Reed-playing quintet Calefax creates new chamber sound
It’s kind of like a woodwind quintet, but different. Calefax, the acclaimed Dutch ensemble, is a reed quintet, so instead of the flute and French horn — which have their own ways of transforming breath into musical sound — its membership includes a saxophone and bass clarinet.
The resulting sonority boasts both tonal unanimity and a welcome variety that makes this a suitable performing ensemble for a wide range of repertoire.
As if to prove the point, the quintet’s ensemble in its three Bay Area appearances includes music from more than 400 years, including works by Gesualdo, Bach, Debussy and the contemporary Dutch composer Alban Wesly.