Five Short Pieces (Op.9a)

1985/2008, 8 minutes

An embellished transcription of Op.9 for flute with piano accompaniment

For Elizabeth Yow

This set of movements for flute and piano was originally arranged in 1985, and revised in 2008. It was given its first performance at the Ward Freman School, Buntingford, Hertfordshire, on July 17th 1985 by Elizabeth Yow with the composer accompanying.

The five pieces are elaborate transcriptions of To One, five songs to poems by Christina Rees, which convey the countless moods associated with a relationship.

The first piece (originally Empty Night, which evoked the desolation of a separation) has a free use of tonality, chromaticism and a prominent use of the augmented fourth within a minor mode, all of which help to create and feeling of despair.

The mood lightens with the second piece (originally called 'To Entice You' with erotic, seductive lyrics), which is structured within a gently sardonic waltz style.

The third piece has a wide range of dynamic shading and uses a straightforward ternary structure, where the outer sections revert to unusually juxtaposed chords, as in the first piece.

The fourth, in B flat major, is more relaxed, using jazz-style chords, and a variety of moods and tone colours.

The finale concludes the set in triumphant mood. Set within a firm A major tonality, it once again utilises chording remote from this key, and chord clusters, perhaps suggesting an ominous fragility beneath the superficial confidence and display.

Listen

You can listen to Five Short Pieces on scoreexchange.com.

Performances