Three Pieces

3 Pieces for Flute Solo
Composed by Michael Gandolfi
Published by M51 Music
Duration: 6’45”

Contents:
I.   Basic Operations
II.  Note Juggler
III. Heavy-Metal Chorale-Fantasy

Program Notes:
Three Pieces for Flute Solo, commissioned by the James Pappoutsakis Memorial Foundation and dedicated to the memory of James Pappoutsakis, is a set of contrasting pieces, each of which explores a distinct compositional and technical detail. The first movement, Basic Operations, explores extreme changes of register and dynamic in a compositional framework that is built upon the basic developmental tools of music composition: repetition, transposition, inversion and retrograde operations. The phrasing is intended to be concise and easily perceived, resulting in an overall design of extreme economy. The second movement, Note Juggler, is literally a juggling act of three parts performed by a single player. It is technically demanding, owing to its three-part polyrhythmical structure (ten against twelve against fifteen) and for its dependency on absolute focus and centering of tone necessary for the clear delineation of the polyrhythmical lines. At the outset of the piece, we hear ‘the juggler’ tossing a single ‘baton.’ In turn, we hear pairs of ‘batons’ being tossed (the first with the second, the second with the third, etc.) until all three are in motion. At this point, ‘the juggler’ is made to dazzle us with a display of polyrhythmical virtuosity before ultimately tossing out each baton in turn, signaling the conclusion of the movement. The last movement, Heavy-Metal Chorale-Fantasy, is a post-modern blend of rock-guitar riffs with a Bach chorale. In contrast to the cool classicism of the previous movements, this movement allows the soloist to cut loose and explore the dramatic contrast inherent in these alternately energetic and expressive icons of music.