Sonata in D major for Flute and Piano

Emilie Mayer (1812–1883) began to learn the piano as a young child, and her interest in composition began at an early age and was developed further through studies in Berlin from the age of 28. She was relatively prolific, extending beyond the usual songs and piano pieces that were common among women composers to write 15 overtures and 8 symphonies.

This D major sonata was originally written for violin and has been transcribed for flute by Miriam Terragni. Composed in Romantic style, there is a clear influence of Beethoven in the writing, and the piano part features rich chords and textual variation. The flute stays relatively low in the range for the most part and, apart from a couple of complex modulations and some chromatic alterations, is remains in simple keys. The piece has four movements, including an expressive slow movement and a playful Scherzo which is full of character.

The score and part are well presented with careful placement of page turns. This is a useful addition to the flute’s Romantic repertoire, which would be ideal for students making their first steps into relatively large-scale works from this era.