Joel Phillip Friedman
Flauto Oscuro for Solo Flute (or Alto Flute)
www.joelfriedman.com
Joel Phillip Friedman
Flauto Oscuro for Solo Flute (or Alto Flute) 1984 (Rev. 1991) Duration: Ca. 7 minutes Premiere (original version): Boston University Composers' Forum series Marianne Gedigian, December 12, 1984 Additional performance (revised version): New School for Social Research (New York) Margaret Lancaster, February 2, 1991
www.joelfriedman.com
Flauto Oscuro Program Note Flauto Oscuro was originally composed as an alto saxophone piece (obviously under a different title). It was written while I was still a student to fulfill a commission from Rikk Stone for the American Saxophone Project. Soon afterwards I revised the piece for flute (c-flute or alto flute) for the fabulous Marianne Gedigian. A number of years later the amazing New York flutist Margaret Lancaster scheduled multiple performances of Flauto Oscuro so I decided on a further revision of the work. I then set it aside for a number of years and only recently decided to make it available once more. While challenging in its upper register, this piece works wonderfully on alto flute! Try it. The form of the piece is simple and clear: slow-fast. The opening slow section introduces the two main themes: the first expressive and haunting; the second warm and sensual. Both are fluid, interwoven melodies spun from short motives. While composing the second, faster section I thought about Baroque solo music, which often is constructed using registral separation to create a sense of melody and accompaniment within a single-line. In Flauto Oscuro a continuous, trilling accompaniment figure articulates both the harmonic motion and the sense of pulse. Meanwhile, the original two themes from the opening slow section return as distinct contrapuntal lines volleying above and below the trilled accompanimental figure. The result is a virtuosic “trio for a solo instrument� requiring control to clearly balance and articulate all of the parts with one single-line instrument. Performance Notes Accidentals affect only the note they precede and are carried through the measure and canceled by the barline. Glissandi and lifts are based on how a jazz saxophone player would execute them more than from the classical idiom. They are somewhat free scoop and bend-like embellishments for added expression, emphasis and color. They are created using the lip and air. Grace notes are performed before the beat.
Premiere (original flute version): Boston University Composers' Forum series, Marianne Gedigian, December 12, 1984 Additional performances (revised flute version): New School for Social Research (New York), Margaret Lancaster, February 2, 1991; Roulette (New York), Margaret Lancaster, April 1997 Joel Phillip Friedman
www.joelfriedman.com