Prelude et Scherzo

Prelude and Scherzo, Op. 35
Composed by Henri Busser (1872-1973)
For flute and piano
Published by Alphonse Leduc

Concours du Conservatoire National de Musique de Paris 1908

A Monsieur Paul Taffanel, Professeur au Conservatoire

French composer Henri Büsser entered the Paris Conservatoire in 1889. He won the 1893 Prix de Rome and led a highly successful career as a composer, conductor, teacher and organist. His compositions for a variety of instruments are exceptional, Prelude and Scherzo for Flute and Piano being no exception. As reflected in Prelude and Scherzo, Büsser’s compositional style was sophisticated, yet true to the 19th century French tradition. Elements of the Prelude include chromaticism, use of a wide tessitura, complex rhythms and virtuosic semiquaver flourishes. The Scherzo displays use of varying time signatures, a quick tempo and scalic passages. For all advanced flute players, Büsser’s Prelude and Scherzo is essential to a varied repertoire.