The Bergen Woodwind Quintet received the French Senate's special prize in 1982 for the best performance of a French composition at an international chamber music competition in Colmar, France.
Critical Reception
Françaix's First Wind Quintet received the Grand Prix for chamber music from the Académie du Disque français in 1954.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Jean Françaix cultivated a 'music that gives pleasure,' characterized by irony, tenderness, and virtuosity, reflecting his free expression as a composer.
Composer Biography
Jean Françaix's musical talent was recognized early; Maurice Ravel, a famous French composer, emphasized the child's talent and curiosity.
Composition History
The First Wind Quintet was commissioned by Louis Courtinat, the principal hornist of the French Radio Orchestra, with the specific goal of having the instruments compete in virtuosity.
Composer Biography
Nadia Boulanger, a renowned French music teacher, was so impressed by Françaix's innate understanding of harmony that she questioned the need to teach him.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Françaix's approach to composing for wind instruments required 'great diplomatic skill' to unite their 'very different characters,' a blend he described as 'Machiavelli and magic.'
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