Talk:Wind quintet

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Why does a "woodwind" quintet contain a non-woodwind horn?

Also, I was not able to get to the cmich.edu page (the database of quintets). I suspect a broken link. Thanks Littenberg 14:24, 27 February 2006 (UTC)

It is because the horn is supposed to be an English Horn, but because oboeists (they play the english horn) have always been really few in numbers, and because composers want their pieces to be performed, the french horn has replaced the English. Satúrnus 13:04, 18 July 2006 (GMT)

Is the above statement really true? The french horn and the english horn have nothing in common with regards to timbre and idiom. The transposition is the same and the practical range is somewhat similar, but this doesn's explain why a non-woodwind instrument would be brought to a woodwind ensemble, why not just use another clarinet? Besides, if oboeists were so few, why not leave out the oboe too? I always thought that, even if the french horn is functionally a brass instrument, its versatility of dinamic and tone color, which can go from brassy to soft and smooth in an instant, makes it function as a brass instrument or a woodwind instrument depending on how the composer treats it. It adds a completely new timbre to the wind quintet but blends in very well, thus creating an ensemble that is both timbrically complex and dinamically balanced. I'm sure there must also be a historical explination, so if anyone has anything to add or cross out of my comment, please do! Cha! —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 189.136.89.209 (talk • contribs) .

[edit] Lists

Lists are pretty much all this article contains. Not exactly helpful when you're being made to compose a wind quintet for Music A-level and you have no idea of any key features, and have no access to Youtube to look any up. Help me out a bit please? Amzi (Talk To Me) 10:21, 28 March 2008 (UTC)