SF Civic Chamber Music, January 11, 2025: Jeux d'Enfants Op. 22, Georges Bizet arr G. Davies.

The concert of chamber music presented by the San Francisco Civic Music Association on January 11, 2025 included the:
*Jeux d'Enfants, Op 22 *(arr. Gordon Davies)
Georges Bizet (1838 - 1875 )
00:00 I. Trompette et tambour (Trumpet and drum) - Marche
02:41 II. Petit mari, petite femme (Little husband, little wife) - Duo
05:34 III. La toupie (The spinning top) - Impromptu
06:56 IV. La poupée (The doll) - Berceuse
09:32 V. Le bal (The ball) - Galop
Performed by the Redwood Quintet:
Natalie Haworth-Liu, flute
David Allen, oboe
David Miller, clarinet
Naomi Dushay, horn
Gail Selburn, bassoon
JEUX D’ENFANTS
Georges Bizet (1838-1875) is best known for his opera Carmen. But he was a prodigy, entering the Paris Conservatory at age 9, and composed many wonderful works. Jeux d’enfants was first written as a set of miniatures for piano four hands that evoke a child’s world. He later orchestrated five of the movements into an orchestral suite, and it is from this suite that the woodwind quintet arrangement has been adapted. Each of these little character pieces is distinctive in mood and spirit. Together they showcase Bizet’s great gifts for melody and harmony as he captures the joy and charm of children’s play. The set opens with a flourish with Trompette et tambour (Trumpet and drum), a perky march that evokes toy soldiers parading around the playroom. It’s a short distance from this march to the “Children’s March” in Carmen. Next, two children play house in the lyrical and affectionate duo Petit mari, petite femme (Little husband, little wife). La toupie (The spinning top) swirls and whirls over a perpetual-motion base. La poupée (The doll) is lulled to sleep with a beguiling lullaby. The suite ends with a rousing galop, Le bal (The ball), an exuberant finale to a work filled with youthful wonder and delight.
ABOUT THE MUSICIANS
The Redwood Quintet consists of members of the Palo Alto Philharmonic, and has played together since lockdown ended. Its members include:
*Natalie Haworth*-Liu (flute), who has a multifaceted music career as a teacher, coach, and performer. She, like everyone else in the group, performs with numerous ensembles in the Bay Area. Outside of music, she loves spending time with her husband, grown sons, pups, and obsessing about Oregon Ducks football.
David Allen (oboe) is a huge chamber music fan who is constantly organizing musical activities. When not playing music, he works as a technology strategy consultant, and loves spending time cooking, hanging out with his wife and 3 dogs, and enjoying life as a new grandfather.
David Miller (clarinet) enjoys playing clarinets and saxophones in many different musical groups, from small chamber and jazz ensembles to big bands and orchestras. He also teaches and performs research in engineering and physics at Stanford University
Naomi Dushay (horn) loves playing chamber and orchestra music. She started on horn at the age of 10 and eventually figured out she was happiest as an amateur. She is endlessly grateful for that privilege. Her other interests are many and include painting watercolors, enjoying her cat and dog, modern board games and doing wooden jigsaw puzzles.
Gail Selburn (bassoon) is a graduate of Indiana University and has played bassoon in the Bay Area with a variety of ensembles. A 4th generation Californian, Gail works as a litigation legal assistant for an intellectual property law firm and enjoys biking, walking, and swimming