Celebrate the arrival of Spring with some fabulous music from around the world.
Øistein Sommerfeldt: Vårlåter (Spring Tunes) Op44 for Solo Flute
These five short pieces by Øistein Sommerfeldt are really about the open spaces of the his native Norwegian landscape. They are sensitively written, using the full range and colours of the flute to paint each miniature. This is a lovely piece of writing for solo flute which would enhance any concert at any time of the year! Difficulty Guide: 5-8
Michael Head: By the River in Spring for Flute and Piano
This substantial piece by the English composer Michael Head deserves to be more widely known as it is really beautiful. Based on the French tradition of lovely melodies, virtuoso writing and cadenza-like passages, it is unmistakably English in its harmonies and folk-inspired tunes which really capture Spring in the English countryside. A great alternative to Chaminade! Difficulty Guide: 8
Eric Ewazen: Eternal Spring (A Hudson River Idyll) for Two Flutes and Piano
Eric Ewazen can certainly write a good tune and this is a really lovely piece that captures the sense of hope that is the end of winter. The cascades of piano notes that introduce the opening flute melody comes straight from the heart of American musical language and this piece is really a series of snapshots of the countryside crossed by Hudson River on its journey towards the sea in the Spring. Substantial and varied, it makes a great recital piece. Difficulty Guide: 8
Michio Miyagi arranged by Sandra Howard: Haru No Umi (The Sea in Spring) for Three Flutes
This is a lovely and atmospheric flute trio and its unmistakable Japanese shakuhachi lineage is allowed free rein in this excellent adaptation. A mix of the interweaving of parts with passages of rhythmic order which underpin the flowing melody result in really cohesive piece of writing. Add in great use of the colours of the the scoring and you have a winner! Difficulty Guide: 8
Anze Rozman: Waking of the Green Spring for Flute Quartet
This is another really effective piece from the pen of Anze Rozman. The opening has swirls of semiquavers between all the parts, using dynamic shading, mixing fives against fours and staggered part-writing to create the waking of Spring in his native Slovenia. The central section has the flutes in mainly unison rhythm to give stability to the structure. The opening returns, this time with raindrop effect staccatos which pierce the texture before the atmospheric ending. Imaginative writing for C flutes – wonderful! Difficulty Guide: 8-9
