Largo (from New World Symphony): Woodwind Quintet Score & Parts

Marlatt's woodwind arrangement captures something essential about this melody: its warmth and singing quality find a natural home in the oboe's voice, supported by the transparent sonority of a quintet. The arrangement sits comfortably for mid-level ensembles, making a major repertoire standard accessible without requiring advanced technical demands or a large ensemble budget.

Contemplative and noble. The oboe sings over a gentle harmonic cushion, evoking the calm dignity of Dvorák's original while the woodwind blend creates an intimate, almost chamber-like warmth. There is genuine beauty here without sentimentality.

Directors of intermediate woodwind ensembles who want to program a work of genuine substance that doesn't require extensive doubling or specialized instrumentation. This arrangement works equally well for high school bands seeking chamber repertoire or college ensembles exploring the woodwind quintet literature.

• The oboe carries the emotional weight of this arrangement. Encourage your soloist to shape phrases with the breadth and legit of a string player, not rushing the climactic moments.
• Balance the texture so the oboe emerges naturally from the accompaniment without requiring the oboe player to force tone. The supporting voices should sit back.
• Find a tempo that allows the theme to breathe. This melody resists rushing; if the ensemble feels hurried, the elegance collapses.
• Pay attention to the harmonic rhythm in the accompanying parts. Small adjustments in dynamics within the accompaniment figure can keep the texture alive without competing with the solo line.

Pair this with contrasting contemporary works or with other Romantic era pieces to show students the range of expression available at this level. It works beautifully as a concert closer or as a turning point between energetic pieces, giving audiences and performers a moment of reflection. Because it reads cleanly and performs reliably, it's a solid choice for a festival or contest appearance where you want to demonstrate musical maturity alongside technical growth.

• Balancing solo and accompanying textures
• Sustaining long melodic lines with consistent tone quality
• Coordinating dynamic shaping across five independent parts
• Responding to harmonic movement in accompaniment figures
• Intonation control in sustained harmonic progressions