Biography:
Riverside Winds
A band of like-minded individuals who are passionate about playing Chamber Music and programme a vast array of concerts. Although based in Stockwell they perform in many venues around the area.
Flutes
Richard Austen
Sue Cooper
Oboes
Tim Eaton
Caroline Marwood
Clarinets
Adrian Somogyi
Roy Simpson
Bassoons
Lucy Powell Davies
Geoff Russell
Horns
Helen Cass
Dominic Harries
Tim O’ Sullivan
David Claydon
Cello
David Windfield
Bass
Martin Johnson
Programme:
Richard Strauss (1864-1949) Serenade in E-flat major, Op. 7
Composed in 1881, when Richard Strauss was just seventeen, the Serenade in Eflat major reveals the remarkable maturity of the young composer. Scored for wind ensemble, it reflects the influence of Mozart and the Classical serenade tradition, while already displaying Strauss’s distinctive gift for rich sonorities and elegant melodic writing. Cast in a single movement, the work balances graceful lyricism with lively rhythmic energy. Though modest in scale, it offers tantalising glimpses of the orchestral imagination that would later produce such masterpieces as Don Juan, Also sprach Zarathustra and Der Rosenkavalier.
Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) Serenade in D minor, Op. 44
Composed in 1878, Dvořák’s Serenade in D minor is one of the finest works in the wind repertoire. Scored for pairs of oboes, clarinets, bassoons, and horns, with the addition of a contrabassoon, cello and double bass, it combines the elegance of the Classical serenade with the warmth and vitality of Czech musical traditions.
The work unfolds in four contrasting movements. The opening march alternates ceremonial grandeur with lyrical charm, while the Minuetto blends graceful dance rhythms with the earthy character of a Czech sousedská. A tender Andante con moto provides the emotional heart of the serenade, its expressive melodies revealing Dvořák’s gift for orchestral colour. The finale is exuberant and rhythmically energetic, bringing the work to a joyous conclusion.
Throughout, Dvořák balances intimacy and brilliance, allowing each instrument a distinctive voice within the ensemble’s rich and varied textures.
Moderato Quasi Marcia
Menuetto and Trio
Andante Con Moto
Finale
Find our Church:
St John the Evangelist, Upper Norwood
Sylvan Road, SE19 2RX, London
Free Parking
Available on Auckland Road, Sylvan Road, and the surrounding areas.
Public Transport
Bus Routes: 249, 410, SL6, N68, 196
Closest Train Station: Crystal Palace (approximately 0.6 miles away)
Contact Us
Any questions? Please visit our Contact Page or email us at office@sjun.org.uk.