Maes, J :: Arabesque et Scherzo

The Belgian composer Jef Maes often described himself as a 'modern romantic,' and his 1948 Arabesque and Scherzo for flute and piano (written as a concours piece for the Royal Conservatoire Antwerp in Belgium) is a testament to that label. Quite aside from its appeal to flutists as a competition work - with its origins as a concours piece allowing the player to display both technical and musical prowess - the music itself holds touches of Korngold and early Hindemith in its lush melodies and moments of sultry film music. And, though Maes held no truck with most elements of modernism, his clever take on neo-romantic harmony and a healthy touch of humor keeps the piece sounding fresh and appealing.

Constructed on the model of more famous Paris Conservatoire pieces - Gaubert's Nocturne et Allegro Scherzando, for example, or Enesco's Cantabile et Presto - the Arabesque and Scherzo revels in the two-movement format. The opening Arabesque allows the flutist to sing, with ornamentation and figurations highlighting the flute's ability to color octave-spanning melody with technique. The Scherzo alternates between action sequences and moments of reverie, but always with an ear towards vivid musicality and clear conversation between flute and piano.

For advanced players.

Metropolis Music presents Jef Maes' Arabeske en Schero (or Arabesque and Scherzo) as part of the Belgian Repertoire Series. This new repertoire series (ranging from solo repertoire to chamber works) draws from the best of the old Metropolis catalogue. Notably, this repertoire series includes a large number of compositions written as required works for conservatories throughout Europe. Though most musicians are more familiar with the concours titles from the Conservatoire de Paris, these works written for the Belgian schools are as complex - and as musically intriguing - as their Parisian counterparts and range from simple sight-reading solo works to rich, multi-layered quintets and concertos.