Divertimento in E-flat was written in 1968 for a wind octet. Jacob was especially known to intensely test the capabilities of the instruments he composed for, which is present in this piece–notably in the horn parts.
The piece begins in the first movement with a playful march. Colorful, chromatic 16th-note passages are exhibited throughout the entire instrumentation and movement. The second movement, entitled Sarabande on a Ground, contrasts greatly to the march. A sarabande is a Spanish dance that is characterized by its triple meter. This movement is much slower than the previous and features a solo line in the horn section that is present throughout. Each part plays this melody at least once, it being creatively sprinkled throughout the entire movement.
The last movement finishes off the work with a rondo. Its playful melody is passed around within the octet. It also features a quasi-cadenza in the horns, being both lyrical and virtuosic, it ends the work in a brilliant finale.
Gordon Jacob, a native of London, was educated at the Royal College of Music, and from 1926 was a teacher of counterpoint, orchestration, and composition at the college. He was a prolific composer with over 700 works in a variety of genres. His orchestral and choral works include a ballet, a concert overture, two symphonies, numerous concertos for wind and string instruments, many pedagogic works for piano and for chorus, a variety of chamber works, songs, and film music.
Program note researched and written by Elisabeth Jackson