Jasmin for Flute Ensemble

From the Publisher

This edition features a medley of Chinese folk melodies. Yujian Zhu has assembled, arranged and transcribed the material. The final result is a compositional miniature with natural shape and beautiful musical flow. In this piece, Yujian Zhu combines an awareness around traditional Chinese music, with an obvious overview of Western classical flutes and flute playing. His knowledge of the different flute types and ability for creative and solid instrumentation comes clearly forward. The format of this composition is what can be called a fully developed flute ensemble: Piccolo, 4 concert flutes, alto flute and bass flute.The bass flute part can easily be extended with a contrabass flute.

The emergence of fully developed flute ensembles should be seen in the context of the development of the flute instruments throughout the 1900s. The industry's production, development and improvement of alto and bass flutes were decisive factors. Another important factor was the emergence of organised communities of flute teachers, and increasing recruitment of flute students. A major impetus for the establishment and development of the today´s flute ensembles came from the US, where its origins can be traced back to the 1960s. In the US, flute ensembles became a popular way to encourage young people to develop their flute playing. Today, the interest in flute ensembles also comes from composers, flautists and audiences becoming interested in the opportunities that exist in an ensemble of flutes, when it comes to musical expression, sound and nuance. The scope of the existing original flute ensemble repertoire is constantly expanding, and the same is true of transcriptions and arrangements.

Yujian Zhu´s miniature Jasmine can be performed in a variety of contexts, as part of a concert programme or as an encore. It can also function as educational material for flute ensembles with youth players. A “free” piccolo solo at the beginning of the piece gives a clear notion of the pentatone language that characterizes the music. The melodic lines are carefully distributed between the treble flutes, and the alto- and bass flute parts have idiomatic voicing in registers with warm and free sound.

Jasmine is a useful and very interesting contribution to the existing flute ensemble repertoire. Thanks to Edition Svitzer for publishing this piece!

Item Details

Instrumentation

• Part 1: Piccolo
• Part 2: Flute
• Part 3: Flute
• Part 4: Flute
• Part 5: Flute
• Part 6: Alto Flute
• Part 7: Bass Flute