Concerto for Flute by Robert Simpson Flute Solo - Sheet Music

SKU: WO.0097PNO

The Concerto for Flute and Orchestra, Simpson's first concerted work, was composed for Susan Milan in 1989. The orchestra employed is a small one (seven wind instruments, two horns, timpani, and strings) yet each instrument plays an important role. In his choice of forces Simpson has been able to provide a great variety of tone-colours and textures: ranging from tightly focussed instrumental dialogues to intimate chamber groupings and the full orchestral tutti.
Played continuously, the work is cast in three main sections. The opening allegretto, itself divided into two sections, leads to a central scherzo-like Allegro non troppo in energetic triple metre. Here the wind instruments make brief interjections and the timpani have a short dialogue with the soloist. The closing section of the work, an adagio, begins with strings alone. They introduce a chorale-like passage joined, in turn, by the flute soloist and the woodwind. After a passage accompanied by divided cellos the soloist is instructed to sit with the string soloists. The final section of the concerto is, then, essentially chamber music: flute and string quartet senza diretore, molto calmo.
Throughout the work the soloist is called upon to produce a wide range of skills, not least the ability to adapt from the role of virtuoso soloist to an integral voice in an intimate chamber group within the same work.