention and articulation, their enthusiasm matched by technical poise and finesse … highly enjoyable recital by this talented young ensemble’ – Music & Vision.