Gustav Holst
(1874-1934)
Quintet in A Minor for Piano & Winds, Op. 3
Wind Quintet in A Flat Major, Op. 14
Gordon Jacob
(1895-1984)
Sextet in B Flat Major for Piano & Winds, Op. 6
Anthony Goldstone, piano
Elysian Wind Quintet
Chandos CHAN9077 53:08
Holst wrote in a number of genres, but is too often regarded as a one-hit wonder because of the popularity of The Planets. The two works on this CD are early pieces in which he is still finding his way, but they are interesting in rounding out our perception of a composer better known for his orchestral writing; already there are folksong elements appearing.
Jacob is better known as an arranger of other people's music. This sextet, written many years after the Holst works, sounds a little like Hindemith and the piano writing very much like Prokofiev. A whole CD of Jacob's chamber music on Dutton Epoch CDLX7177 is well worth investigating.
