André Jolivet wrote his first Flute Concerto in 1949. It is scored for solo flute and strings[1][2] and was premièred on 24 January 1950 by soloist Jean-Pierre Rampal.[3] Jolivet wrote a concerto for flute and percussion in 1965.[4]
The work lasts about 13 minutes.[3] It is now part of the standard flute repertoire and several prominent flautists have recorded it.[5][6]
Background
editJolivet associated the sound of the flute with "the breath of life" and was particularly fascinated by its "primitive" connotations.[7]
In 1944, he wrote Chant de Linos for a competition at the Paris Conservatoire. Jean-Pierre Rampal won the First Prize and he and Jolivet became close friends.[7] Five years later, the composer wrote the Flute Concerto for Rampal.
Overview
editThe concerto is cast in four short movements that follow a slow–fast–slow–fast structure reminiscent of the 17th-century Italian sonata da chiesa.[2] Although tonally adventurous,[8] the work is notable for its melodic simplicity and lack of gratuitous virtuosity, which sets it apart from the Romantic tradition of showy concertos.[2]
The piece starts with a soft, melancholy melody but gets more and more agitated and dissonant as the strings enter, although some brighter passages still appear occasionally. After the dark slow movement the work ends with an Allegro risoluto and a propulsive, thrilling finale.[8][9]
As critic Antoine Goléa remarked: "This is one of Jolivet's works where violence gives way to tenderness, force and passion yield to charm... sometimes lyrical, sometimes piquant and capricious."[1]
Movements
edit- Andante cantabile
- Allegro scherzando
- Largo
- Allegro risoluto
Recordings
edit- Sarah Louvion (flute) – Ensemble du Festival Flûte-Haubois en Livradois – Conductor: Ariel Zuckermann, Farao Classics – B108032 (2008).
- Jean-Pierre Rampal (flute) – Orchestre Lamoureux – Conductor: André Jolivet – Recorded in 1966, Warner – Erato 2564 61320-2 (2004).
- Alexander Korneev (flute) – Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra – Conductor: André Jolivet, Melodia D-017-995-8 (1966).
- Aurèle Nicolet (flute) – Orchestre Régional Provence Côte d’Azur – Conductor: Philippe Bender, Lyrinx 8211/029 (1983).
- Susan Milan (flute) – City of London Sinfonia – Conductor: Richard Hickox, Chandos Records CHAN 8840 (1989).
- Petri Alanko (flute) – Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra – Conductor: Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Ondine Records – ODE 802-2 (1993).
- Manuela Wiesler (flute) – Tapiola Sinfonietta – Conductor: Paavo Järvi, Bis Records – 739 (1996).
- Sarah Louvion (flute) – Ensemble du Festival Flûte-Haubois en Livradois – Conductor: Ariel Zuckermann, Farao Classics – B108032 (2008).
- Sami Junnonen (flute) – Helsinki Chamber Orchestra – Conductor: James S. Kahane, Resonus Classics – RES10335 (2024).
References
edit- ^ a b Blakeman, Edward (1990), La Flûte Enchantée, (Chandos Records), CHAN 8840, liner notes.
- ^ a b c New World Symphony, Florida, Concerto Showcase, program notesby Aaron Grad, January 2015. Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b "André Jolivet: Concerto (1949) for flute and string orchestra" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
- ^ "André Jolivet: Suite en concert pour flûte et percussion (1965)" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
- ^ Sarah Louvion: Œuvres pour flûte de Jolivet, Bauzin, Roussel, Ibert – Farao Classics CD (2008) – liner notes: "... the concerto for flute and strings by André Jolivet composed in 1949, commissioned by Jean-Pierre Rampal and now part of the repertoire established for flute".
- ^ "CD Review: Les Rarissimes de André Jolivet", Hubert Culot, Musicweb International, 2004.
- ^ a b CD Review, Dominy Clements, Musicweb International
- ^ a b CD Review, Brian Reinhart, Musicweb International
- ^ Chris Morrison. André Jolivet: Concerto for flute & string orchestra at AllMusic
