Description
Quartet in F Major Op. 96 No. 12
The “American” Quartet
Composed by Antonin Dvorak
Arranged for flute quartet by Robert Rainford
Published by Forton Music
Instrumentation:
Flute 1
Flute 2
Alto Flute
Bass Flute
The first movement moves from passages of great harmonic stillness through a much more dramatic development section that takes the music through fugato section before recapping the original material. The second movement features a simple, pentatonic melody over a pulsing accompaniment. This melody is shared between the highest and lowest parts, before being developed in an extended middle section until the bass flute restates the original tune while the accompaniment thins out completely. The third movement is a variant of a traditional scherzo. It features two flutes, the main melody being a sprightly tune full of off-beats and cros-rhythms. The alternate melody is actually a variant of the main scherzo theme, but in a minor key and at half tempo. The final movement is in a traditiional rondo form. The main melody is once more pentatonic, the B section is more lyrical, and the C section is a chorale theme.