Soni Ventorum Wind Quintet

The Soni Ventorum Wind Quintet was an American wind quintet that was officially founded in 1962 when Pablo Casals asked its members to become the woodwind faculty of his newly founded Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico.[1] It is known worldwide for its many international tours sponsored by the United States Department of State including three tours of South America[1] and three of Europe. Over 25 original chamber works for winds have been written for the members of Soni Ventorum including compositions by Claude Arrieu,[2] William Bergsma,[3] Jean Francaix,[4] Gerald Kechley, Joseph Goodman,[5] John Verrall, and William O. Smith.[6] In 1972 the quintet won the silver medal at the International Instrumental Ensembles Competition (Festival Villa-Lobos) in Rio de Janeiro.

Soni Ventorum
Longest-serving Members

Felix Skowronek (1935–2006), Flute
Laila Storch (1921–2022), Oboe
William McColl, Clarinet
Arthur Grossman, Bassoon
David Kappy, Horn

Prior Membership

James Caldwell (1939–2006), Oboe, member from 1962 to 1965
Christopher Leuba (Pictured in photo above), horn, member from 1962 to 1963 and from 1968 through 1979
Robert Bonnevie, horn, member from 1963 to 1967
Alex Klein, oboe, member from 1992 to 1994
Rebecca Henderson, oboe, member from 1996 to 1998
Peter Kern, Flute, member from 1966 to 1968
Sidney Rosenberg, bassoon, member, 1977 – 1978 season
David Sternbach, horn, member, 1967–1968 season
Dan Williams, oboe, member, 1995–1996 season
Tad Margelli, oboe, frequent guest

Website
www.soniventorum.com

The group had a long and stable history. Through its concerts,[7] tours, and recordings, the Soni Ventorum Wind Quintet established an international reputation.[8] For many years (beginning in 1968)[9] Soni Ventorum was also the wind quintet-in-residence at the University of Washington School of Music.[10]

History

The quintet was founded in 1962 by Felix Skowronek, William McColl, Arthur Grossman, James Caldwell, and Christopher Leuba. Members of the ensemble were on faculty at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico, members of the Puerto Rico Symphony, and participants in the annual Casals Festival. During its years in Puerto Rico, the quintet went on several concert tours to the US mainland,[11] which led to recording opportunities with the Lyrichord label.

In 1968 Soni Ventorum was hired by the University of Washington School of Music as the resident Woodwind Quintet.[9] The group was active through June 2001.

Discography
Year Title Genre Label Notes
1963 Works by Mozart and Villa-Lobos Classical LP Lyrichord LLST 7168 Reviewed: The New Records, March 1965; Audio, April 1965
1964 "A Festival of Winds," Works by Hamerik and Morris Classical LP Desto 6401 Featuring the Soni Ventorum Quintet and the New York Brass Quintet
1964 "Music for the Musical Clock" Works by Beethoven and Haydn, arr. Skowronek Classical LP Lyrichord LLST 7143 Reviewed: The New Records, July 1965; High Fidelity, November 1965; The Grammophone, May 1967; Records and Recordings, September 1967
1965 Music of Walter Piston, Ernst Krenek and Joseph Goodman Classical LP Lyrichord LLST 7158 Reviewed: High Fidelity, October 1966; Saturday Review (listed in "Year's Best Recordings"), November, 1966
1968 Electro-Vibrations: the Music of John Eaton Classical LP Decca DL71065 Microtonal techniques
1969 Quintets by Reicha and Danzi Classical LP Lyrichord LLST 7216 Reviewed: The New Records, May 1970
1970 Cambini: Trois Quintetti Concertans Classical LP Ravenna RAVE701 The New Records, July 1973; High Fidelity and Musical America, August 1972
1972 "Soni Ventorum Plays Poulenc and Villa-Lobos" Classical LP Musical Heritage Society MHS3187 Also released as a reel-to-reel 7.5 IPS 4-track Barclay-Crocker tape, MHS C3187
1972 "Soni Ventorum Plays Villa-Lobos" Classical LP Ravenna RAVE702 Reviewed: High Fidelity and Musical America, May 1973; Stereo Review,May 1973 "Recording of special merit"
1972 Two Quintets by Anton Reicha Classical LP Musical Heritage Society MHS 3248
1975 Two Quintets by Franz Danzi Classical LP Crystal S 251 Reviewed: The New Records, June 1976. Re-released in 2011 in CD format
1976 "Winds from the Northwest" Classical LP Crystal S 351 Flute and Bassoon. Reviewed: The New Records, June 1976
1977 Quintets by Paul Taffanel, Jean Martinon and Claude Arrieu Classical LP Crystal S 253 Reviewed: The New Records, September 1978; Fanfare, Jan./Feb., 1979; Consumers' Research, January 1979. The Taffanel quintet was re-released in 2011 in CD format.
1978 Works by Françaix, Arrieu, Ketting and Gerster Classical LP Crystal S 254 Reviewed: The Clarinet, Winter 1983; The New Records, July 1981; Cosmopolitan, June 1981
1980 "Music of Joseph Goodman and Joseph Alexander" Classical LP Serenus Recorded Editions SRS 12097 Reviewed: Fanfare, July/August 1882; The New Records, May 1982
1981 Four Quintets of Franz Danzi Classical LP Musical Heritage Society MHS 4621 Reviewed: Fanfare, May/June 1982
1981 "Music for Woodwinds, Chamber Ensemble and Voice" Works by W.O. Smith, Diane Thom and Joseph Goodman Classical LP Crystal S 257 With Montserrat Alavedra, soprano. Reviewed: The Clarinet, Spring 1984; The New Records, February 1984
1981 Quintets by Samuel Barber, Elliott Carter, Irving Fine and Joseph Goodman Classical LP Musical Heritage Society MHS 4782F Reviewed: Fanfare, March/April 1984
1981 "Two Quintets for Piano and Winds" The Mozart and Beethoven Quintets Classical LP Musical Heritage Society MHS 4375
1982 Quintets by Carl Nielsen and Jean Françaix Classical LP and CD Musical Heritage Society MHS 7132K
1984 Works by Bergsma, Goodman, Zaninelli and Etler Classical LP Crystal S 258 Reviewed: The New Records, October 1985; Ovation, November 1985; Fanfare, November/December 1985; American Record Guide, January/February 1986
1985 "Six Works for Wind Quintet" Quintets by Ibert, Hindemith and Milhaud plus encores by Rimski-Korsakov, Fučik and Blanchet Classical LP Musical Heritage Society MHS 7364L
1986 Six Quartets of Rossini and Twelve Bagatelles of Mayr Classical 2-LP set Musical Heritage Society MHS 922024A
1990 "Soni Ventorum Plays Works of Jean Françaix and Ronald Roseman" Classical CD Musical Heritage Society 512759Y
1992 Schoenberg Quintet, Op. 26 and W.O.Smith, Jazz Set for Wind Quintet and Solo Violin Classical CD Musical Heritage Society 51422K With Aloysia Friedmann, Violin
2011 "Danzi and Taffanel. Soni Ventorum Wind Quintet" Classical CD Crystal CD 251 Digitized remastering. Reviewed: Instrumentalist, July 2011; De Klarinet (Netherlands), July/August 2011; Fluit (Netherlands), September 2011; Fanfare, January/February 2012; The Horn Call, February 2012; The Flutist Quarterly, Fall 2011; Audiophile Audition – Classical Reissues, February 24, 2012; The Double Reed, Quarterly Journal of the International Double Reed Society Vol. 35 . No.1 July 2012
2013 "Music for the Musical Clock – Haydn, Beethoven and Mozart" Classical mp3 Lyrichord LYR 6018 Digitized remastering of Lyrichord LLST 7143 and part of LLST 7168. mp3 download only. Reviewed: MusicWeb International, 2013–2014
2013 "Joseph Goodman – Walter Piston – Ernst Krenek – Heitor Villa-Lobos" Classical mp3 Lyrichord LYR 6924 Digitized remastering of Lyrichord LLST 7158 and part of LLST 7168. mp3 download only.
2013 Quintets by Reicha and Danzi Classical mp3 Lyrichord LYR 6020 Digitized remastering of Lyrichord LLST 7216. mp3 download only. Reviewed: MusicWeb International, 2013–2014

References
  1. Johnson, Wayne (9 October 1974). "U.W. Ensembles back from tours" (PDF). The Seattle Times. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  2. Arrieu, Claude (1980). Suite En Quatre: Pour Flûte, Hautbois, Clarinette Et Basson. Paris: G. Billaudot. pp. Musical Score.
  3. Bergsma, William. Symmetries. USA: Southern Music Co. pp. Musical Score.
  4. Françaix, Jean (1978). Seven impromptus for flute and bassoon. New York: Mainz: Schott. pp. Musical Score.
  5. Goodman, Joseph (1975). Five Bagatelles. Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y: General Music Pub. Co. pp. Musical Score.
  6. Smith, William O. Eternal Truths for Woodwind Quartet. USA: MJQ Music. pp. Musical Score.
  7. Johnson, Wayne (28 March 1969). "Soni Ventorum Gets N.Y. Raves" (PDF). The Seattle Times. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  8. Henahan, Donal (25 March 1969). "Quintet Masters Schoenberg Piece" (PDF). The New York Times. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  9. Dunphy, Mary Elayne (22 September 1968). "Wind Quintet Joins U.W. Music School" (PDF). The Seattle Times.
  10. Lyden, M. C. (2000). The story of the Soni Ventorum Wind Quintet.
  11. Ericson, Raymond (October 27, 1963). "Concert given by wind faculty of puerto rico conservatory" (PDF). New York Times. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
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