Youth (wind sextet)
Encyclopedia
The woodwind sextet Youth (Czech: Mládí), (1924) is a chamber composition by Czech
composer Leoš Janáček
. It was composed for flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, bassoon and bass clarinet.
in August 1923. Albert Roussel
´s Divertimento for Wind Quintet and Piano was performed here, and it is possible that this composition motivated Janáček's interest to create a similar work. Another important impulse came to Janáček with a short piece called March of the Blue-Boys for piccolo, bells and tambourine (or piano). It was written in May 1924 as a reminiscence of Janáček's youth in the Old Brno Monastery. He had probably already decided to write a more extensive work. The composition was created during Janáček's three weeks stay in Hukvaldy
in July, 1924. At the beginning of the autumn 1924, during the rehearsals, Janáček made a number of changes to the score.
The premiere took place on October 21, 1924 in Besední dům in Brno
. The players consisted of the Brno Conservatory
teachers Josef Bok (flute
and piccolo
), Matěj Wagner (oboe
), Stanislav Krtička (clarinet
), František Janský (French horn), and the members of the Brno National Theatre Orchestra
František Bříza (bassoon
) and Karel Pavelka (bass clarinet
). Unfortunately, the performance wasn't very successful. The oboist finally managed to repair a defect of his instrument, but the clarinettist, because of a broken key spring only pretended to be playing. Janáček was very angry. However, the work was performed in Prague
on November 25, 1924, this time with members of the Czech Philharmonic, and the performance was received with great success. A pocket score, parts and piano arrangement by Břetislav Bakala
were published in January 1925 by Hudební matice.
Youth in 1925 was awarded the Prize of the Czech Academy of Sciences.
A considerable part of Janáček's chamber music was created in his later years and is considered as an outgrowth of his "youthful mood". The work is example of virtuoso use of a woodwind instrumental ensemble, but it was not only a "technical task" for Janáček. It also contains interesting musical ideas, characteristic of the composer's later style.
Janáček used the main theme from the March of the Blue-Boys in the third movement.
See also: List of compositions by Leoš Janáček
Czech people
Czechs, or Czech people are a western Slavic people of Central Europe, living predominantly in the Czech Republic. Small populations of Czechs also live in Slovakia, Austria, the United States, the United Kingdom, Chile, Argentina, Canada, Germany, Russia and other countries...
composer Leoš Janáček
Leoš Janácek
Leoš Janáček was a Czech composer, musical theorist, folklorist, publicist and teacher. He was inspired by Moravian and all Slavic folk music to create an original, modern musical style. Until 1895 he devoted himself mainly to folkloristic research and his early musical output was influenced by...
. It was composed for flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, bassoon and bass clarinet.
Background
The first impulse to compose a woodwind sextet came into Janáček's mind during his visit of the festival of the International Society of Contemporary Music in SalzburgSalzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
in August 1923. Albert Roussel
Albert Roussel
Albert Charles Paul Marie Roussel was a French composer. He spent seven years as a midshipman, turned to music as an adult, and became one of the most prominent French composers of the interwar period...
´s Divertimento for Wind Quintet and Piano was performed here, and it is possible that this composition motivated Janáček's interest to create a similar work. Another important impulse came to Janáček with a short piece called March of the Blue-Boys for piccolo, bells and tambourine (or piano). It was written in May 1924 as a reminiscence of Janáček's youth in the Old Brno Monastery. He had probably already decided to write a more extensive work. The composition was created during Janáček's three weeks stay in Hukvaldy
Hukvaldy
Hukvaldy is a village in the Czech Republic, in the Moravian-Silesian Region. Population: 1,900. It lies 150m below the ruins of the third largest castle in the Czech Republic, Hukvaldy Castle , and is the birthplace of the composer Leoš Janáček and palaeontologist Ferdinand Stoliczka.The castle...
in July, 1924. At the beginning of the autumn 1924, during the rehearsals, Janáček made a number of changes to the score.
The premiere took place on October 21, 1924 in Besední dům in Brno
Brno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
. The players consisted of the Brno Conservatory
Brno Conservatory
The Brno Conservatory, also Brno Conservatoire , was established in Brno on 25 September 1919 by Moravian composer Leoš Janáček.- History :...
teachers Josef Bok (flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
and piccolo
Piccolo
The piccolo is a half-size flute, and a member of the woodwind family of musical instruments. The piccolo has the same fingerings as its larger sibling, the standard transverse flute, but the sound it produces is an octave higher than written...
), Matěj Wagner (oboe
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
), Stanislav Krtička (clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
), František Janský (French horn), and the members of the Brno National Theatre Orchestra
National Theatre (Brno)
The National Theatre in Brno is the major theatre house in Brno. It was established in 1884 by model of the National Theatre in Prague.Nowadays it consists of three stages:...
František Bříza (bassoon
Bassoon
The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 19th century, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band and chamber music literature...
) and Karel Pavelka (bass clarinet
Bass clarinet
The bass clarinet is a musical instrument of the clarinet family. Like the more common soprano B clarinet, it is usually pitched in B , but it plays notes an octave below the soprano B clarinet...
). Unfortunately, the performance wasn't very successful. The oboist finally managed to repair a defect of his instrument, but the clarinettist, because of a broken key spring only pretended to be playing. Janáček was very angry. However, the work was performed in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
on November 25, 1924, this time with members of the Czech Philharmonic, and the performance was received with great success. A pocket score, parts and piano arrangement by Břetislav Bakala
Bretislav Bakala
Břetislav Bakala was a Czech conductor, pianist, and composer.Bakala was born at Fryšták, Moravia. He studied conducting at the Brno Conservatory with František Neumann, composition with Leoš Janáček at the organ school. In 1922 he continued his studies at the Master school at the Conservatory...
were published in January 1925 by Hudební matice.
Youth in 1925 was awarded the Prize of the Czech Academy of Sciences.
Structure
The composition consists of four movements:- Allegro
- Andante sostenuto
- Vivace
- Allegro animato
A considerable part of Janáček's chamber music was created in his later years and is considered as an outgrowth of his "youthful mood". The work is example of virtuoso use of a woodwind instrumental ensemble, but it was not only a "technical task" for Janáček. It also contains interesting musical ideas, characteristic of the composer's later style.
Janáček used the main theme from the March of the Blue-Boys in the third movement.
See also: List of compositions by Leoš Janáček