Amanda Harberg

Suite for Wind Quintet

The depth and charming inventiveness of Harberg's Suite can only be described as remarkable. Each movement has a degree of archaic inspiration (seen in the movement titles), newly stirred up into dramatic, exciting sounds and stories. Cantus begins with the imitative entries of Renaissance motets and maintains a modal flavor. Furlana plays on the Italian folk dance rhythm in 6, punctuated by lots of unexpected 5's. Fantasia hints at being a lullaby with an animated middle section, and the closing Cabaletta is true to its 19th-century meaning of an ornate closing section following beautiful lyricism.