Does anyone know any good wind quintet music that isn't overly difficult..but not too easy either?

Reicha, Danzi, Ibert are all good. Depends how difficult you want. There's the Arnold Sea Shanties as well.

Supplementary questions:

Difficult for whom?
What sort of music do you like?
What has your group played so far?
Do the members have any other chamber music experience (i.e. working without a conductor)?

I know lots of good wind quintet music and some of the other sort too, but I'll give more useful recommendations when you answer the above.

There is a grade 8 flautist, good grade 8 oboist, grade 8 french hornist, post grade 8 bassoonist and me on clarinet - grade 6

Like any music really.

We haven't played anything yet, we are just setting it up at the moment.

I'm not sure on your last question

Try the Denis Agay dances - great fun and not too hard (certainly not for the standard of musician you are describing).

Also any Danzi (but you'll need stamina), Arnold Sea Shanties, Ibert, Milhaud etc.

There are some quite acceptable arrangements for quintet of some of the Mozart wind serenades too. Much better, of course, in their original but they do work for Quintet.

If you get really brave you could try the Hindemith and Nielsen quintets.

If you can find a good Pianist you could also try the Poulenc Sextet which is fabulous..... or, if your flautist won't get upset try the Mozart or Beethoven Piano and Wind Quintets, also really super.

Hope that helps - best of luck. I used to do a lot of quintet playing but, sadly, have had to stop doing so due to ill-health. It's such fun and I hope you will find it so too.

Haha... When we tried to play the Arnold it was disastrous!! though it was my fault entirely as I just could not come in in the right place! One of out favourites though is " Selections from Porgy and Bess" by Gershwin. When we were asked why we said "It's the easiest one!" It's also quite jazzy and theres a lot of room for ad lib in places. Definitely a lot of fun if you don't want anything too heavy, even as just a warm up.

The Milhaud is a great piece, but avoid "Mousinglade" (I think it's the 4th mvt) until you work together as an ensemble, it looks easy but it's an absolute killer!

Also worth a try is Barber's "Summer Music". It does have an awkward part at the end but that could be rearranged. The opening is in 5/4 I think. Not difficult for grade 8 and exceptional practice for ensemble. It isn't quite in the same vein as Knoxville or Adagio for Strings but has that Barberesque lyricism.

Ok, thanks for the suggestions.

I agree with all the previous suggestions, with the possible exception of Danzi, who is sound but less inspired than many more recent composers. Also he writes for natural horn, so the parts are rather less interesting than modern chromatic parts. The Barber "Summermusic" and the Mozart piano & wind are two of my favourite works.

Some others, best ones (IMO) first:

Hindemith "Kleine Kammermusik" Op 24 No 2
Damase "Dix-sept Variations" (easier listening than playing)
Grainger "Lisbon" (an arrangement, but a very good one, from his "Lincolnshire Posy")
Ligeti Six Bagatelles
Fricker Quintet
Seiber "Permutazione a Cinque"
Vinter Two Miniatures (very tuneful, a bit like the Arnold but easier)
Christopher Brown "Divertimento before Shakespeare's 'Merry Wives ...'"

Quintets that I have never played (but sometimes know by reputation) have been written by the following respectable composers:

Elliott Carter
Roberto Gerhard
Hans Werner Henze
William Matthias
Arnold Schoenberg (much admired by people who understand his music)
Judith Weir

If you can find a good pianist, you could try Mozart Piano and Wind Quintet in Bb...can't remember the Opus number though sorry...

I agree with all the suggestions made so far. I'd add the Taffenel quintet and if you can get a bass clarinet player too there's Mladi by Janacek which is a fantastic piece. If you want something easier, there's the Haydn Diverimento (the one with the St. Anthony Chorale) and a good fun piece is "Beethoven's Fifth Bossa Nova".

Barber's "Summer Music" is my favourite quintet, but I'd take issue with it not being difficult for grade 8. It's harder than the Nielsen or the Hindemith, both notewise and for the ensemble, but well worth the effort.

Chris