Max Derrickson

Franz Ignaz Danzi
(Born in Schwetzingen, Germany in 1763; died in Karlsruhe, Germany in 1826)

Wind Quintet in G minor, Op. 56, No. 2
1. Allegretto
2. Andante
3. Menuett – Trio
4. Allegro

German composer Danzi was a highly respected cellist, composer and teacher in a long career that was witness to Mozart’s last years and Beethoven’s entire career, as well as being a mentor to German opera composer Carl Maria von Weber.  As a composer in his own right, Danzi contributed to nearly every genre of the day and often with impressive works.  Perhaps most importantly, he was one of the first composers to take a keen interest in the Wind Quintet genre and was influential in getting it established in the concert hall.  Danzi wrote nine excellent quintets between 1820-24 which have become an extremely important foundation of the repertoire.  His first three Quintets were published together as a set as Opus 56 in 1821 and have remained deservedly popular – his Quintet No. 2 from that set is a wonderful example of lyrical beauty and Classical clarity.

The opening movement, Allegretto (not too fast), begins with a kind of halting set of introductory bars, as if Danzi has abandoned the melody and left it lingering unresolved several times – the effect is catchy.  In a few bars the oboe arrives […] Danzi’s uncanny craft in treating the five winds as equal voices.  

The second movement Andante (moderately slow) is flowing and gently lyrical.  Especially deft is Danzi’s use of all the winds as a cohesive melody maker – the beautiful […] An especially lovely moment occurs at about one minute into the movement, with the clarinet […]

The Menuett – Trio movement is a sort of hybrid of the Classical dance movements that Mozart used and the scherzos that Beethoven introduced – though light-hearted like Mozart’s, it also is written in a bristling fast tempo like Beethoven’s.  Danzi adds his own […] The middle Trio section features the flute flitting gracefully about like a butterfly.  The return of Menuett […]

The final movement, Allegro (fast), is romping fun with more virtuosity, as well as some delightful outbursts from the horn.  A particularly great display of woodwind pyrotechnics occurs at about two minutes into the movement, when all the winds […] The closing section keeps the energy moving quickly forward, until the final five bars, when Danzi recaptures the light Classical touch with a few solid, ending chords.