Two Pieces for flute and piano (Theodore Akimenko) PRINTED

Two pieces rediscovered at an Early Advanced level that are edited by musicologist Zachary Senick.

Akimenko wrote in a romantic style that incorporated the impressionist techniques around him. He typically had a tendency toward miniature forms with the use of programmatic titles with a strong interest in Ukrainian themes and subjects that is demonstrated in this piece.

Idylle op. 14

This is a short one-movement work that explores both the lyrical and virtuosic capabilities of the flute. The work opens with a Pastorale marked “Moderato” that consists of a flute cadenza that sequentially works upwards the range of the flute. A short piano interlude presenting a fragment of the next section’s theme sets it up. The “Andante sostenuto” marked “dolce” features a lyrical, slurred, and vocal-like melody in the flute combined with chords in each measure and occasional quarter notes in the piano. Next, a “con gracia” featuring a syncopated ostinato in the piano with an arpeggiated triplet sixteenth leading to an eighth note in the flute. Eventually, it molds into scalar passages before

returning to the original “Andante sostenuto” theme in the flute with a more active accompaniment part in the piano. However, this time the theme becomes more active and virtuosic with embellishments occurring to conclude the work.

L’improvisation villageois

The work opens in an Andante with a haunting melodic slurred line in the flute alone. The piano then joins as it picks up with a “Con moto (Moderato)” at a piano dynamic with a melodic line as a whisper while the flute plays a repeated “A” of different rhythmic values. This proceeds into a sequential pattern of sixteenth notes in descending intervals that get

larger, while the piano plays eighth notes meandering upwards. The roles than reverse with embellishments added to the flute part. Next, a virtuosic display occurs with the flute playing a string of triplet sixteenths in the upper register that meander around that is overtop of chords in the piano. This continues developing with other material inserted, while the

piano becomes more active playing a rhythmically dissonant triplet eighth s underneath. A return to the opening “Andante” material occurs that leads into an “Andantino” that features an eighth note motif of large intervals that become more compact. This becomes more embellished and eventually leads into an “Allegretto” consisting of a motif of

duple eights meander to a group of three triplet eighth notes. This is initially in the flute overtop of chords in the piano, which then becomes contrapuntal with the piano participating to conclude the work.