Whistles to Flute in "Come From Away" the Musical

 Dear Flutelovers,

 I followed an interesting flutey topic online this week about the myriad wooden flutes and penny whistles required for the musical "Come From Away". It seems the required number of instruments are so overwhelming (see below for the list) that some flutists might even considering renting the set of penny whistles and wooden flutes required to play in this musical! (To purchase them would be thousands of dollars.)

 Read the comments at Bret Pimental's blog if you're curious. And here's the traditional Irish flutist (who is now offering sets for rent to help out) who wrote the flute's "book" for the show, Ben Powers showing the needed whistle set:

Ben Powers shows his flute and whistle collection for playing the show: (video)

To play "Come From Away" the musical you would require: Irish flute in D, Irish flute in B-flat, Boxwood flute in D, pennywhistle in low A, pennywhistle in low C, pennywhistle in low C-sharp, pennywhistle in low D, pennywhistle in low E, pennywhistle in low F, pennywhistle in F-sharp, pennywhistle in G, pennywhistle in A, pennywhistle in B-flat, pennywhistle in C, pennywhistle in D, pennywhistle in E, pennywhistle in F, Uilleann pipes.

Gadzukes man!

And do go, if you're curious, and hear the show's entire recorded sound track here to get an idea of the flute's parts: (video on youtube)

Sadly, at the blog where this is discussed you see cries for help like this:

"I’m very confused by the whistle part and was wondering how far I could condense it. I’m 17 years old and this is just for a school musical so I don’t have access to basically all of the instruments except for a basic flute, recorder, and tin whistle in D. I can’t figure out if the whistles are transposition or not and the necessity of most of these whistles. I’m very much not an expert and I’m scared that I’m not going to be able to play it in time for the show five months away. Does anyone have any advice about what I can condense and what keys are accurate to the musical since I am also confused as to why the C whistles appear to be in a different key to my C flute? Help very much needed."

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Well guys?

How many flutey readers can guess what I'm thinking right now? 

Would it be:

a) the original sound of the Irish whistles and flutes is so important to preserve, I do hope that there will be lots of sets of rentable instruments for all future high school productions of this musical and time enough for each person to learn all those instruments (and stretch their fingers too!)

or

b) sadly, although it would have been  nice to utilize the original instruments, for the sake of those who cannot learn them in time for the show, it would probably be smart to transpose the book now. It could perhaps use just one penny whistle, soprano/alto recorder maybe and a C-flute, maybe piccolo? It could be a great educational bonus to also have clear charts of the Irish ornaments and how to execute them.

What do you think I'd choose?

After all I'm the sass-meister who re-wrote the rather stupidly difficult Prokofiev flute and piccolo parts for the fourth movement of the Classical Symphony so that you can learn to play it in a month, instead of taking ten or more years to master it. Oh you can call me rebel without a clue" but I like to get the job done without losing a kidney. :>)

So please feel free to comment at length on this one. I'd like to poll the flute community as to how to make this work for us all. Afterall, we've lived our lifetimes faced with pages of alternate fingerings required because composers who do not play the flute force us to do the impossible.

Why can't we request parts that don't give us crazy-making extra-added labour while the composers are still ALIVE???

Lots more points of view from people who've actually played the "Come From Away" flute part here at Bret's blog. Thanks to him for all that info. collected in one place. Just scroll down to read the comments below his original post at the link above.

Please comment on this fine fine topic if you have an opinion! Love to know what you think. Really.

Best, Jen

Free Trio of Gluck's Blessed Spirits

 

Dear Flutelovers,

 I remember when I first started teaching, three students performed in a flute trio of Gluck's Minuet and Dance of the Blessed Spirits which they had prepared themselves. The pages were in score form, all scotch taped together in a six foot long accordion of sheetmusic, and they spread across three music stands.

When the three flute students arrived at the famous Da Capo of the Minuet, returning to the start of the piece, they all quickly shuffled sideways, three feet to the left and started again from the beginning. I have never seen anything so funny! Such innocence! :>)

I have since undertaken to re-write the Trio myself with both score and parts!! Unusual for me, I felt in this piece is was more appropriate to keep the entire solo in the first flute part, and the difficult, soft, delicate and constantly undulating sixteenth notes (which were without respite in the original version as they were all given to the third flute player) are now divided easily between the two accompanying flutists. Do take a look. It's a free gift. Score and parts:

Gluck's Minuet and Dance of the Blessed Spirits for Flute Trio arranged by moi.

Enjoy! And feel free to comment (the comments appear after brief moderation).

Best, Jen

Free Lark Ascending for Flute, Cello, Pno Trio

 Dear Flutelovers,

I shall never love a gentle-souled composer more than Vaughn Williams. And of the many pieces of his which I grew up listening to, the one that transfixes the most is "The Lark Ascending" for violin and orchestra. Sixteen years ago I realized that there was a free copy on IMSLP for violin and piano! (Who knew that the composer wrote this version first, and so it's the first to be free of copywrite?! See "transcriptions" at the above link). So I decided to try and arrange it for my flute, cello and piano trio back then. I would like to offer this arrangement for flute, cello and piano to everyone for free as a gift. 

Here is the full piano score and parts with cues for your enjoyment:

Jen's Lark Ascending by Vaughn Williams, in pdf for Flute, Cello and Piano

Enjoy and hope this arrangement comes in useful!

Best, Jen

Lorna McGhee Interview

Dear Flutelovers,

I just loved this interview with Lorna McGhee for so many reasons. One of the stunning things she has done, just last year, was to take the audition for the Boston Symphony and she WON it! And she's currently 52 years old! Hear all about that in Part 1 of the interview. Fascinating.

In Part 2 she talks about breath (oceanic and bouncing), the vocal quality, singing while playing, William Bennett's tone colours, some fabulous new pieces she's working on for her next recording in Japan, and other intimate details of her work on expanding the tone colours of the flute. Enjoy!

Lorna McGhee Interview Part 1 (video)

Lorna McGhee Interview Part 2 (video)

Comments are welcome!

Best, Jen

Julin Cheung; just amazing!

Dear Flutelovers,

Once in while a story about a young flute player comes along that is simply amazing!

This young person, Julin Cheung, won his first professional audition last year, before he had even finished high school. Enjoy these videos charting his progress.

 Firstly, this is a terrific documentary by PBS: PBS interview and concert: Julin Cheung (flute/piccolo)

And here's a good video that's also an interview: (video)

And I really enjoyed the first two selections especially in this full length grad recital (video)

What a terrific use of vibrato and non-vib. Lovely.

All our best to this young man and every best wish for his continued success.

Comments welcome.

Best, Jen

Free great novice Trios for Flutes in pdf

 Dear Flutelovers,

 Is it time to start up a new trio of flutists with some superb new (free!!) sheet music? As a gift I am giving away two very classic and beautiful trios, suitable for novice players. These are gorgeous.

Firstly, the third flute player becomes the secretly emerging soloist in the opening Allegro from:

 1. Autumn from Vivaldi's Four Seasons: Autumn. Download the trio in pdf (3pages). 

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Secondly, you may be familiar with the fascinating world of Mozart in London in 1764, when he was only eight years old, and the miniatures he composed at that time, entitled "The London Sketchbooks"?

2. Mozart's London Sketchbooks: Download G minor & F Major in parts for novice trio in pdf

Mozart's London Sketchbook performed on keyboard (video):

Fabulouso they are too!

At IMSLP these have been arranged as recorder/flute trios by Jakub Kowalewski. See the trio score under 'Arrangements and Transcriptions' in the tabs. Here is the direct link to the score for three flutes in pdf.

I played through all the above trios by Mozart's youngest possible self and selected two really spunky ones, and wrote out separate parts for these two faves. Here they are as a gift:

2. Mozart's London Sketchbooks: G minor & F Major in parts for novice trio in pdf (two page parts of two of the sketches). Download the score to explore but you can use the parts immediately!

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Finally, easiest of all and also at IMSLP (free music website) I found:

3.  the Easy Flute/Recorder arrangements for trio by Clarke Kimberling. These are excellent! My particular favourites from the above book of trios are: (They are in alphabetical order in the score table of contents):

Ayesha, Bulgarian Dance, Dorian Dance, 

El Marinero en el Mar, Lullabye 1

 and the lovely Wiltshire Meadow.

Highly recommend. Any flute trio of any age or ability level can manage these Kimberling trios. They're great rhythmic studies too. Very good writing. Enjoy!

Best, Jen

Repertoire Request for Chestnuts

We'll find you some chestnuts. Lots and lots of chestnuts.

 A pianist wrote to me trying to find flute and piano sheetmusic that was appropriate for recitals. Have a read and see what you think, then chime in with added titles and composers in the comments. What other flutey chestnuts would you add to this list?

The Repertoire Request

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Dear Jen,

 I'm a pianist who's seeking flute repertoire sheet music to play in upcoming concerts with a young flutist. She just starting the grade 9 level (last year was 36 Repertoire Pieces, this year she's starting The French Composers book, so let's say grade 8+) and we need some more winners. The audience were certainly loving these particular flute and piano selections last year:

Dance of the Blessed Spirits  -  Gluck
Serenade - Georges - Hue
2nd Minuet from l'Arlesienne - Georges Bizet
Siciliano from Flute Sonata in E-flat major, BWV 1031 -  J. S.  Bach  
Intermezzo from Carmen - Bizet

Can you give me an idea of where to look and what would be suitable to add to this list for our next few shows? I'd love some more non-classical pieces. It would be a bonus if some of the music were at IMSLP or other free pdf site to save on costs. I usually google the piece to see if I can listen to it before downloading it.
Thanks for your help.

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Dear Pianist,

I just went through all my favourite sheetmusic and picked out the specific titles I would recommend as being:

- at the right level for a flutist of grade 9 Royal Conservatory (Canada's grading system) who is just about to start the book of French Composers.

- audience pleasers that are short, recognizable and beautiful/memorable and are most often requested

- equally good for the pianist wherever possible.

Many of these are still under copyright and have to be ordered for mail-delivery from www.fluteworld.com or Carolyn Nussbaum's (https://www.flute4u.com/) in the U.S. or www.justflutes.com if you are in the UK. Several are available for free on www.flutetunes.com

I've listed lots of Baroque and some Classical at: www.jennifercluff.com/faverep.htm (Grade 8 is level B).

These are all Romantic or Contemporary. Here is the list:

Standard Chestnuts for Flute Concerts:

Example of difficulty level: JS Bach's Siciliano from EbMajor Sonata is Royal Conservatory of Music Exam level: Grade 6.

Faure - Sicilienne - is a lovely flowing piece that warms up the ear and heart. Not difficult. Grade 6 RCM. (www.flutetunes.com)

Faure - Morceau de Concours - a stunner! An all time fave. simple but demanding. Grade 8+ RCM (www.flutetunes)

Faure - Pavane (also on www.flutetunes) - breathing can be challenging but this may work. Grade 8 RCM.

Gaubert - Madrigal - enchanting, but a wee bit technical for the flutist. Some tempo changes and ensemble playing with exactitude between pianist and flutist. Grade 8+ RCM (www.flutetunes.com)

Morlacchi - The Swiss Shepherd - a show off extravaganza using a simple theme and variations. James Galway's version rips the paint off the barn. A thrilling ending to a show. Grade 9 RCM (www.flutetunes.com) - longer piece than all others.

Godard - Idylle - a lovely flowing piece with some challenges for the flutist. Grade 9 RCM. (www.flutetunes.com)

Debussy - La Plus Que Lente (arranged for flute/pno.) - gorgeous but a little challenging for the flutist. Grade 9 RCM (www.flutetunes.com)

Exotic Pieces:

May have to purchase at www.fluteworld.com if you cannot find online for free:

Ravel - Piece en forme de Habanera - Spanish exotica; gorgeous. A little challenging for the flutist. Grade 9 RCM.

R. Taki - Moon Over Ruined Castle - Japanese exotica; gorgeous. Grade 8 RCM.

Miyagi - The Sea in Springtime or Haru No Umi - arranged for flute and piano; Japanese, birdcalls, waves, sea swells...incredible piece. Grade 8 RCM.

Will definitely have to purchase these next Modern/Contemporary works,

but SO SO worth it (all are melodious as opposed to atonal):

American:

Samuel Barber - Canzone for flute and piano - stunningly beautiful, a little challenging. Grade 9 RCM.

Leonard Bernstein - Bernstein for Flute published by Boosey & Hawkes - Maria, Tonight, Somewhere. Grade 8 RCM.

European:

John Rutter - Suite Antique for flute and piano - delightful, some challenges in rhythm and stamina. Grade RCM 8-9

Ernst Bloch - Suite Modale for flute and piano - delightful play mvmts 1 and 3 for a short concert. Grade 8 RCM.

Hamilton Harty - In Ireland for flute and piano - wonderful and spunky. Grade 9+ RCM.

David Heath - Out of the Cool - super fun and funkily audience friendly. Grade 8 RCM.

Ian Clarke - Hypnosis - amazing piece and audience friendly to the max. Grade 8+ RCM.

Canadian:

Michael Conway Baker - Elegy for flute and piano - gorgeous, short and like a prayer. Grade 6+ RCM.

Video: https://youtu.be/hyUUglig8C4?si=TwouDoWuMe3edT3h

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Flute Grades around the world:

www.jennifercluff.com/chart.htm

Jen's Favourite Repertoire master list:

 www.jennifercluff.com/faverep.htm

Bonus: Royal Conservatory Syllabus see page 45 for Grade 8:

https://www.jennifercluff.com/FluteSyllabus_RCMCarn.pdf

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Flutists please add your comments and suggested repertoire below.

(comments are moderated before appearing).

Best, Jen