By Isabell Macrina
With winter winds making it feel ten degrees colder outside than it truly is, people could use a respite to think of warmer spring times ahead. Sherborn Library was happy to host Ensemble Fiato, a Metrowest area woodwind quartet, for a quartet chamber concert.
The quartet consists of musicians Wendy Vignaux on flute, Elizabeth England on oboe, Danbi Choi with the clarinet, and Lauren Landry on bassoon. They presented the music in a more intimate setting than chamber music traditionally is, making it a wonderful way for those unfamiliar with the genre to appreciate it.
The program was diverse in its music choices, but all gave the imagery of springtime and warmth, chasing away the chills of January. Each time they started a new piece, one member of the quartet stood up and introduced it and the composer behind it. They started with the piece “Travel Notes 2 for woodwind quartet” by Richard Robert Bennet. An English composer famed for film scores like the 1974 “Orient Express,” and renowned for his musical versatility, Bennet’s pieces featured remarkably interesting musical notes. In the movement “In a Helicopter” 16th notes played back and forth between instruments give the illusion of helicopter blades swirling, and the “Car Chase” sounded like one Mr. Bean would take part in.
“Motion for woodwind quartet” was second, composed by Alyssa Morris. Morris gave notes that she wanted to illustrate how “there are limitless ways we move to express ourselves,” and she was certainly right. With titles like “Stretch” and “Tip Toe” in the movement, you could almost hear people doing those titled moves with cartoon-like exaggerations. Another one with diverse compositions, Morris structured the last piece “Strut” for a punk band, which wasn’t quite the instruments the quartet had lined up. But, Landry said prior, to think of her bassoon like the electric bass and with that suspension of disbelief, you could hear how it could be played in an entirely different venue.
After a brief intermission, Choi introduced “Deux Mouvements” composed by Jacques Ibert with a note that she would be switching clarinets for this piece from the brightness of the prior one to one that is warmer, deeper, to better suit the music. With it pointed out, you could hear the difference between the two.
Finally, England introduced the last piece, “Quartet in C major” composed by a Boston-raised composer, Arthur Berger. While he was inspired by other American composers, Berger’s works were not particularly standout until recently. This was actually the Ensemble Fiato’s first time performing it publicly. Despite this, they performed it with the same gusto as the others and transported the room to a spring day.
With the final note graced, the musicians took their bow and broke to mingle with the crowd and enjoy refreshments. With beginners to chamber music, some students, and more in the crowd, it was a wonderful day to call in the spring weather with live music.
