WIND TRIO REPERTOIRE
Contemporary Music for Clarinet, Bassoon, and Horn
Wind trios for clarinet, bassoon, and horn offer a distinctive blend of timbres, balancing the clarinet’s clarity, the bassoon’s warmth, and the horn’s resonance. This page features Lior Navok’s trio for mixed winds alongside a curated selection of contemporary repertoire written for this ensemble.
The combination of these three instruments creates a flexible chamber group capable of both playful writing and rich, blended textures.
Audio
Program Notes
Trio, for Clarinet, Bassoon, and Horn, is a short and witty composition for the lower instruments of the wind quintet: clarinet, bassoon, and horn. It consists of three short movements.
Abstract
This trio for clarinet, bassoon, and horn is a short, witty work that highlights the unique color palette of this wind‑trio formation. Written for the lower instruments of the wind quintet, the piece unfolds in three concise movements built around lively exchanges and tightly shaped motifs. The clarinet’s agility, the bassoon’s depth, and the horn’s warm resonance create a vibrant chamber‑music dialogue, making the trio an engaging addition to contemporary wind‑trio repertoire and an appealing choice for recitals and educational programs.
Score - Video
TRIO - for Clarinet, Bassoon and Horn.
Score Sample
Score of Trio for Clarinet, Bassoon and Horn
About Wind Trios for Clarinet, Bassoon, and Horn
The clarinet–bassoon–horn trio is a less common but highly expressive chamber‑music formation. Contemporary composers use this ensemble to explore contrasting timbres, rhythmic interplay, and the conversational character of mixed winds.
Its compact size and distinctive sound make it a compelling choice for modern chamber programs and wind‑instrument repertoire.
Contemporary Repertoire for Mixed Wind Trio
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Lior Navok – Trio for Clarinet, Bassoon, and Horn (2001)
A 5-minute contemporary work in three movements that explores witty dialogue and the unique timbral blend of these lower-voice wind instruments. -
Isang Yun – Trio for Clarinet, Bassoon, and Horn (1992)
A substantial late 20th-century work known for its expressive complexity. -
Michael Kibbe – Trio, Op. 65 (1982)
Written specifically for members of the North Wind Quintet to explore less common wind combinations. -
Klaus Wallendorf – Brahms' Tierleben (2021)
A very recent 21st-century addition to the repertoire. -
Henry Cowell – Trio for Winds
A mid-20th-century piece (composed c. 1914–1921, though publication dates vary) that utilizes this specific instrumentation.