SKU: IS.FP7297EM

ISBN 9790365072972.

Peter Benoit, one of the great Flemish Romantic composers and often considered the origin of the Flemish School, was better known for his piano and choral music than for his wind music. Nevertheless, his one entry into the flute repertoire - the Concerto - is an exemplary piece of high Romanticism that combines symphonic writing with idiomatic, virtuosic flute technique. Composed as part of a ‘legendary triptych’ - the Stories and Ballads for Piano, the Symphonic Tale for Piano and orchestra, and the Flute Concerto - the three movements show the Concerto for the tone poem it is at heart. The first Preludium (Will-o’-the-Wisps) begins with a fiery orchestral fanfare, with an equally grand entrance by the soloist that introduces the first theme and launches the movement into the formidable back-and-forth between soloist and orchestral forces. The second, Melancholia, somewhat resembles the Molique Andante in its construction - a clear, wistful theme is embellished and carefully expanded into a full musical showpiece for flute. The Finale (Dance of the Wisps) then immediately launches into a display of the flutist’s agility, moving through various permutations of the theme before coming to an exuberant, grateful landing.

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.