Origami with Black Birds for Solo Flute

Carmen Maria Cârneci is a composer/conductor who has worked with the likes of Pierre Boulez and Peter Eötvös during her education in Romania and Germany. Origami with Black Birds, written in 2016,has clear inspiration from the Shakuhachi repertoire of Japan with its expressive use of air sounds, vibrato, timbral trills, and silence. Upon looking at the piece you are met with a page of technique explanations which are meticulously notated; for example there are two different symbols for air sound. This attention to detail creates a wealth of timbres that are explored and developed throughout the piece. As the work is strictly notated in raptly complex rhythmic structures it looks daunting and busy on the page, however the slow tempo and expressive rests allow the player to perform with a certain rhythmic freedom and suggests that another notation system, such as spatial notation, may have married the visual and sonic information a little better. Origami with Black Birds is an evocative piece that allows the player to explore facets of their technique that are not usually considered ‘expressive’. It would be great for programming in any university recital as it highlights a wealth of techniques and encourages creative interpretation.