5 Danses profanes et sacrées

French composer and conductor, Henri Tomasi (1901-1971) published Five Secular and Sacred Dances for Wind Quintet in 1963. As with his other wind compositions, Five Secular and Sacred Dances was well-received by audiences. Tomasiwas born in Marseille, but his Father and Mother were originally from La Casinca in Corsica. Despite being pressured into musical studies by his parents, Tomasi dreamed of becoming a sailor, and during the summer, he stayed withhis Grandmother in Corsica where he learnt traditional Corsican songs.

However, in 1921, he began his studies at the Paris Conservatoire and went on to become a high profile composer and conductor. Tomasi did not forget his Corsican routes, often incorporating themes of the songs he had learnt during the summers with his Grandmother in to his compositions. Five Secular and Sacred Dances is a reduction arrangement of his work of the same name forChamber Orchestra.

Comprising five movements - 1) Rural Dance, 2) Secular Dance, 3) Sacred Dances, 4) Bridal Dance, and 5) Warrior Dances, Five Secular and Sacred Dances is one of three Wind Quintets by the composer. This Tomasipiece is suitable to an advanced Wind Quintet, providing an exciting alternative addition to the ensemble repertoire.