SKU: PR.16400248S
UPC: 680160038244.
This work is my second for a solo woodwind and a solo percussionist, following Firewing: The Flame and the Moth for oboe and percussion by nine years. The earlier piece followed a specific story line, and pitted the oboe against the percussionist as both adversary and lover. In Spirit Realms, my aim was not only to juxtapose the very different sounds of flute (plus alto flute and piccolo) against a large array of percussion, but also to attempt three different meditative spaces, each named for a different type of spiritual practice. The musical means of expression is very different for each of the three movements (as is the instrumentation), although they share a common scale-source: the looped pentatonic scale I have been developing over the last several years. The first movement is called Prayer Tunnel, and is named for the Eskimo practice of solo meditation within a tunnel of ice blocks. This is said to be a means of overcoming demons within, and in my musical rendering it takes the form of an unaccompanied alto flute solo. The flute begins rather angrily, full of tension, but in the course of the solo passage manages to slowly unwind. The percussionist then plays the exact same music the alto flute had played....on seven tuned cymbals. Toward the end, the alto flute re-enters, its original meditation having fused with its mirror. Kiva represents the circular, subterranean pit in which the Anasazi practiced their religion, a form of which still can be found in the Hopi tribes of the American southwest. These are not spaces for solo meditation, but rather a group meeting place in which only the sanctified are permitted. After an introductory invocation (dove call), the music begins. At first, it is flowing, in a repetitive double-five meter. It then traces several sections, with metric shifts forcing the pulse to race faster and faster, until it halves itself in the coda and returns to the exact pulse of the beginning. The flutist here uses the C flute, and the percussionist plays on both pitched (marimba) and unpitched instruments (various drums and struck sources). Zendo is the meditation room used by Zen Buddhists. My music begins with another invocation (wind chimes, temple cup gongs, and temple blocks), then moves on to a slow subject stated by the flute. The subject is taken up by the vibraphone, and after several modulations and tempo changes, the flutist takes up the piccolo. The music continues higher and higher, and faster and faster (Zen meditation is NOT all about becoming lost!) until it breaks free at the very end. The percussionist is put through his paces in this movement, having to reach a staggering number of instruments in a short time. Spirit Realms was commissioned by, and is dedicated to, the Armstrong Duo. -- Dan Welcher.
SKU: PR.144407240
UPC: 680160673704. 9 x 12 inches.
Primosch discusses the journey behind The Flutist's Sketchbook on his website (https://jamesprimosch.com/2012/04/25/otherwise-why-have-a-blog/), describing the thoughts behind its construction. The goal was to create a set of short pieces for a flutist of intermediate skills, one that would also be satisfying for the more accomplished musician. The finished work has traces of its origin, but has become much more. While Primosch does not envision the set being performed as a whole, there is much contained within for study and performance opportunities.
SKU: PR.114418900
ISBN 9781491129517. UPC: 680160668632.
A welcome addition to the bass flute repertoire, Dorff’s 14-minute sonata is designed as two pairs of slow-fast movements. While composed as a complete 4-movement sonata, either half may be performed alone as a 7-minute recital work. The movement titles are: I. Sprawling, burbling; II. Sparkling, glistening; III. Under Winter; and IV. Spring Spirits.When Peter Sheridan commissioned me to write a piece for bass flute and piano, his only requests were a sonata-like multi-movement work, and some kind of reference to New York, where we both grew up. Just the thought of a bass flute, with its broad and mighty airstream, already reminded me of the mighty Hudson River: from the dense woods of upstate New York, through the beautiful landscapes of New Paltz and Poughkeepsie, down through the celebrated Manhattan waterway.As I daydreamed how to build a sonata inspired by the Hudson, I thought of its deep primal nature carved by the Ice Age, and the life within the river and on its shores long before humans arrived. I thought of how the river’s magnetism drew Native Americans who honored and built their lives around it. I thought of beautiful trees and wildlife, the annual cycles of ecosystems, and the natural symbiosis between the river itself, the life within, and the life on land spawned by the river’s resources.I wondered what if Thoreau had sat by the Hudson rather than by Walden Pond; I wondered what if Hesse had set Siddhartha in the Hudson Valley with this river as his metaphor for the flow of life and time.I wondered whether the sonata should flow from north to south, or have chronological references. I wondered if I should allude to the many poets and painters who have drawn inspiration from the mighty Hudson. Every thought led to the river’s essence, its own spirit and life — flowing through raw nature, from skinny trickles to mightiness spawning cities; supporting subtle life, and becoming a central commons for human societies.The subtitle Spirit of the Hudson brings it all together.* * *The sonata is built in 4 movements, with formal inspiration from the Baroque: A slow Mvt. 1 “Sprawling, burbling†leads directly to the rapid Mvt. 2 “Sparkling, glistening,†followed by another slow-fast pair: Mvt. 3 “Under Winter†which leads directly into Mvt. 4 “Spring Spirits.†In addition to performances of the complete sonata, either pair of movements may be performed on its own for a shorter concert segment.SONATA (SPIRIT OF THE HUDSON) was premiered at the International Low Flutes Festival in April 2018 by its commissioner, bass flutist Peter Sheridan, with Hyeeun Hahm as pianist.
SKU: PR.114418850
ISBN 9781491113981. UPC: 680160667895.
Originally for Clarinet and Piano, Robert Schumann’s deep yet delightful set of three FANTASIESTÜCKE, Op. 73 has long been a staple of the repertoire, with transcriptions occasionally seeping into other instruments’ libraries as well. The work has been elegantly adapted (into a new key) for Flute and Piano by Mark Sparks, principal flutist of the Saint Louis Symphony.Notes on the Edition, by Mark SparksThe remarkable and imaginative Fantasiestücke, Op. 73, were originally composed for clarinet and piano during 2 days in February 1849. Schumann indicated that the pieces could also be played on cello or viola. This arrangement for flute and piano has been transposed from the original key of A major to C major in order to limit octave transfer and facilitate performance, while still preserving the original, rather darker-hued timbral character of the work.Flutists will delight in the extremely lyrical and evocative nature of the writing, especially the capricious middle section of the second piece, “Lebhaft, leicht (Lively, light),†and the brilliant, effusive third piece, “Rasch und mit Feuer†(Quick and with fire). The virtuosic practice of repeating the eighth-note in the opening melody of the final piece, adopted from editions for cello, is also well-suited to the flute.Phrases of appropriate length, relatively few potential balance problems, and the accessibility of the pieces for all levels of performers and audiences make the Fantasiestücke a natural, pleasant, and versatile addition to the flutist’s recital repertoire.
SKU: PR.494032560
UPC: 680160690428.
Lyrical Flute Miniatures is a captivating collection of 40 short pieces for beginner and early intermediate flute players of all ages, exclusively commissioned from some of today's most exciting composers.These musical gems offer a diverse array of musical styles, ensuring a rich and engaging journey into the world of flute music. From lyrical melodies to lively dances, each piece has been crafted to nurture both technique and expressive playing, exploring the beauty and versatility of the flute.There are biographies of all the composers at the end of the flute part, as well as notes and helpful performance suggestions for each work.Free Flute and Piano recordings, and Piano backing tracks for every piece can be found on YouTube at “theyoungfluteplayer” (no spaces) channel, see the playlist for Lyrical Flute Miniatures. You can also find the link and further information at www.allegromusicpublishing.com/flutemusicLyrical Flute Miniatures will delight students, flute teachers, and audiences alike, a valuable addition to your Flute repertoire!
SKU: PR.114422710
ISBN 9781491136072. UPC: 680160688227.
DUO’s succinct movement titles (I. Here, II. Open, III. Stark, IV. Ardent) tease at revealing the grand and heartfelt inspiration for exuberant romanticism in this sonata-like work of symphonic proportions and depth. Charles Gibb is both an accomplished pianist and an award-winning flutist, who has written of this compelling major addition to the literature: “This work is a journey. What journey and whose journey does not matter. It is my journey, it is your journey. It is the journey of those who came before us, and of those who will come after us. I wrote this hoping that we can find each other along the road, so we can realize that we don’t need to go on the journey alone.†Gibb’s DUO is sure to become a favorite major work for flute recitalists.This work is a journey. What journey and whose journey does not matter. It is my journey, it is your journey. It is the journey of those who came before us, and of those who will come after us. I wrote this hoping that we can find each other along the road, so we can realize that we don’t need to go on the journey alone.“Here†begins with three notes that shape the rhythmic and harmonic content of the entire work. Melodies and harmonies including the tonic, dominant, and leading tone can be found in each of the four movements. The first moments of this movement introduce the melody, offering itself unencumbered and uninhibited. It shows itself as it is. The melodies soar, the harmonies become voiced more intricately, and the opening theme repeats in full grandeur. The momentum slows down, and the movement ends with a sense of completion, yet remains unbalanced.A striking piano gesture launches “Open,†the idea of instability reflected with the flowing flute trills and unclear meter patterns in the piano. The sensation of an unsteady grace in 5/8 time arrives with a piano ostinato. The melody is expressive, yet insecure and unbalanced due to changing meters. After a grand pause, the movement transitions to 4/4 time with the flute switching between duplet and triplet flourishes. After a rapid descent in the flute, the opening gesture returns, changed and abruptly interrupted.The third movement, “Stark,†is very static, beginning plainly but markedly. The falling fifth calls out continually throughout the movement, searching, lost. Melodies appear in pieces, some smooth and flowing, others rather disjunct. The piece climaxes with a line of mournfulness, yet revealing a deeper strength through intense projection of tone in the high register. However, the static harmonies return, this time unsteady all the way to its foundation. This destabilization repeats, and then quietly recedes.“Ardent†is the longest of the movements and spans a wide range of musical emotion. Part of the movement is fast paced, energetic, and balances order and disarray. However, once the chaos dies down, a gentle, expressive theme comes in. The theme itself is very resolute; it is order appearing from the pandemonium. Conflict returns, and order and chaos become less distinguishable from one another, and soon fuse together. However, order returns with new meaning, synthesized with previous musical content, creating a truer, deeper sense of awareness or understanding. A moment of ambiguity arises, but the flute persists, supported by the sensitive but firm figuration in the piano, and resoundingly comes to a close, unburdened and at ease.
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