Written the year before his death and dedicated to the memory of Sergey Prokofiev this piece is the last of Poulenc's wind sonatas and is a work of profound poignancy and delicacy. Poulenc would not live to see the piece tofruition as the work was published posthumously. This is the 2004 updated and revised version edited by Millan Sachania.

Landscapes - Woodwind Quintet No.1 was composed by Hans Abrahamsen in 1972. Parts available: WH30818A

In Greek mythology Niobe was the daughter of Tantalus and wife of Amphion King of Thebes. She unwisely boasted to Leto about her many sons and daughters. Leto who only had two children Apollo and Artemis was angered. As punishment Apollo slew Niobe's sons and Artemis her daugters. Out of pity for Niobe's inconsolable grief the Gods changed her into a rock in which form she continued to weep.In this work for solo Oboe and tape the solo Oboe takes the part of Niobe bitterly lamenting her murdered children. The tape with the distant high voices and the slow tolling bells (and later gong) is intended to provide an evocative and descriptiveaccompaniment.Niobe was commissioned by the Park Lane Group. The first performance took place at the Park Lane Concerts in January 1988.