From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Nonet (music)
Nonet (music)
Many nine-instrument works for other combinations
In music, a nonet is a composition which requires nine
than the standard Spohr ensemble have been composed
musicians for a performance, or a musical group that
since 1900, but often depart from chamber-music tex-
consists of nine people. The standard nonet scoring is for
tures and mostly are given titles suggesting small orches-
wind quintet, violin, viola, cello, and contrabass, though
tral forces. Examples include Darius Milhaud’s chamber
other combinations are also found. Composers of nonets
symphony Le printemps, op. 43 (1917), Egon Kornauth’s
often mix stringed instruments with winds, or wood-
winds with brass, choosing the instruments so that each Kammermusik, op. 31 (1924), Ernst Krenek’s Sinfonische
subgroup can form complete four-part harmony.[citation Musik for nine solo instruments, op. 11 (1922), Bruno
needed] Stürmer’s Suite, op. 9 (1923), and Anton Webern’s Sym-
phony, op. 21 (1928) and Concerto, op. 24 (1931–34). On
the other hand, Heitor Villa-Lobos’s Nonet, subtitled "Im-
Classical nonets pressão rápida de todo o Brasil" (1923) exceeds the en-
Although compositions had previously been composed semble’s nominal size by adding a mixed choir to the
for nine instruments (Joseph Haydn’s four Divertimenti basic instrumentation of flute, oboe, clarinet, alto sax-
(or Cassations), for 2 oboes, 2 horns, 2 violins, 2 violas, and ophone, baritone saxophone, celesta, harp, piano, and
contrabass, HII:9, 17 [2 clarinets instead of oboes], 20, and percussion—the latter requiring more than one player
G1, Ignaz Pleyel’s Nocturne of 1785, for 2 clarinets, (Kube 2001). Iannis Xenakis composed many chamber-
2 horns, 2 violas, contrabass, and 2 hurdy-gurdies, and music works for comparatively large numbers of instru-
Franz Schubert’s Begräbnis-Feyer (Eine kleine Trauermusik) ments. Among them are the nonets Akanthos, for 9 instru-
of 1813, for two clarinets, two bassoons, contrabassoon, ments (1977), Kaï, for flute, clarinet, bassoon, trumpet,
two horns, and two trombones) the first work to actually trombone, violin, viola, cello, and contrabass (1995), and
bear the title was Louis Spohr’s Grand Nonetto in F major, Kuïlenn, for the classical 18th-century serenade scoring
op. 31 (1813), for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, vi- favoured by the Netherlands Wind Ensemble, for whom
olin, viola, cello, and double bass. Spohr’s nonet was so it was written: flute, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, and
successful that its instrumentation became the standard 2 horns (1995) (Hoffmann 2001). Brian Ferneyhough’s
for subsequent emulation down to the present time. The Terrain (1992), is scored for nine instruments, but id for
many composers who wrote for this combination include solo violin accompanied by an octet consisting of flute
Louise Farrenc (op. 38, 1849), Georges Onslow (op. 77, (+ piccolo), oboe (+ cor anglais), clarinet (+ bass clarinet),
1851), Franz Lachner (1875), Joseph Rheinberger (op. 139, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, and double bass.
1884), and Tilo Medek (Nonet in Nine Movements, 1974),
as well as other works not actually titled "nonet": Charles Jazz nonets
Villiers Stanford (Serenade, op. 95, 1905), René Leibowitz
(Chamber Concerto, op. 10, 1944). In the 20th century Trumpeter Miles Davis formed a jazz group known as the
this standard instrumentation was embodied especially "Miles Davis Nonet" in 1948. The group later recorded a
by the Czech Nonet, for whom works were composed by number of tracks for Capitol Records that became the al-
Josef Bohuslav Foerster (op. 147, 1931) and Alois Hába, bum Birth of the Cool. The lineup consisted of four brass
whose first two nonets are titled Fantazie, opp. 40 and instruments (trumpet, trombone, French horn, and tu-
41 (1931 and 1932), followed by Nonet No. 3, op. 82, and ba), two woodwinds (alto and baritone saxophone), and
Nonet No. 4, op. 97. Bohuslav Martinů dedicated his 1959 a rhythm section (piano, upright bass, and drums).[citation
needed]
Nonet to the Czech Nonet on the occasion of its 35th an-
niversary (Kube 2001).
One later, slightly non-standard example is Samuel See also
Coleridge-Taylor’s 1894 Nonet in F minor, for an ensem-
• Chamber music
ble with a piano replacing the flute.
String-only nonets have also been composed, notably
by Nicolai von Wilm (op. 150, 1911) and Aaron Copland Sources
(1960) (Kube 2001). Iannis Xenakis’s Analogique A (1958) is
• Hoffmann, Peter. 2001. "Xenakis, Iannis". The New
also a string nonet, but must be performed with a com-
Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, second edition,
panion tape work, Analogique B (Hoffmann 2001).
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Nonet (music)
edited by Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell. London: edited by Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell. London:
Macmillian Publishers. Macmillian Publishers.
• Kube, Michael. 2001. "Nonet". The New Grove
Dictionary of Music and Musicians, second edition,
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nonet_(music)&oldid=416609367"
Categories:
• Musical groups by numbers
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