Resource
Graded Chamber Music for Woodwind
Website
About
Graded by experienced teachers, the following list of works provides an
annotated guide when searching for repertoire, especially for the NZCT
Chamber Music Contest. Most of these works have score and audio samples
available online, just click on the title to see details. All are
available for purchase from SOUNZ. | ||
TITLE | DIFFICULTY LEVEL | COMMENTS |
| TRIOS | ||
| Biddington: Five Stories for Three Winds for oboe, clarinet and bassoon | Intermediate | Well crafted, using a fairly wide pitch range. Melodic interest for all, rhythmically straightforward. Plenty of contrast between movements which can stand alone or be used in different combinations. |
| Biddington: Rosehips in Winter for flute, oboe and clarinet | Intermediate | A five movement suite - movements can stand alone. Parts of equal difficulty. Nicely contrasting movements. Phrasing and articulation can be added at the discretion of the performers. |
| Biddington: Tongue in Cheek for 3 clarinets | Junior | Three charming movements which are ideal for young ensembles. Very effective blend of the three instruments and the parts are equal.A few rhythmic challenges for this level. |
| Biddington: Tongue in Cheek for 3 alto saxophones | Junior | Three charming movements which are ideal for young ensembles. Very effective blend of the three instruments and the parts are equal.A few rhythmic challenges for this level. |
| Audain: Jazz Age Miniatures for 3 clarinets | Intermediate | 3 short and fun movements inspired by 1920s dance music. Theatrical and effective. Some easy effects (eg. glissando, mouthpiece effects, vocalisation) |
| Wilby: Riff Raff and Other Bits for 3 flutes | Junior | Five short movements ideal for young ensembles. Interesting contracts and textures built from straightforward melodic and rhythmic patterns. |
| Palmer: Rush for clarinet and2 bass clarinets with low C | Advanced | Extremes of range and dynamics, some alternative techniques (vocalising/harmonics/slaptongue). A colourful, dramatic piece in one movement. |
| Moon: Three Pieces for Woodwind Trio for flute, oboe and bassoon | Intermediate | A well-crafted effective work. Idiomatic and well considered writing for each of the instruments. Tuneful and playful. |
| Carey: Trio for Oboe Clarinet and Bassoon | Intermediate | A three movement work (3rd movement extended duration) with good contrast. Some extreme demands in range in slow movement. Rhythmically straightforward. Effective textures. |
| QUARTETS | ||
| Norman: A Short Suite for saxophone quartet | Intermediate (grade 7) | Highly accessible and popular work suitable for experienced student ensembles. A five movement work offering plenty of contrast and colour, such as blues and calypso. |
| Ellis: Banda Chiflada for Saxophone Quartet | Advanced | Avery lively, quirky piece requiring agility and good articulation. Cadenzas for alto and tenor saxophones and melodic interest for all. Some vocal and key effects add humour. |
| Burch: Little Suite for 4 clarinets | Advanced | Highly effective five movement suite - strongly characterised individual movements, with excellent audience appeal. Some baroque influences (passacaglia and chorale). Difficult E flat clarinet passages in final movement. |
| Biddington: Festival Dance for clarinet quartet | Intermediate | An energetic, well balanced piece in one movement. Rhythmically straightforward. |
| Buchanan: Owed to R for saxophone quartet | Intermediate (grade 7) | Echoes of birdsong and plainchant create an evocative and moving piece in one movement with contrasting sections. Some challenges in soprano saxophone part; all parts have some flutter-tonguing and pitch-bending. |
| Ryan: Scherzo for saxophone quartet | Intermediate (grade 7) | A highly effective scherzo in one movement (ABA form). Contrasting lyrical B section. Exuberant with swirling passagework. Highly recommended for relatively advanced students. |
| Wilson: Slow Piece for 4 clarinets | Junior | Sustained Harmony with rhythmic interest shared between parts. Midrange in pitch and dynamics. Well-crafted, subtle and effective. |
| QUINTETS | ||
| Biddington: Nelson Breezes for 4 clarinet and bass clarinet | Intermediate | A three movement work in quasi-Neoclassical style. Some contrapuntal writing, otherwise straightforward in rhythm and ensemble. Moments of extended range in 1st clarinet. |
| Crehan: Telepathy for 5 flutes | Junior (grade 4) | A lyrical one movement work with equal parts. Very effective writing. |
| SEXTET | ||
| Hoadley: Ostrakon for flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, horn and bassoon | Intermediate (grade 7) | An appealing and evocative two movement piece inspired by the 'aulos', an instrument of ancient Greece. The inclusion of the saxophone into the wind quintet medium is skillfully done and explores tone colours of the wind ensemble. Parts are individually challenging but the ensemble is readily achievable. |
| Hamilton: Pokarekare Ana for piccolo, 3 flutes, alto flute and optional bass flute | Junior | A short but effective version of this well-known song, with decorative variation above the melody at times. Rich, warm timbre from this combination. |