Poème from the Idyll At Twilight

Flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, and bassoon. Bohemian composer Zdenek Fibich (1850-1900), now in the shadow of Smetana and Dvorák, was instrumental in the foundation of the Czech national school. His best-known work is this theme from his symphonic poem At Twilight. In 1908 violinist Jan Kubelik titled this melody Poème, which has become one of the most popular of classical themes.

“In spite of a relatively short life, Fibich is primarily recognized for a large body of piano literature from which this popular melody was taken. This transcription brings to light the warm, resonant timbres of each instrument in a setting that connects lyrical fragments into a pleasing, expressive whole. Written in concert D flat, the setting highlights the lyrical capabilities of each quintet member within a limited instrumental range.”--The Instrumentalist