Sonata in G Minor BWV 1020

Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach on March 21st, 1685. Near the beginning of his
career as a musician, Bach served as an organist, as a violinist, and as a concert master. Later, Bach
became an extremely prolific composer. He wrote about 280 cantatas, five mass settings of the Passion,
and seven motets. He was also known for his compilation, the Well-Tempered Clavier, the Brandenburg
Concertos, and the Goldberg Variations. Despite his large quantity and variety of compositions, Bachs
sons Johann Christian Bach and Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach became more famous than their father
during his lifetime. J.S. Bach died on July 28th, 1750 in Leipzig.
Sonata in G Minor BWV 1020 has been generally attributed to J.S. Bach, though recent research
has suggested that it may have been composed by C. P. E. Bach. The piece was written to be performed
by the flute and harpsichord, but it is also commonly played on the violin. An arrangement of Sonata in G
Minor for soprano saxophone and piano also exists today. When performed on the flute, Sonata in G
Minor utilizes the instruments beautiful low and middle registers. The first movement of this piece,
Allegro, begins with an energetic introduction played by the piano. After the flute enters with the main
theme, the two instruments work as a closely-knit duo for the remainder of the piece.

Syrinx
Claude Debussy was one of the most important composers of the twentieth century. He was born
on August 22nd in St. Germain-en-Laye, France to a family of very modest means. Despite their lack of
wealth, they were able to gather enough money to send him to study at the Paris Conservatory. There,
Debussy won the Prix de Rome at the age of twenty-two and was awarded the funding to study in Rome.
Over the course of his life, Debussy was influenced by the compositions of Wagner and multiple Russian
composers. Although he hated the term impressionism, Debussy was one of the most prominent
composers of impressionistic music. Debussy passed away from colon cancer on March 25th, 1918.
Syrinx is a solo piece that Debussy wrote for the flute in 1913, near the end of his life. He wrote it
to be performed in Gabriel Moureys play, Psych. This play is a story of the Greek god Pans unrequited
love for a nymph named Syrinx. To escape Pans pursuits, Syrinx transforms herself into water reeds that
Pan later cuts into a set of pipes. Of course, this action kills the nymph. Gabriel Mourey intended Syrinx
to be Pans final song before he, too, dies. The title of this piece is both the nymphs name and the Greek
name for panpipes, which is the instrument Pan plays in mythological tales. In writing Syrinx, Debussy
took advantage of the rich colors in the flutes low register. This piece consists of fluid rhythms and a
loose form structure with repeating motifs. As the piece comes to a close, the tempo slackens and the
flutes sound dies away while Pan mourns his lost love.

Andante in C, K. 315
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was an Austrian composer who lived from 1756 to 1791. Although
he only lived to be 35 years old, he was one of the most influential composers of the Classical Era.
Mozart was born into a musical family and received intense training as a musician from an extremely
young age. Before he turned five years old, Mozart had already begun composing. Later in life Mozart
composed numerous operas, string quartets and quintets, and concertos. Mozart emphatically declared his
dislike for the flute, but he several works for the instrument. Despite his many compositions, including
several incredibly successful operas, Mozart did not become rich. He died in poverty and was buried in a
paupers grave. His wife had to sell several of his manuscripts to pay off their debts.
 Andante in C is a relatively short piece that Mozart composed in 1778 for flute and orchestra.
Tonight, this piece will be performed by flute and piano. Andante in C may have been part of a
commission for Ferdinand Dejean, who was a wealthy amateur flutist. Alternatively, it could have been
intended as a part of Concerto in G K.413, which was presented to Dejean in fulfillment of his
commission. Dejean, who was not satisfied with the pieces Mozart composed for him, only gave half of
the promised payment. It is also possible that Mozart meant to develop Andante in C into a full concerto,
but never finished the work. This piece follows a sonata form and opens with a main theme that can be
recognized many times throughout the performance. The flutes part is an elegantly ornamented and
flowing melody that floats above the pianos gentle, supportive role.