Decet (music)
Encyclopedia
In music
, a decet—sometimes dectet, decimette, or even tentet (Gerhart, 2005)—is a composition which requires ten musicians for a performance, or a musical group that consists of ten people. The corresponding German word is dezett, the French is dixtuor. Unlike some other musical ensemble
s such as the string quartet
, there is no established or standard set of instruments in a decet.
’s Sinfonietta for ten winds, op. 188.
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, a decet—sometimes dectet, decimette, or even tentet (Gerhart, 2005)—is a composition which requires ten musicians for a performance, or a musical group that consists of ten people. The corresponding German word is dezett, the French is dixtuor. Unlike some other musical ensemble
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
s such as the string quartet
String quartet
A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
, there is no established or standard set of instruments in a decet.
History
Of the ensemble types named according to the number of musicians in the group, the decet and the larger undecet, duodecet, etc., are names less common in music than smaller groupings. In the eighteenth century, ten-part ensembles were most often encountered in the genre of the wind serenade, or divertimento (for example, Mozart, K. 186 & 166, both for 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 English horns, 2 horns, and 2 bassoons). Because the wind-serenade tradition was carried on during the 19th century primarily in France, the term dixtuor is somewhat more widely used in French than is its English equivalent, and French works figure most prominently in this ten-instrument configuration—most commonly the double wind quintet. One of the earliest examples to use the English term is the Decet for oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon, piano, 2 violins, viola, cello, and contrabass (ca. 1841) by John Henry Griesbach (1798–1875) (Bashford 2001). Perhaps the best-known work in this genre from the nineteenth century is Joachim RaffJoachim Raff
Joseph Joachim Raff was a German-Swiss composer, teacher and pianist.-Biography:Raff was born in Lachen in Switzerland. His father, a teacher, had fled there from Württemberg in 1810 to escape forced recruitment into the military of that southwestern German state that had to fight for Napoleon in...
’s Sinfonietta for ten winds, op. 188.
Wind decets
- Malcolm ArnoldMalcolm ArnoldSir Malcolm Henry Arnold, CBE was an English composer and symphonist.Malcolm Arnold began his career playing trumpet professionally, but by age thirty his life was devoted to composition. He was ranked with Benjamin Britten as one of the most sought-after composers in Britain...
. Trevelyan Suite, op. 96, for 3 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 horns, and cello (or 2 bassoons) (1967) - Claude ArrieuClaude ArrieuClaude Arrieu was a prolific French composer.-Biography:Claude Arrieu was a classically trained musician from an early age. She became particularly interested in works by Bach and Mozart, and later, Igor Stravinsky...
, Dixtuor pour instruments à vent (1967) for flute, piccolo, oboe, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, horn, trumpet, and trombone. - Andre CapletAndré CapletAndré Caplet was a French composer and conductor now known primarily through his orchestrations of works by Claude Debussy.-Biography:...
, Suite Persane, pour dixtuor d'instruments à vent, for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, and 2 horns. - Francis Casadesus, London Sketches, petite suite humoristique, pour dixtuor d'instruments à vent, for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, and 2 horns.
- George EnescuGeorge EnescuGeorge Enescu was a Romanian composer, violinist, pianist, conductor and teacher.-Biography:Enescu was born in the village of Liveni , Dorohoi County at the time, today Botoşani County. He showed musical talent from early in his childhood. A child prodigy, Enescu created his first musical...
Dixtuor, op. 14 (1906), for 2 flutes, oboe, English horn, 2 clarinets, 2 horns, and 2 bassoons. - Jean FrançaixJean FrançaixJean René Désiré Françaix was a French neoclassical composer, pianist, and orchestrator, known for his prolific output and vibrant style.-Life:...
, Sept danses, from the ballet Les Malheurs de Sophie (1970) - Jean FrançaixJean FrançaixJean René Désiré Françaix was a French neoclassical composer, pianist, and orchestrator, known for his prolific output and vibrant style.-Life:...
, Neuf pièces caractéristiques (1973) - Rudolf Koumans, Dekaphonie, op. 98, for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 horns, and 2 bassoons
- Jonathan Harvey. Serenade in homage to Mozart, for ten wind players (2 flutes (1 doubling piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets (1 doubling bass clarinet), 2 bassoons and 2 horns) (1991)
- Alan HovhanessAlan HovhanessAlan Hovhaness was an Armenian-American composer.His music is accessible to the lay listener and often evokes a mood of mystery or contemplation...
. Tower Music, op. 129, for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, trombone, and tuba (1954) - James TenneyJames TenneyJames Tenney was an American composer and influential music theorist.-Biography:Tenney was born in Silver City, New Mexico, and grew up in Arizona and Colorado. He attended the University of Denver, the Juilliard School of Music, Bennington College and the University of Illinois...
. Sonata for ten wind instruments (piccolo, flute, oboe, B♭ clarinet, E♭ alto saxophone, bassoon, B♭ trumpet, French horn, trombone, and tuba) (1959, rev. 1983) - Tilo Medek, Decet, for double wind quintet (second flute doubling piccolo, second oboe doubling cor anglais, second clarinet doubling bass clarinet, second bassoon doubling contrabassoon) (1993)
- Darius MilhaudDarius MilhaudDarius Milhaud was a French composer and teacher. He was a member of Les Six—also known as The Group of Six—and one of the most prolific composers of the 20th century. His compositions are influenced by jazz and make use of polytonality...
, Cinq symphonies pour petit orchestre. V: Dixtuor d'instruments à vent, op. 75 (1921), for piccolo, flute, oboe, English horn, clarinet, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, 2 horns. - Lior NavokLior NavokLior Navok is an Israeli classical composer and conductor. He was born in Tel Aviv. His music has been performed in the United States, Europe, Israel, and Mexico by orchestras and ensembles including the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Boston Modern Orchestra Project, and the Tanglewood Festival...
Tetris (2009), for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 horns, and 2 bassoons. - Joachim RaffJoachim RaffJoseph Joachim Raff was a German-Swiss composer, teacher and pianist.-Biography:Raff was born in Lachen in Switzerland. His father, a teacher, had fled there from Württemberg in 1810 to escape forced recruitment into the military of that southwestern German state that had to fight for Napoleon in...
, Sinfonietta, op. 188, for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 horns, and 2 bassoons. - Ronald Roseman, Double Quintet, for woodwinds and brass (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, trombone, and tuba or bass trombone)
- Gunther SchullerGunther SchullerGunther Schuller is an American composer, conductor, horn player, author, historian, and jazz musician.- Biography and works :...
, Double Quintet, for woodwinds and brass (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, trombone, and tuba) - Guy WoolfendenGuy WoolfendenGuy Anthony Woolfenden OBE is an English composer and conductor.-Biography:Woolfenden was born in Ipswich and educated at Westminster Abbey Choir School, London, and Whitgift School, Croydon. He studied music at Christ's College in Cambridge and went on to study at the Guildhall School of Music...
, Reflections: Serenade no. 2 for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 horns, 2 bassoons.
String decets
- Thom Carling, Faux Pas (1979), for ten cellos
- Jean Françaix, Scuola di celli (1994), for ten cellos
- Teppo Hauta-ahoTeppo Hauta-AhoTeppo Hauta-Aho is a Finnish double bassist and composer.One of the most prominent jazz and classical double bassist in the Finland area, he resides in Helsinki. One of his most famous pieces, Kadenza, has been played at many music festivals worldwide, and for many competitions...
, Hippoes Chorale, Lullaby, and Scherzo (1981), for ten cellos - Håkan Larsson, Aubade – Notturno (2001), for ten cellos
- Darius MilhaudDarius MilhaudDarius Milhaud was a French composer and teacher. He was a member of Les Six—also known as The Group of Six—and one of the most prolific composers of the 20th century. His compositions are influenced by jazz and make use of polytonality...
, Cinq symphonies pour petit orchestre. IV: Dixtuor à cordes, op. 74 (1921), for 4 violins, 2 violas, 2 violoncellos & 2 double basses. - Leif SegerstamLeif SegerstamLeif Segerstam is a Finnish conductor and composer.He studied violin, piano and conducting at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and conducting at the Juilliard School in New York with Jean Morel....
, Ballade (1992), for ten cellos
Mixed-instrument decets
- Benjamin Britten, Sinfonietta, op. 1 (1932), for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon, 2 violins, viola, violoncello, and double bass.
- Sven-Erik Bäck, Decet (1972), for wind quintet and string quintet.
- Theodore Dubois, Dixtuor (1906), for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon, 2 violins, viola, violoncello, and double bass.
- Jean Françaix, Dixtuor (1986), for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon, 2 violins, viola, violoncello, and double bass.
- Jean Françaix, Onze variations sur un thème de Haydn (1982), for 9 winds and double bass.
- Pierre Hasquenoph, Divertissement, for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, 2 violins, viola, violoncello, and double bass.
- György LigetiGyörgy LigetiGyörgy Sándor Ligeti was a composer of contemporary classical music. Born in a Hungarian Jewish family in Transylvania, Romania, he briefly lived in Hungary before becoming an Austrian citizen.-Early life:...
, Fragment, for contrabassoon, bass trombone, contrabass tuba, percussion, harp, piano, harpsichord, and three contrabasses (1961, rev. 1964) - Jerzy Maksymiuk, Decet, for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, piano, violin, viola, violoncello, and double bass.
- Robert MoevsRobert MoevsRobert Walter Moevs was an American composer of contemporary classical music. He was known for his highly chromatic music....
, Musica da camera, for flute/piccolo, clarinet (A/Eb/Bb), horn, 3 percussionists, harp, violin, viola, and cello (listed by Moevs’s publisher, Edward B. Marks Music Company, under decet) - Steve ReichSteve ReichStephen Michael "Steve" Reich is an American composer who together with La Monte Young, Terry Riley, and Philip Glass is a pioneering composer of minimal music...
, 2 × 5, for 4 electric guitars, 2 bass guitars, 2 drum sets, and 2 pianos (2010) - Staffan Rejle, Decet for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, 2 violins, viola, cello, and double bass (1998)
- Bogusław Schaeffer, Decet: for harp, prepared piano, violoncello, percussion (2 performers), vibraphone, marimba, bassoon, trombone, and double bass
- Karlheinz StockhausenKarlheinz StockhausenKarlheinz Stockhausen was a German composer, widely acknowledged by critics as one of the most important but also controversial composers of the 20th and early 21st centuries. Another critic calls him "one of the great visionaries of 20th-century music"...
, Kontra-Punkte, for flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, trombone, piano, harp, violin, and cello (1952–53). - Antoine Tisné, Caractères, dixtuor pour quintette à vents, quintette à cordes et percussion, for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, percussion (1 player), 2 violins, viola, violoncello, and double bass.
- Iannis XenakisIannis XenakisIannis Xenakis was a Romanian-born Greek ethnic, naturalized French composer, music theorist, and architect-engineer. He is commonly recognized as one of the most important post-war avant-garde composers...
,- Atrées, for flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, horn, trumpet, trombone, 2 percussionists, violin, and cello (1962)
- Amorsima-Morsima, for clarinet, bass clarinet, 2 horns, harp, percussion, and string quartet (1962)
- ST/10, for clarinet, bass clarinet, 2 horns, harp, percussion, 2 violins, viola, and cello (1956–62)
Sources
- Antonov, Ivan Milkov. 2005. "A Catalogue of Twentieth-Century Cello Ensemble Music". DMA monograph. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College.
- Bashford, Christina. 2001. "Griesbach, John Henry". The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, second edition, edited by Stanley SadieStanley SadieStanley Sadie CBE was a leading British musicologist, music critic, and editor. He was editor of the sixth edition of the Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians , which was published as the first edition of the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians.Sadie was educated at St Paul's School,...
and John TyrrellJohn Tyrrell (professor of music)John Tyrrell was born in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia in 1942. He studied at the universities of Cape Town, Oxford and Brno. In 2000 he was appointed Research Professor at Cardiff University....
. London: Macmillan Publishers. - Gerhart, Catherine. 2005. "Annotated Bibliography of Double Wind Quintet Music".
- Hard, Rob. "Top 10 Bands and Musicians for Events". About.com: Event Planning.
- Tillett, Barbara B. 2008. "Proposed Revision of RDA Chap. 6, Additional Instructions for Musical Works and Expressions" Library Of Congress (February 6).