Nonet in F major Op.31 (1813)

Those who know The Mikado will also be aware W.S. Gilbert’s slighting reference to “Bach, interwoven with Spohr and Beethoven at classical Monday Pops” – which is worth quoting as an indication of the continuing prominence of Spohr’s music decades after his death. The near-oblivion into which he has since fallen is unfortunate for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that in what he called his “Grand Nonetto” he established the standard nonet instrumentation – one each of flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, violin, viola, cello and double bass. Not only that, he also succeeded in meeting the requirement of his patron, Johann Tost, that the piece “be written in such a way that each instrument would appear in its true character.” The only nonet one regularly performed these days, apart from Martinu’s work for the same instruments, it is a highly engaging score, unfailingly tuneful, texturally resourceful and generally entertaining. Att the same time it achieves long-term unity by way of the four-note motif with which it begins and which is recalled in every movement apart from the delightful Scherzo with two distinctively coloured trios.