for solo flute.
very difficult.
ca. 3'
1999.
My former teacher Larry Bell also taught the required composition class to the seniors at The Boston Conservatory; the summer before I went to TBC, he presented me with the list of assignments that he usually gives them. The first assignment is to write a piece for solo flute or clarinet that uses only one interval and its transposition. Because the flute and clarinet can jump registers quite easily, one can create the illusion that there is more than one line going on, which was part of Dr. Bell's motivation behind the assignment. I was very familiar with this technique, since it is the basis for much of the solo flute repertoire (pretty much all of the repertoire I used for busking is like this), especially the Baroque repertoire. Dance music provided a great amount of fodder for Baroque composers, and I thought it would be nice to update the use of this source. Allemandes, Courantes, and Menuets are not dances I have learned through my own pop-cultural experience, but I am fairly familiar with the techno and hip-hop repertoires. Roughly speaking, a breakbeat is a very fast drum pattern from techno music and I thought it would make a good modern substitute combined with the minor second, or half step, for an interval.
Here's a studio recording, performed by me, which is available on Anti-Social Music's debut "Anti-Social Music Sings the Great American Songbook." I'm wicked proud of this one and several folks have had nice things to say about this piece in particular: here, here, and, my personal favorite, here [scroll down to the 28 Oct 05 entry].
Do consider making a donation (of any amount, but let's say $5), if you choose to perform this piece, make copies of it, use it for educational purposes, if it has improved your life in any way. Otherwise, yes, it's yours for free. It is copyrighted, so give credit as necessary.