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The Alchemy of Earth for Low Flute Choir

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  • Interesting, worth a look
Pan - Journal of the British Flute Society

Pan - Journal of the British Flute Society

This review first appeared in Pan, the journal of the British Flute Society and is reproduced with permission. Join the BFS: membership starts from £25 a year.

Low flute choirs are becoming increasingly prevelent, partley as a result of the work of the members of the NFA's Low Flute Committee, which provides opportunities for enemble performance at the annual conventions and has embarked on a programme of commissioning.  These commissioned works are mostly American composers, and are designed to have a wide appeal.  Alexandra Molnar-Suhajda's The Alchemy of Earth was commissioned by the Blessing Foundation and premiered at the 2014 NFA convention in Chicago.  A flute player herself, her work reveals an excellent understanding of the potential of low flutes and brings out their idiomatic characteristics well.    Low-end heavy, this piece is scored for two altos, 4 basses, contralto in G and contrabass.  The first movement Igneus Genesis is subtitled Creation, and uses a rhythmic ostinato in 5/8, punctuated by percussive sounds, to gain a sense of momentum.  The second movement creates rich resonance in an almost Holst-like chorus, with parallel movement between two solo lines creating a sense of stillness.  Semiquaver movement features in the third movement, with scurrying lines moving between parts across the ensemble.  Melodic material emerges over the top, and one can detect folk influences in some of the writing here.  The final movement opens in stillness, and once again one can imagine this might have been written as a soundtrack for a film.  A celtic- infused solo line emerges on a high alto flute, before the music develops into a fast-moving Irish jig.  While there are some technical challenges in all of the parts, the writing is not so hard as to be out of reach for intermediate/advanced players.  The music is accessible and likely to be enjoyed by players of all ages.

Carla Rees

From the Publisher

"The Alchemy of Earth" by Alexandra Molnar-Suhajda was commissioned by the Blessing Foundation and received its premiere in 2014 at the National Flute Association Convention in Chicago, Illinois. In four evocative movements (Igneus Genesis - Creation; Sacrae Silvae - Cathedral of Forest; Renovamen - Greening; Canticum Orbis Terrae - The Song of the Earth), it is a ground-breaking work for low flute ensembles.

Difficulty guide: 8
Difficulty level, roughly compared to ABRSM exam grades. 0 is total beginner, 9 is advanced (beyond grade 8).

Contents

 

  1. Igneus Genesis (Creation); 
  2. Sacrae Silvae(Cathedral of Forest); 
  3. Renovamen (Greening);
  4. Canticum Orbis Terrae(The Song of the Earth).
  •  

Item Details

Instrumentation

  • Part 1: Alto Flute
  • Part 2: Alto Flute
  • Part 3: Bass Flute
  • Part 4: Bass Flute
  • Part 5: Bass Flute
  • Part 6: Bass Flute
  • Part 7: Contr'alto Flute
  • Part 8: Contrabass Flute
Category: Low Flute Ensemble Music
Publisher: ALRY Publications
Publisher's reference: FC420
Our Stock Code: 1423037
Media Type: Paperback - Score and parts (34 pages [score])

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