ATCL Recital in Flute

Programme Notes

Name: CHENG Lee

Candidate Number: 00286:10049373

Examination: ATCL Recital in Flute

Accompanist: CHENG Gok Yam, Scott

Date: 24 May 2011 (Tue) 10:20am

Sonata in E Major for Flute and Piano BWV 1035 Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

I. Adagio ma non tantoII. AllegroIII. SicilianoIV. Allegro assai

Flute Concerto No. 1 in G Major, K. 313 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

I. Allegro maestosoII. Adagio ma non troppo

Sonata for Flute and Piano Paul Hindemith (1895-1963)

I. Heiter bewegtII. Sehr langsamIII. Sehr lebhaft

Marsch

PROGRAMME NOTES

Sonata in E Major for Flute and Piano BWV 1035 Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

I. Adagio ma non tantoII. AllegroIII. SicilianoIV. Allegro assai

J. S. Bach composed a number of flute compositions after hearing Pierre-Gabriel Buffardin’s playing, who was a French flute virtuoso. Sonata in E major, which is one of his last three sonatas written for flute and basso continuo, completed before his first visit to Frederick the Great’s court. This sonata is dedicated to the King Frederick the Great’s valet Michael Fredersdorf, whom was an amateur flutist.

This sonata is in a Baroque sonata da chiesa (church sonata) style based on the order of “slow-fast-slow fast” in tempo for the four movements. The first movement, Adagio ma non tanto, is a short brief movement which contains twenty bars with a prelude character. The ornaments are all written in the flute part and the whole movement is like an introduction of the sonata. Following with Allegro, written in duple time and have contrasting dynamics which creates a lively mood. The third movement is Siciliano, with a change of key from E major to C# minor. Siciliano is a kind of old dance in Baroque period emphasizing in dotted rhythms. The flute and bass part melodies often imitate with each other. The last movement Allegro assai, flourishes with a lot of fast fingerings and trills in the work, brings energy to the movement and ends with a bright rapid passage.

Flute Concerto No. 1 in G Major, K. 313 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

I. Allegro maestosoII. Adagio ma non troppo

W. A. Mozart composed the Concerto in G Major in Mannheim, early in 1778, and was first performed in March 12 of the same year. The piece was probably performed in Mannheim by the solo flutist of the Mannheim Orchestra. During Mozart’s journey to Paris, Mozart was being introduced by the group of flutists in Mannheim to a wealthy Dutchman named Ferdinand de Jean. Although Mozart mentioned in the letter that he did not like the flute, he was still complied the request by him, who was actually an enthusiastic amateur flutist, to write this piece.

This concerto consists of three movements, while only the first and second movement would be played in this recital.

The majestic and vibrant first movement, Allegro maestoso, is perfect in melodic shape, rhythmic interest, natural yet original harmonic colouring, form, and in the piquancy yet propriety of its instrumental treatment. The second movement is Adagio ma non troppo, which means that it is to be played in a slow tempo, but not too much. The opening of the second movement is often known as resembling the famous theme from the Blue Danube Waltz by Johann Strauss, Jr., which was composed many years later.

Sonata for Flute and Piano Paul Hindemith (1895-1963)

I. Heiter bewegtII. Sehr langsamIII. Sehr lebhaft

Marsch

Paul Hindemith is one of the most influential German musicians in the twentieth century. He contributed a lot in diverse aspects such as composition, teaching and conducting. His compositions range from sonatas for solo instrument to orchestral works. He wrote sonata for twenty-five orchestral instruments during 1935 to 1955. Sonata for Flute and Piano is his third repertoire written for flute, aiming to create Gebrauchsmusik - “Music to use” to the public for non-professional flutists yet still in high quality and modern style. Written in neo-classical style, his music is always tonal but non-diatonic. Instead of relying on a scale, its tonal centre shifts freely to different keys.

The first movement Heiter bewegt (cheerfully flowing) is in classical sonata form influenced by his Germanic musicianship background. The melodies from flute and two hands piano part are equally important and interact through the whole movement. The second movement Sehr langsam (very slowly) contains a lot of arch-like melodic lines. There is a repeating session Ruhig which is more quite and clam in the piece. The third movement Sehr lebhaft (very lively) is in a humorous mood because of the combination of bouncing and chromatic melodic lines from the flute and piano parts. There is a Marsch (march) in the finale of the sonata. The beginning is a bell-striking sound melody from piano following a baroque improvisational style flute melody. The most significant characteristic of the last movement is triadic resolution, revealing Hindemith’s strong foundation in German style.