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We suggest works to explore a er Poulenc’s Flute Sonata
Gaubert’s lyrical flute writing rivals even that of Poulenc
Flute music in the late-19th and early-20th century was dominated by French composers, with Poulenc as a major figure. His contemporary Gaubert’s Nocturne et Allegro scherzando (Marcel Moyse, Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra; Danacord DACOCD691-696) shares a wandering chromaticism with Poulenc’s sonata, particularly in its reflective and languid first movement, which is followed by an energetic virtuosic section. Like many other pieces composed during this time, it was used as an examination piece for flautists at the Paris Conservatory in 1906. The winner of the first prize for flute that year was the legendary flautist Marcel Moyse. The dedicatee of Gaubert’s piece was his teacher Taffanel, whose Andante pastoral et scherzettino
(James Galway, Phillip Moll; RCA G010003244574M) is a colourful and energetic piece, with Fauré influences peppered throughout. Taffanel was responsible for revolutionising flute technique, and his collection of daily exercises, written in collaboration with Gaubert, are still heavily relied on by flautists today. Taffanel was also a highly regarded performer, giving the premiere of fellow professor Widor’s
Suite for Flute and Piano (Emmanuel Pahud, Eric Le Sage; Warner Classics 5578132) in 1884. A substantial piece made up of four movements, the suite has the substance of a sonata; its melancholic opening movement gives way to a breathless Scherzo, a lyrical Romance and a lively Final, all with piano and flute given equal weighting and attention. Another to try is the lesser-known Chant de Linos by Jolivet
(Sharon Bezaly, Ronald Brautigam; BIS BISSACD1429) – another competition piece for the Paris Conservatory, written in 1944. Based on the mythological musician Linos, it’s a mourning chant made up of laments and dances centred around a modal scale, using a range of flute techniques such as flutter-tonguing, signalling a move into a more modernist style of writing. And finally, Ibert’s Jeux (Emmanuel Pahud, Eric Le Sage; Warner Classics 5564882) is a slightly more eclectic but nonetheless beautifully lyrical chamber work, consisting of two highly contrasting movements – the first very light and detached and the second more expressive, fading away at the end.