George Enescu's Dixtuor for Ten Wind Instruments combines elements of Romanian folk styles with a more cosmopolitan, European style of composition. While this three-movement work plumbs no great emotional depths, Enescu accomplishes much in the way of ingenuity and amiability through assured contrapuntal writing and an innate sense of the character of the instruments, in this case oboe and cor Anglais, and pairs of flutes, clarinets, bassoons and horns. In both character and length (about twenty minutes), the Dixtuor is really a sinfonietta in all but name.

The opening Doucement mouvemente eschews preamble, setting forth immediately its serene, Straussian theme in richly scored harmonies. A transitional theme leads the way fugally to the second theme, quite as lyrical and limpid as the first. The middle section develops the opening theme further, with unison flute and cor Anglais underpinned by throbbing chords.

The second movement is the most remarkable part of the work, in which the Romanian folk elements dominate. Oboe and clarinet sing a desolate lament with solo flute commentary, a melody of exotic cast featuring modal scales, minor thirds and augmented fourths, and elaborate figurations, grace notes and even the Scotch snap creating an almost oriental atmosphere. The middle scherzando section brightens the mood with a perky theme for flute that is subjected to a variety of contrapuntal techniques, over a bagpipe-like drone in the low winds. The movement ends with a masterstroke: Enescu combines the lament and scherzando sections, each subtly altering the character of the other, so that the lighter music takes on a wistful cast, while the lonely song of the opening measures now seems less desolate.

The finale is in sonata-rondo form, and returns to the mood of the first movement, wherein Enescu's European manner is here enlisted for a high-spirited conclusion.

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