JS Bach: St Matthew Ardour: ‘Aus Liebe will mein Heiland sterben’
The Baroque flute solo opens ‘Aus Liebe will mein Heiland sterben’ with a sluggish, ethereal melody, accompanied by different woodwind devices which define the chords and concord shifts. When the soprano joins, the flute continues unravelling its melodic line, mixing completely with the timbre of the voice.
About midway by way of the fourth motion of Beethoven’s Eroica, the flute enters after the strings have supplied a lush, swelling melody. The flute solo brings a stylistic distinction, demanding an excessive amount of management from the flautist as they ascend up the dimensions with a staccato sample. The strings accompany with dense semiquaver passages, floating up and down the dimensions.
Probably the most well-known orchestral flute solos, Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune opens with an evocative uncovered flute line, which meanders up and down the dimensions in a an improvisatory model. The opening line is carried out with a component of rubato and freeness in tempo, earlier than the woodwind and harp joins.
Gluck: Orfeo ed Euridice: Act II, Menuet and Dance of the Blessed Spirits
‘When listening the D-minor melody of the pantomime within the Elysian-Fields scene in Orfeo, one is instantly satisfied that solely a flute might play this melody appropriately,’ wrote Berlioz in 1843 of this solo. ‘The voice begins nearly inaudibly, seemingly afraid to be overheard; then it sighs softly and rises to the expression of reproach, of deep ache, to the cry of a coronary heart torn by incurable wounds; progressively it sinks right into a plaint, a sigh, and the unhappy murmur of a resigned soul. Gluck was, certainly, an incredible poet!’
Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé
On this part of the ballet, Daphnis and Chloé are miming the love story between Pan and Syrinx from Greek mythology.
A flute solo is used right here, as a result of the tragic mythological story of Pan and Syrinx is intrinsically linked to the instrument. Pan – god of the wild, shepherds and flocks – falls in love with the nymph Syrinx, who doesn’t return his affections. To cover from Pan, she turns herself right into a water reed and hides within the marshes. Pan then later cuts the reeds to make himself a flute, however in doing so, kills Syrinx.
No rubato is required on this flute solo, as Ravel has performed the honours of writing it into the rhythm. This can be a favorite orchestral solo of flautists, as a result of it permits the performer to be expressive and provides an impression of freeness inside the confines of a gradual beat.
Rimsky-Korsakov: Russian Easter Competition Overture
There are two uncovered moments for the flute in Rimsky-Korsakov’s magical overture: the primary of which options delicate repeated demi-semiquaver notes, earlier than segueing to a clean arpeggio sample, slurred in pairs. The second solo is a cadenza, so the flute is use rubato and add emphasis wherever they select. The flute line ought to have a shimmering sound all through, so as to add to the ethereal nature of the piece.
The piece is sort of a concerto for the orchestra, with many different devices taking their second within the highlight. It’s a showcase of virtuosity for the person performers within the orchestra.
Phrases by Freya Parr and Emilia Parr.
