Sonata for flute and piano (Vsevolod Sirenko) PHYSICAL

This is a three movement work lasting around 11 minutes at a Late Advanced level, which introduces a few avant-garde elements into a neoclassical form and structure.

This is a three movement work that combines structures and forms from classical music with some aesthetics and textures of avant-garde music to explore a wide range of expressions possible by the flute. The first movement is built around a dichotomy of changing characters. It begins with an “Andantino” section that opens with a piano introduction that presents the theme consisting of a falling triplet eighth note motif in the right hand that leads to chords in the left hand. This sets up a quasi-improvisatory cadenza in the flute in a virtuosic manner that leads into the theme and an accompanimental role of arpeggiation in the piano underneath in a neo-impressionist harmony and style. As it develops it undergoes variation and fragmentation to lead to an “Allegretto” section that takes fragmentation of the melody and presents it in a more virtuosic manner of sequential sixteenth note passages overtop of intense and heavy chords in the piano. Next, a “Meno mosso” returns to a calmer presentation of the theme in the flute, which becomes virtuosic overtop of chords changing every couple of measures. Then, a “Piu mosso” occurs where the pianist plucks the strings of the piano while the flutist plays fragmentation of the theme material now in triplet sixteenth leading to an eighth note rhythm to create a more mysterious and frantic character before a return to the more lyrical character and virtuosic cadenza. The rest of the movement continues in the same manner contrasting the two lyrical and frantic characters.

The second movement “Adagio” opens with a half note bass line in the piano that the flute enters overtop of to play a meandering theme of a quarter note tied to sextuplet sixteenth notes that move around the register of the flute in a sequential manner. This is then contrasted with a mainly step-wise and lyrical theme built around eighth notes leading to a longer note value in the flute overtop of an oscillating ostinato pattern in the right hand of the piano being introduced. The flute part continues to become more virtuosic as it develops until it climaxes into a passage of sweeping thirty-second notes weaving around the high register.

The final movement “Allegretto” is built on a constant repetitive sixteenth note motif. The piano introduction introduces it as a fragment which builds into a constant line that never stops for the rest of the movement, usually acting as a motor in the piano part. The flute enters with two repeated sixteenth notes changing around in a sequential manner. Eventually, this is contrasted by a more lyrical theme in the flute while the sixteenth motor continues in the piano. Finally, the flute plays alone taking over the sixteenth repetitive motif to end the work.

Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWubHvFCxck