Uyttenhove, Y :: Sonate

Yolande Uyttenhove’s legacy is a curious one. Though she wrote more than two hundred works and won dozens of international prizes - most notably for her Sonata for Violin and Piano - her music has all but disappeared from the repertoire despite its immediate appeal and clever post-Faure musical ideas, enhanced by medieval traditions and modern harmonic structures (a style of composition she called ‘intemporel’).

The Sonata, in three movements, is an exemplary work in her personal style. The first movement, a Moderato espressivo in 6/8, begins with a simple line that both charms and intrigues with its sophistication and the slightly strange neo-Romantic piano harmonies underneath. The movement presents plenty of opportunity for the flute to sing, with flowing technique increasing throughout. The second movement, Andante simplice, holds dark, jazz-based piano harmonies underneath a melody reminiscent of the second movement of Ibert’s concerto. A deeply lush interplay allows the flute to use its full tonal power, in turns soaring and blending with the piano. The final movement immediately jumps into an energetic dance in two, with blistering-fast offbeats and moments of melodic reflection emerging throughout – an energetic yet lovely end to this sonata.

Edition Maurer and Metropolis Music presents Yolande Uyttenhove’s Sonata for flute and piano 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 Belgian 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.

Duration: 9’. For advanced players.