Gustav Helsted's Decet in D Major for winds and strings dates from 1891. It is a superb work from the late Romantic era and it is probable that the only reason that it never published was that it called for a combination that was unlikely to result in many sales for a publisher. In essence, this is a work for a wind quintet and string quintet. Helsted's treatment of the instrument shows his extraordinary command of compositional technique. At the times the writing is for winds alone, at others for strings, and then for all and the integration of the individual voices is absolutely first rate. The opening movement, Allegro moderato, can be likened to the awakening of Spring as a musical portrait. The second movement, Andante, is a set of seven variations based on a simple but lovely theme. It begins as a lugubrious, almost funereal march but several of the variations are quite lively, even jovial. Next comes a lively upbeat Scherzo, with finely contrasting trio. The magnificent finale begins rather slowly, Adagio ma non troppo, but slowly accelerates to the rousing main section, Allegro.
Gustav Helsted (1857-1924) was born in Copenhagen, the son of the composer Carl Helsted from whom he had his first music lessons. Helsted studied organ and composition at the Royal Danish Conservatory with Niels Gade and J.P.E. Hartmann. He pursued a dual career as a prominent church organist, and professor at the Conservatory. Music from his first period, of which the Decet is part, is firmly rooted in the style of the mid Romantics of which his teacher Gade was a proponent. Along with Carl Nielsen and Louis Glass, he was co-founder of the Danish Chamber Music Society. His later music shows the influence of Bruckner, Richard Strauss and Mahler.
Our world premiere edition, based on the composer's manuscript, was carefully edited by senior editors Tomasz Golinski and Raymond Silvertrust. We are extremely pleased to be able to make this outstanding work available and hope that it will find a place on the stands of chamber music players everywhere.
