On Raasay for Solo Flute of Any Size

This three-movement piece, which can be played on any size of flute, was written to evoke the Scottish island of Raasay, which is just off Skye and can only be reached by boat. It's home to music courses run by clarinettist Sarah Watts, and has a great appeal for musicians- Harrison Birtwistle was resident on the island for a few years.

Although the piece can be played on any flute, the low Cs will be problematic for most piccolos, and some of the high range notes are likely to lack the power needed on alto or bass, so players may wish to change instruments between movements to get the best match.

The first movement is rhapsodic in feel, evoking the breeze over the sea. The opening is reminiscent of Holst's Perfect Fool in its rising lines built on thirds, and immediately captures a folk-like feel. The music meanders pleasingly up and down, allowing the performer space to add rubato to really capture the atmosphere.

The second movement is fast and dance-like, and this movement is well-suited to the brightness of the flute or piccolo. Entitled Blowing a gale round the hills, this has the energy of a Scottish jig, with changing time signatures adding moments of surprise.

The final movement, All weathers, beautifully captures the rapidly changing weather conditions that one encounters on this small island. The opening section, depicting the rain, is one of the highlights of the piece for me-repeated patterns are developed and allowed to fragment, intelligently evoking the unpredictability of a rain shower. The sun motif, in the low register, would suit the sonority of the alto or bass flute very well. This movement brings back elements of the themes from the earlier movements for short fragments, and this idea could perhaps be developed even further, especially as each one only appears for a bar or two. Nonetheless, there's a lot of character in the music and it's a fun piece for anyone interested in music inspired by folk-like tropes.