Evening Concert Series
2023 – 2024 Season
Sara M. Snell Music Theater Saturday, March 9th at 5 PM
Rosalind Hoffman, Flute Julie Miller, piano
Snowsounds (2012)
I. Lento
Flute Sonata in B Minor, BWV 1030 (c. 1735)
III. Presto
December Duo (2013)
III. Loss and Confusion
The Moon by Night (2001)
The Joy of Living
Emma Fusco, Piccolo
David Loeb (b. 1939)
J. S. Bach (1685 – 1750)
Laurel Zucker (b. 1955)
Andrew McBirnie (b. 1971)
J. W. Cole Unknown
Rosalind Hoffman is from the studio of Jill Rubio.David Loeb was born in New York into a family which took music and painting very seriously. In addition to the expected assortment of works for orchestra, various chamber combinations, soloists, and voice, he has also written many pieces for Asian instruments (in addition to Japanese, some for Chinese, Korean, Thai, and Mongol) and for early Western instruments (in addition to viols, some for lute, harpsichord, and recorder). He has often brought these instruments together in unique combinations, such as four shakuhachi and four viols; flute, guitar, koto, and shakuhachi; and khaen, flute, guitar, cello, and percussion. Having studied flute intermittently as a youngster brought him rather indirectly to playing Japanese transverse flutes (shinobue, kagurabue, and komabue). David Loeb's Japanese Tone Poems for piccolo alone collects particularly evocative Japanese works from his ouevre - Nightcolors, Piccolo Perspectives, and Snowsounds, unique in their vivid portrayal of ancient mountainous forests, winter scenes, and ekphrastic musical descriptions of images inscribed on woodblocks and ceramics; a double-set of tone poems, perhaps.
- David LoebJ. S. Bach composed hundreds upon hundreds of works, but it was this sonata that spoke to me. This is the only Flute Sonata with continuo whose manuscript has been found fully intact. Around 1720, the popularity of the transverse flute was increasing and, around 1725, overtook the recorder as the wind instrument of choice for chamber music. Bach would have been aware of these developments and most likely fascinated by the new expressive capabilities and tonal colors of the transverse flute. When Bach moved to Leipzig (1723-1750) to become the director of music for the city’s two main cathedrals, his secondary duty was as director of the Collegium Musicum which was a collective of university students who were uniquely talented young musicians. The group had at least two flute players about whom Bach wrote most favorably. Around this time, Bach wrote his most challenging flute sonatas and the level of difficulty in the flute parts of his cantatas increased dramatically. Musicologists contend that the autographed copy of the B minor sonata dates from around 1735, although, the piece was likely transposed from an earlier version in G minor, possibly written for other combinations of instruments.
The B minor sonata has become an iconic work because of its complexity and expressivity. The sonata has a unique nature: Bach expertly combines elements of style from the concerto, trio sonata, continuo sonata, and the fugue. Obligato refers
to the fact that the harpsichord line is fully composed. In fact, the harpsichord is an equal partner to the flute in terms of melodic material, and the codependent lines
weave a fascinating and captivating texture for the listener. The third movement, Presto, begins with a three-voice fugue represented by the flute, the harpsichord right hand and the harpsichord left hand. The end of the fugal section leads into a gigue-like section that is most notable for its witty syncopations and demanding technicality.
Laurel Zucker is an American flutist, composer and teacher. She studied flute with Samuel Baron at Juilliard School and with Paula Robison at the New England Conservatory. Additionally, she took lessons from Marcel Moyse and Julius Baker. Later Laurel Zucker studied composition at the New York University. Her music has been published by several publishers and she has made recordings of her own compositions for Cantilena Records label. December Duo for Flute and Piano consists of three movements and is featured on the CD "Brazilian Butterfly Circle: Chamber Music for Flute." Zucker writes, “The first movement is influenced by the Flute Sonata of Bohuslav Martinu, which I had been performing at the time I wrote this joyous movement. Following this, the Second Movement is lyrical and was composed to express the sadness I felt at the end of a love relationship. The Third Movement is a frantic display of emotions as I was trying to heal from the loss and confusion of this relationship.”
- Laurel Zucker
Andrew McBirnie Andrew McBirnie was born and brought up in Portsmouth, England. The Moon by Night was composed in November/December 2001 for Carla Rees. An appropriately nocturnal, atmospheric piece, it is based on a Scottish metrical psalm tune, alternately known by the titles “Dundee” and “French”, which originated in the Scottish Psalter of 1615 and is most often sung to the words of Psalm 121 (I to the hills will lift mine eyes...”). The title comes from the third stanza:
The moon by night thee shall not smite, Nor yet the sun by day.
The original version of this piece was written for Kingma System alto flute and piano and was premiered by Carla Rees and Charles Wiffen on 19 March 2002 at The Warehouse, London.
This piece was performed by rarescale: a charity registered in the UK which works to promote the alto and bass flute and their repertoire.
-Andrew McBirnie
J. W. Cole wrote this Polka, and that is all anyone knows of them and this composition. Enjoy the variations of our Heel and Toe polka dance!
- note by Rosalind Hoffman