If you feel the need to link - feel free but please respect the fact that this is my own work - the result of many years teaching and performing and should you wish to use any of the material ~
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Due to my work load (and the fact that I didn't get many contributions) I have had to suspend new additions to this page.
This page is full of flute recital and concerto repertoire that some flute players feel they cannot live without.
Have a look and then send us your own 'can't-live-without' piece!
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June '00 May '00 April '00 March '00 February '00 January '00
December '99 November '99 October '99 September '99 August '99
July '99 June '99 May '99 April '99 March '99 February '99
Joseph Lauber (1864-1952), 4 Danses Medievales Op.45, published by ?
Difficulty Rating D
(Scale of A-E for difficulty, A being easy and E being Aaaaah!)
Lauber was born and died in Lucerne. He studied in Zurich with Heger, in Munich with Rheinberger and at the Paris Conservatoire with Massenet for composition and Louis Diemer for piano. Returning to Switzerland, he taught at the Zurich Conservatory. He composed about 200 pieces - the Danses Medievales are fairly early but quite attractive to listen to and play.
Gianella (c.1778-1817), Concerto Lugubre, published by ?
Difficulty Rating D/E
(Scale of A-E for difficulty, A being easy and E being Aaaaah!)
Louis Gianella was a flautist and composer from Milan and he played in various theatre orchestras around Pars from about 1800. He is remembered for his concertos, trios and nocturnes for flute. The Concerto Lugubre breaks from the Baroque and Classical traditions on several fronts: it begins with a slow movement; there are cadenzas between movements; the tempo in the 2nd movement changes between an allegro and a largo; the last movement is very slow.
Chopin, Variations on a Theme by Rossini, published by IMC
Difficulty Rating D
(Scale of A-E for difficulty, A being easy and E being Aaaaah!)
Chopin spent his entire adult life in France. These variations on a theme from Rossini's Cinderella, might have been written for his father. Although it may also have been written for Chopin's friend Jan Matuszynski or Josef Cichocki who was a famous Warsaw flautist. The piece dates from 1824, when Chopin was only 14. Although the flute part is effectively written, this piece is not accepted as authentic by most authorities and was only published in 1955.
Honegger - Danse de la Chevre for solo flute, published by ?
Difficulty Rating E
(Scale of A-E for difficulty, A being easy and E being Aaaaah!)
Danse de la Chevre has been a favourite with Flautists ever since it appeared in the repertoire in 1919. Arthur Honegger studied at the Paris and Zurich Conservatoires. It is a relatively youthful piece for unaccompanied flute but has the essential concise directness of all Honegger's Music. It also reflects a temporary fascination with Gallic sensitivity and his brief membership of 'Les Six'.
Telemann - Suite in A Minor for Flute and Strings published by IMC
Difficulty Rating B/C
(Scale of A-E for difficulty, A being easy and E being Aaaaah!)
Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767) was one of the most prolific composers of his day and was held in high regard by all his contemporaries. He wrote for every instrument that he came across and seemed to understand the characteristics of each instrument. His Suite in A Minor for Flute and Strings draws on a variety of styles from different countries for its various movements.
Pergolesi - Flute Concerto in G Major, published by IMC
Difficulty Rating D
(Scale of A-E for difficulty, A being easy and E being Aaaaah!)
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710 -1736) is usually remembered today as a leading figure in the rise of Italian Comic Opera. During his very short life, he also composed a small number of instrumental pieces. Like JS Bach various other works have been attributed to him, including this concerto, but it is doubtful whether he actually this concerto. Never the less, it is a charming example of a baroque concerto and is easy on the ear.
Vivaldi - Flute Concerto in D Major, Il Gardellino, published by IMC
Difficulty Rating C/D
(Scale of A-E for difficulty, A being easy and E being Aaaaah!)
Antonio Vivaldi, born in Venice in 1678 was himself a violinist and a large number of his compositions are for stringed instruments. He also write for other instruments and the set of six concertos for the Flute were published around 1728. They were his first major works for an instrument other than the violin and were also the first flute concertos to be published since the 'flauto traverso' had become established.
Andre Caplet - Petite Valse - published by Durand
Difficulty Rating E
(Scale of A-E for difficulty, A being easy and E being Aaaaah!)
Unlike Poulenc, Caplet was a great admirer of the music of Debussy. Having studied at the Paris Conservatoire, he became known as a composer and a very able conductor. He died quite young (46) as a result of gas poisoning and injuries he had sustained in The Great War. The Petite Valse was composed in 1897 and is dedicated to Georges Barrere. (a pupil of Paul Taffanel) It is romantic in nature, cheerful and graceful.
Prokofiev - Sonata No2 in D Op.94 - published by Boosey & Hawkes
Difficulty Rating E+
(Scale of A-E for difficulty, A being easy and E being Aaaaah!)
Prokofiev was not only one of the great Russian composers of the 20th Century, but an amazing pianist. The Sonata was composed between 1942 and 1944. This Sonata is really more a Duo - not surprising when you take into account Prokofiev's piano virtuosity. It has in every respect to be considered one of the most important works for flute of the 20th Century.
Faure - Fantasy Op.79 - published by IMC
Difficulty Rating D/E
(Scale of A-E for difficulty, A being easy and E being Aaaaah!)
The modern concert flute was developed only in the middle of the 19th Century (largely by Theobald Boehm) and it is from this point that composers began to take the flute seriously. Faure was amongst the first of the composers around to take the flute seriously. The Fantasy was commissioned and written for Paul Taffanel for the 1898 end of year exams at the Paris Conservatoire. The opening Andantino explains the instant appeal this piece has for the listener (and player) as it is Faure at his most lyrical..
Poulenc - Sonata - published by Chester
Difficulty Rating D/E
(Scale of A-E for difficulty, A being easy and E being Aaaaah!)
Francis Poulenc was a reactionary. A disciple of Erik Satie and a friend of the poet Jean Cocteau, he was also a member of a group called 'Les Six' (Poulenc, Auric, Durey, Honegger, Milhaud, and Tailleferre). The sonata for flute and piano was completed in 1957 at the Hotel Majestic in Cannes and was instantly popular. Poulenc maintained that the best way of interpreting his music was simply to follow what was in the score. This sonata comes off best with this approach.
JS Bach - Sonata BWV 1035 in E Major - published by Peters
Difficulty Rating C/D
(Scale of A-E for difficulty, A being easy and E being Aaaaah!)
Generations of flute virtuosos return again and again to the glorious phenomenon of Bach's flute sonatas. Bach took this sonata to Potsdam and gave it to the private secretary of King Frederick the Great. This no doubt helped to increase its popularity, although it is perhaps the most light-hearted of the six sonatas. It begins with an adagio that is in a style reminiscent of the B Minor Sonata, but of a less intense character. The second movement is a spirited allegro in a much simpler harmonic style followed by a much favoured slow movement of the period - a Siciliano. The final movement, an allegro assai, is particularly lively and demonstrates the less often heard, more humorous side of Bach's character.
Cimarosa - Sinfonia Concertante in G Major for 2 flutes & orchestra -
published by SMC
Difficulty Rating C/D
(Scale of A-E for difficulty, A being easy and E being Aaaaah!)
Cimerosa (1749 - 1801) was one of the greatest Italian opera composers of the 2nd half of the eighteenth century. The opening Allegro begins with a brilliant orchestral introduction, which is immediately followed by a display of virtuosity by the solo flutes. The occasional note of melancholy which is heard in the initial Allegro, returns in the opening bars of the slow second movement. In this Largo the melody is entrusted to the flutes while the strings provide a sustained accompaniment. The melancholy mood is finally dispelled in the last movement - a lively rondo.
Tityre From Joueurs de Flute by Roussel - published by Durand
Difficulty Rating C
(Scale of A-E for difficulty, A being easy and E being Aaaaah!)
Tityre is a most exciting piece to prepare and perform - written in 1924 and first performed in Paris early 1925. It was written for a set of four pieces, Pan, Tityre, Krishna and M. de la Prejaudie, based on the music and figures of ancient Greece. Tityre was one of the shepherds in Virgil's Bucolica. It is starts with quick scale passages and enters a beautiful cantabile middle section which is not only a total contrast to what has come before, but is a contrast to the accompanying piano which sets off on its own journey of spiky scale passages! The piece culminates in an exciting floury of notes. This piece is great for recitals in that it is fairly straight-forward to learn, but sounds really impressive due to the skilful writing of Roussel.
Andante in C, K315 by W.A. Mozart - published by Boosey & Hawkes
Difficulty Rating C
(Scale of A-E for difficulty, A being easy and E being Aaaaah!)
Mozart was commissioned to write three concertos, but only ended up writing two. (and the second was a reworking of an oboe concerto.) It is widely accepted that this Andante was written as a replacement slow movement for the first concerto, but it is more probable that it was the slow movement for the never-to-be third concerto. Mozart's loathing of the flute is well documented and although Mozart's flute works do not have a central role in his output, they have a welcome place in the flute repertoire. The secret of Mozart's genius speaks to us even in this small gem.
Summer Music by Richard Rodney Bennett - published by Novello
Difficulty Rating D
(Scale of A-E for difficulty, A being easy and E being Aaaaah!)
Summer Music is a collection of three movements designed to evoke the memories of Summertime. The first movement, Summer Music, has an effortless flow of invention that is readily associated with its title, whereas the second movement, Siesta, is languid and reminiscent of a hot, sticky summer afternoon. Games is the last of the three movements; the flute and piano chase each other in an energetic rhythmic game, and the teasing continues to a loud and playful finish.
Mulberry Cottage by William Lloyd Webber - published by Peters
Difficulty Rating C
(Scale of A-E for difficulty, A being easy and E being Aaaaah!)
It was the attractive countryside surrounding his Surrey home that inspired William Lloyd Webber, in 1950, to write his Six Country Impressions for various wind instruments. (William was the father of the cellist Julian and Andrew - writer of musicals.) William was very happy living in Mulberry Cottage, and the music emanates the warm glow of contentment he obviously felt there.
Sonata Undine by Carl Reinecke - published by Schirmer
Difficulty Rating D/E
(Scale of A-E for difficulty, A being easy and E being Aaaaah!)
Undine was a beautiful water nymph, who by winning the true love of a mortal man could achieve immortality. Basically she and a guy called Huldebrand meet, fall in love and marry. The only problem is Huldebrand's ex, Berthalda - who is determined to win Huldebrand back. Undine warns Huldebrand that he must remain true to her; otherwise, he must die. Ignoring the warning, Huldebrand decides to leave Undine to marry Berthalda. Undine has no alternative but to carry out the law of the underwater folk. After Huldebrand's funeral a bubbling spring forms around the mound where he lies buried. Legend says this is the arms of Undine forever encircling her beloved.
This is a rare gem from the Romantic era. This flute Sonata is not really program music. It does not describe the events as told. The listener will not derive the story from listening to the sonata, but being familiar with the story can help performers find the proper spirit and atmosphere in this highly evocative music.
Sonata in B Minor by John Ranish - published by Oxford University Press
Difficulty Rating C
(Scale of A-E for difficulty, A being easy and E being Aaaaah!)
John Ranish is known to have lived in Cambridge and to have died there on 14 March 1777 at the age of 84! An article in the Cambridge Chronicle states "Mr. Ranish was many years an eminent teacher and performer upon the German flute in the town. He always supported the character of a gentleman and was respected by all who knew him." He published two sets of flute sonatas, Op.1. (1735), consisting of eight sonatas and Op.2. (1744), which contained twelve Solos of which this Sonata is the third. The first movement - Adagio, is a beautiful, cantabile movement in contrast to the second, which is an animated Allegro. The third and last movement is a spirited Giga.
Sonatine by Claude Arrieu - published by Amphion
Difficulty Rating C
(Scale of A-E for difficulty, A being easy and E being Aaaaah!)
The first movement (Allegro Moderato) of this Sonatine by Claude Arrieu (a French, female composer) is delightful. It is full, expressive, and romantic with just enough oomph in it not to make it too slushy! It could certainly stand alone as an entry in a recital programme. This is just as well because movements #2 (Andantino) and #3 (presto), while pleasant enough are just not in the same league as the first movement.
Sonata in G Minor, BWV1020 - JS Bach - published by IMC
Difficulty Rating D/E
(Scale of A-E for difficulty, A being easy and E being Aaaaah!)
It was a trick of Bach's to compose music not really typical of the instrument he was writing for. He did not trouble himself unnecessarily about the feats he was demanding of both the instrument and the player. Where flutes were concerned, he tended to overlook the little matter of breathing and left the players to survive as best they could. Suffice to say that for many people Bach's music is supreme. To quote Wagner - "Bach is the most stupendous miracle in all music!" The G minor Sonata is fairly typical of its time, having three movements. (Quick, slow, Jolly quickly) and has some melodies that will remind you of some of Bach's other works. It is certainly a piece worth considering for a recital.
Piece pour Flute Seul - Ibert - published by Leduc
Difficulty Rating D/E
(Scale of A-E for difficulty, A being easy and E being Aaaaah!)
This piece has an expansive expressiveness, which is positively orchestral - rare in a solo piece. Both Moyse and Ibert were at a Parisian party, where someone asked Moyse to play something for them. Ibert observing Moyse's discomfort, offered to write something on the spot. Thus the "Piece" was written and premiered within the hour. (Contributed by Dominy Clements.)
Suite Antique - John Rutter - published by Oxford University Press
Difficulty Rating Overall 'D'
(Scale of A-E for difficulty, A being easy and E being Aaaaah!)
1. Prelude - a lovely haunting movement.
2. Ostinato - a brilliantly rhythmic and melodic movement.
3. Aria - an extremely moving movement that has a wonderful vocal-like theme. Very Cantabile.
4. Waltz - there's always something that gives the game away in a reproduction and this is it - a Jazz Waltz!
5. Chanson - another "to-die-for" movement.
6. Rondeau - A movement with loads of energy that finishes off the Suite antique perfectly.
Rutter is best known for his special interest in composing for young people and amateurs. The Suite Antique dates from 1979 and was written as homage to the forms and styles of Bach's day. Each movement is refreshing and would stand on its own as a recital piece. The third and fourth movements are particularly successful coupled together. I have never heard of any listener at a recital, (no matter how deep their interest in music) that did not enjoy this piece of music immensely. (It's as equally great fun to play!)
Tell us your Favourite Flute Fancy.
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If you feel the need to link - feel free but please respect the fact that this is my own work - the result of many years teaching and performing and should you wish to use any of the material ~
PLEASE ASK!!
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