Sonate

Fernande Decruck composed seven reed trios. His predilection for this formation was surely linked to his friendship with the bassoonist Fernand Oubradous, one of the founding members of the Paris Reed Trio. Decruck's Sonata (the 2nd) for reed trio was composed in September 1945. The first version contained a fourth movement and was dedicated to René Daraux's Reed Trio, composed of René Daraux on oboe, Fernand Gossens on clarinet, and Ange Maugendre on bassoon.

For reasons that remain unexplained, Decruck revised the trio by cutting the fourth movement and addressing the dedication to Paul Siguier, Maurice Coëx, and Simon Colette. She recorded the work at SACEM in 1949. The manuscript bears the scribbled note "Siguier Radio Limoges," so it can be assumed that the work was broadcast on Limoges radio. The Sonata is in three movements.
The first movement begins with a floating, sensual entrance, featuring a warm, jazz-inspired harmony. This short entry is followed by an Allegro section in 6/8 time. The second movement, marked Andante Amabile, echoes the slow entrance of the first movement. The final movement is a playful and lively scherzo. Overall, this trio alone condenses all the composer's facets into a sonic gem lasting approximately ten minutes.
This reed sonata was recorded in 2017 by the female trio Reeds Amis, with Marilyn Cole on oboe, Angela Shankar on clarinet and Melissa Kritzer on bassoon, all from New York, USA.
The original manuscript was in C, with a B-flat clarinet. However, for this modern edition, we have chosen to offer a choice between B-flat and A-flat clarinet. Clarinetists should find this easier to play.