National Flute Association 2022

Bulgarian piano prodigy Lora Al-Ahmad traveled to New York City in her teens to further her training, and while at the Mannes School began studying composition with Lowell Liebermann. Among the first fruit of her fascinating talents is Two Skazkas for solo Flute.

Skazka is a Russian word for story, with a particular connotation of fantasy-inspired fairy tales. Al-Ahmad's untitled skazkas enchant, leaving the actual stories to our own imaginations. Two Skazkas quickly captured the imagination of Stefan Hoskuldsson (Principal Flute of the Chicago Symphony) who has performed the work internationally.

Cello Suites: Volume 2

Bach, JS

Carla Rees presents this arrangement of the Bach Cello Suites for solo alto flute.

Arrangements of one kind or another have been at the heart of alto flute repertoire since Boehm's own arrangements of well-known works at the time of the instrument's development in the mid 1850s. For an instrument that lacks its own repertoire before the mid nineteenth century, adapting earlier works provides both useful practice material and a broader range of musical material.

This adaptation of the Cello Suites, by Carla Rees, is formed from studying various printed sources, including facsimiles of the four versions of the composer s manuscript, with slight modifications made to suit a single line instrument and the idiosyncrasies of the alto flute. Articulations are based on those found in the source material, but may be altered to suit the interpretation and requirements of the individual player, as is commonly the case with performances by different cellists. Double stopping has been represented by grace notes, which may be allowed more time or omitted altogether depending on the skill and tastes of the performer. Where two notes appear simultaneously in the score, this is to indicate a possible ossia for instruments with a B (F sharp) footjoint, and players of the standard alto flute should always follow the upper notes.

For advanced players.

Partita a-Moll [Partita in A minor] BWV 1013

Bach, JS

The Partita was virtually unknown until 1917 when the manuscript (call number: Mus. Ms. Bach P 968) was acquired by the then Royal Library in Berlin from the heirs of the former Thomaskantor and avid Bach collector Wilhelm Rust (1822-1892). For this reason, the Partita for Flute, BWV 1013 was not included in the pioneering Gesamtausgabe der Bachgesellschaft finished in 1900. It seems possible that Wilhelm Rust intentionally withheld the piece from publication despite the fact that he had generously supported the Bachgesellschaft edition in its early stages.

Today the Partita is well known, though it is worth remembering that this piece is one of the latest additions to the canon of Bach's works. Barenreiter Urtext presents this detailed edition with full historical attention to detail.

Sonata in E Major BWV 1035

Bach, JS

Sonata in E major by J.S. Bach, edited and annotated with notes on performance practice by renowned baroque flutist Barthold Kuijken. Continuo realization by Siebe Henstra.

Sonata in a-minor

Bayreuth, W

Wilhelmine von Bayreuth's Sonata for Flauto traverso and Basso continuo in a minor, which was only recently discovered and is printed here for the first time, is the second autograph manuscript of Wilhelmine von Bayreuth known at present. The Sonata was originally written for the then common transverse flute, but it can also be played today with the modern Boehm concert flute. The instrumentation of the bass part is not specified: for harpsichord alone, or harpsichord with violoncello to intensify the bass. The presto of the sonata shows, especially, that Wilhelmine preferred 'wild thundering flute playing' over an affected performance.

For the early intermediate player.

Image

Bozza, E

Image for Solo Flute, Op. 38 by Eugene Bozza (1905-1991) is one of Bozza's most famous pieces. Technically challenging, it includes flutter tonguing, extreme range, and multi-phonics. Enjoyable and often played in contests and representations, Images for Solo Flute, Op. 38 fits advanced level players.

Eugene Bozza won different prizes at the Conservatoire de Paris such as the First Prizes for the Violin, conducting and composition, as well as the Grand Prix de Rome. He composed several operas, chamber works and ballets among others.

French composer Henri Busser entered the Paris Conservatoire in 1889. He won the 1893 Prix de Rome and led a highly successful career as a composer, conductor, teacher and organist. His compositions for a variety of instruments are exceptional.

As reflected in the Prelude and Scherzo, Busser's compositional style was sophisticated yet true to the 19th century French tradition. Elements of the Prelude include chromaticism, use of a wide tessitura, complex rhythms and virtuosic semiquaver flourishes. The Scherzo displays use of varying time signatures, a quick tempo and scalic passages.

Nicole Chamberlain presents Death Whistle for piccolo alone.

Death Whistle was commissioned by Dr. Elizabeth Robinson. The piccolo is notorious in the orchestra for its incredibly high pitches, and gets a bad rap for intonation issues; it takes a brave soul to consider playing the piccolo and a person of questionable character to love it.

The first movement, Ear Knife, spotlights the piccolo's ability to cut through with its razor sharp high notes. The second movement, Ballistophobia, is the fear of being shot. Every piccoloist knows the joke ‘How do you tune two piccolos? You shoot one’. The final movement is #PiccolOhMyGod, which is the hastag used on Twitter by the composer and commissioner when discussing the woes of piccolo playing and composing.

Let's hope everyone makes it out alive after this performance.

Duration: 6’. For the advanced player.

Flexion

Chamberlain, N

Flexion, for solo alto flute, was commissioned by flutist Kelly Mollnow Wilson. Kelly Mollnow Wilson is a movement educator and Neurokinetic therapist, working with musicians to help them move and perform better. As a licensed Andover Educator, she teaches Body Mapping at Oberlin Conservatory and presents the course 'What Every Musician Needs to Know About the Body'.

It only seemed appropriate to compose a piece with movement that reflects what the human body must endure on a daily basis. Flexion is a medical term used by physical therapists and doctors to to describe bending, especially of a limb or joint. Joints can include the arms, legs, head, and even the hand and fingers.

Imperial Topaz

Chamberlain, N

Imperial Topaz was commissioned by Beth Devlin for her husband, Jay Devlin. Imperial topaz is the gemstone for the 23rd anniversary which the couple celebrated in 2018, when the piece was completed. The color of imperial topaz has been described as the color of the sun at sunset. In the 17th century, Russian tsars claimed exclusive rights to the gemstones mined in Russia which resulted in the gem being named imperial topaz. The piece is intended to be performed on contrabass flute, but could easily be performed on any of the low flutes or even the C flute.

Three Pieces

Chaminade, C

International Music Company presents 'Three Pieces' by French, female composer, Cecille Chaminades; edited by Graham Bastable.

The three works in the edition are drawn from Cecile Chaminade's chamber music, and are representative of her overall style: lyrical, with clear, elegant textures and touches of chromaticism characteristic of French Romantiic music. The first piece, Serenade aux etoiles (Serenade to the stars), first published in 1911, was specifically written for flute and piano. Mignonne (1892 or before) was originally a song on a text by the French Renaissance poet Pierre de Ronsard. This poems warns the beloved of the ephemeral nature of beauty and youth, seeing it as a flower that blooms in the morning but quickly loses its color and withers away. Theme varie (1898), originally for solo piano, is a set of variations on a 6/8 tune. The writing is elaborate and virtuosic, and has a sparkling quality.

Diaphonic Suite

Crawford, R

Ruth Crawford presents the Diaphonic Suite for solo flute (or oboe). In four movements - Scherzando, Andante, Allegro, and Moderato ritmico.

'Ruth Crawford began her composing career as a teenager and eventually became the first woman to win a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1930, the year that saw the composition of her four Diaphonic Suites. Two years later, Crawford married her teacher Charles Seeger and took a twenty year hiatus from composing, choosing instead to focus on the study of American folk music. She returned to composing in 1952, but her career was cut short by cancer. Despite the brevity of her career, Crawford Seeger remains an important figure in American music known for her 'ultra-modern' style.'

- Jessica Rudman,; 2012

Duration: 5'.

The bewitching timbre magic of the last Debussy makes this sonata a highly engaging masterpiece.

The transcription from violin to flute slips away without fractures in an ideal continuity that guides us from the Prelude to Syrinx. An essential enrichment in chamber literature for flute and piano.

Passacaglia op. 48, No. 2
Dohnanyi, E

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 Sonata springs from Dorff's impressions of the Hudson River: "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 movement titles are: I. Sprawling, burbling; II. Sparkling, glistening; III. Under Winter; and IV. Spring Spirits.

Trois pieces [Three Pieces]

Ferroud, P-O

Pierre-Octave Ferroud was a French composer and critic. He initially studied piano and at the University of Lyon, he studied harmony. He became a well known concert promoter around Lyon and founded an association of chamber-music lovers. He also was active as a full-time critic. As a composer, he left a handful of elaborate compositions. His compositional diction can be described as full of brilliance. In September 1936. he was struck and killed by a car as he walked on a road.

Lunar Mural 1

Gunn, D

This is written for solo alto flute and Cd playback. The untransposed score of all parts is included for gong,drum kit, kalimba, harp, piano, synthesizer, high strings and low strings.

Adolphus Hailstork presents Flute Set for flute alone. In four movements - Moderato con anima, Vivo, Lento e teneramente, and Allegro - and in contrasting styles.

Duration: 5'.

The Pied Piper of Harlem
Hailstork, A

The Pied Piper of Harlem for solo flute was written to celebrate children at a Sunday service at the Unitarian Church of Norfolk, Virginia. The piper arrives in town, convinces the children to follow him, and tells them to take the "A" train to get to the magic land of Harlem!

Presser Publications presents Adolphus Hailstork's 'Yuhwa (The Goddess of the Willow Trees)' for solo flute.

In Korean mythology, Yuhwa was the daughter of a River God, tricked into marrying the Sun God. She escaped back to her homeland and gave birth to a son who became the founder and monarch of Korea’s northern kingdom. The symbolic willow tree is considered a source of healing in Korean folklore and elsewhere around the world.

Hailstork’s 6-minute depiction is a luscious mix of innocent (and catchy) melody, blended with fascinating drama and texture to create a concert work that both stands on its own as pure music and depicts the legend of the goddess Yuhwa.