Suite from Petrushka for Flute Ensemble

It may seem adventurous or perhaps even foolhardy to attempt to arrange Petrushka for nine flutes but this an arrangement that really works. It's challenging of course, with all of Stravinsky's rhythmic complexities to deal with and some technical difficulties too. It is also scored for sub-bass and contra-bass flutes which really add weight to the colouring, but the transpositions do also work for alto and bass flutes. This is not ideal but does give more groups the chance to give this a try. The parts all look playable too which is great! If you're feeling adventurous this is a fantastic way to get to know some of this wonderful music. Stravinsky for flutes? And why not!

Arranging Stravinsky for flute choir is something that is likely to be both popular and challenging in equal measure. Stravinsky’s orchestration is so full of colour and vibrance that it is hard to imagine it having the same impact on a group of flutes, but Juliette Dominski has created a strong arrangement which has much to offer. Scored for piccolo, four C flutes, and one each of alto, bass, contralto and contrabass, the arrangement makes full use of the range of colour the flute choir can offer.

The arrangement has 4 sections, The Shrovetide Fair, Russian Dance, Dance of the Ballerina and The Wet-Nurses Dance. These are taken as extracts from Stravinsky’s full ballet, making the piece more manageable for a flute choir and concentrating on the main thematic material. 

The orchestral textures are translated well for flutes, and the solo moments have plenty of character. The opening of The Shrovetide Fair, with its well-known flute lines, is immediately captivating and launches us into Stravinsky’s world with a sense of energy.

Although Stravinsky perhaps has a reputation for being difficult, in this arrangement the individual parts are mostly only modestly challenging, aside from a few rhythmic moments. An advanced level group would be able to sight-read this without much trouble, and an intermediate group would be able to use it as excellent material to develop rhythmic skills.

The score is well presented and clear, with good consideration given to page turns. There is just one minor notational issue which takes some explanation; in the first movement, there are some sections with parts playing in 5, 7 or 8 against the rest of the ensemble who maintain a regular 2/4 or 3/4 pulse. Stravinsky presents these clearly so that the players are aware of the need to play 5 in the time of 4 or 7 in the space of 6, for example. However, in this version those parts are given different time signatures, without any indication of a change in tempo, which causes a good deal of confusion and seems to be an example of how trying to simplify something can in fact make it more difficult to understand. Despite this small point, however, this is an exciting addition to the flute choir repertoire which is worthy of exploration.