Concertino for Flute, Harp and Strings

The original version of this piece from 1996 has been scrapped, with this reworking in this year (2010) removing divisi and other features such that a string orchestra or string quintet in a chamber setting can play the piece in its entirety. As was the case in the Baroque and Classic eras, the notion of a piece being accessible to more than one group or venue appealed to me in revising this score. Ergo....

The first movement is up tempo and joyous, its themes built from scalar passages. For the soloists this is evident in the opening gestures, but with the theme in violins and violas and with the following gestures in the flute, the scalar passages are extended with a tonic "pedal" between scalar notes.

A more subdued center section moves into the parallel minor for moment with the accompanying textures far less dense and active, before a recapitulation in the tonic major.

The gentle flow of a melody sweetened by triplets against duplets introduced by the flute, and thereafter the theme is also take up by violins and harp.

The relative minor offers the soloists an interplay with sparse accompaniment as foil to the outer movements' energy and densities.

The bubbly counterpoint of an accompanied fugue-like subject is taken up, first with the flute and viola separated by the tenth, and later in other voicing as well. This the contrapuntal theme is in fact a Gestalt of melody and accompaniment. Various contrapuntal relationships create a sense of unity in this romp for all the players.

The score for Concertino for Flute, Harp and Strings is available as a free PDF download, though any major commercial performance or recording of the work is prohibited without prior arrangement with the composer. Click on the graphic below for this score. For instrumental parts in PDF format, please contact me at the email address as found on the Contact Information page of this site, being sure to site the work in the subject line of any email message.