Cape Cod Chamber Orchestra Sandbar Series: Woodwind Quintet

Program Notes:

In the autumn 1921, Danish composer Carl Nielsen was inspired by a rehearsal of the Copenhagen Wind Quintet, who were playing Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante, to compose a Wind Quintet. Nielsen's affinity for wind instruments was linked to his fascination with nature and human character, and he wrote each part to match the individuality of each player.

Nielsen's program notes explain his intent to capture the character of each instrument. He described the work's three movements: Allegro, Minuet, and Prelude – Theme with Variations, the latter based on a melody from one of his spiritual songs. Critics have highlighted the balance between modernism and neo-classicism in the quintet.

Nielsen completed the Wind Quintet in 1922 in Gothenburg, Sweden. It premiered privately on April 30th at Herman and Lisa Mannheimer's home, performed by the Copenhagen Wind Quintet musicians who inspired its creation. The official concert debut followed on October 9th at the Odd Fellows Mansion in Copenhagen, where the unique qualities of each instrument were showcased.

Umoja (pronounced "oo-MOH-juh") is a Swahili word meaning "unity" and is the principle of the first day of Kwanzaa. Valerie Coleman's piece, Umoja, has evolved into various forms over more than 20 years. The original version was composed for a women's choir to celebrate the first day of Kwanzaa, featuring a repeated melody and call-and-response structure, with lyrics calling for unity. Coleman described this version as embodying "tribal unity" and the feel of a drum circle sharing oral histories.

In 1997, Valerie Coleman founded the quintet Imani Winds, named after the Swahili word "Imani," meaning "faith," the principle of the last day of Kwanzaa. She reworked Umoja for the wind quintet, and it became a signature piece for the ensemble, with their first album named after it. Coleman intended for Umoja to celebrate the diverse heritages of the Imani Winds members.

Over the past two decades, Coleman has adapted Umoja for various ensembles, including versions for flute choir, flute quartet, wind trio, brass quintet, and string quartet. The orchestral version, one of the most recent, premiered in 2019 by the Philadelphia Orchestra.

This orchestral version honors the original melody while exploring the concept of unity. It opens with percussionists using bows on the glockenspiel, marimba, and vibraphone, followed by the violin introducing the melody. The melody then travels through the orchestra, culminating in dissonances that Coleman says represent "the clash of injustices, racism, and hate." The piece concludes with an anthem reminiscent of the original melody.

Conductor Leslie Dunner created an original adaptation of Coleman's orchestral version of Umoja, featured in today's performance. Coleman describes the different versions of Umoja as "siblings," each unique but sharing common origins, much like the African diaspora. She emphasizes that Umoja should resonate as a strong and beautiful anthem for our world today. -adapted from notes by Amanda Sewell

William Grant Still (1895-1978) was an African American composer and conductor. He was a pioneering figure in the classical music world, breaking numerous racial barriers. Still was the first African American to conduct a major American symphony orchestra, the first to have a symphony performed by a leading orchestra, and the first to have an opera performed by a major opera company. His works span a wide range of genres, including symphonies, ballets, operas, and chamber music. Still's music often incorporated elements of African American musical traditions, including jazz and blues, blending them with classical forms.


General Admission $35 - Children and Students FREE

St. Christopher's Episcopal Church

625 Main St, Chatham, MA 02633


Category: Live Music | Classical