Program Notes

Sonata in G Major, “Hamburger,” Wq. 133

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach lived in one of the most interesting time periods in music history. He
lived and composed during the transition from the Baroque to the Classical eras. This work was
composed in 1735, while C.P.E. Bach was employed at the court of Frederick the Great in Berlin
(an avid flute player himself). C.P.E. is known very much for the empfindsamer Stil, ‘emotional
style’ in English, and this is represented throughout this sonata. The overall form of this sonata is
abnormal in that it consists of two movements that are traditionally played attacca. The first
movement is emblematic of the empfindsamer Stil, with a lilting, flowing main theme that
transforms throughout the development both harmonically and in terms of virtuosity. Following a
bridge that is reminiscent of Baroque arias, this movement gives way to an excitedly grand rondo
theme with almost Mozartian comedic effects at the return of the theme. The work is a perfect
representation of the transitional period that C.P.E. found himself in.

Sonata in D Major, Op. 94

Sergei Prokofiev composed this sonata in 1943, amidst the second world war. For a work
composed during such tumultuous times, it is decidedly backwards looking, as it carries out many
of the traditions of Sonata-Allegro form in the context of a four-movement layout. The sonata was
originally written and premiered for flute but was later transcribed for violin with the help of
violinist David Oistrakh (one of the few cases in the flute repertory where the repertoire belonged
to the flute first!). As such, this work contains a depth and seriousness that is otherwise unseen in
many flute sonatas and is demanding of the performer in terms of stamina and technical
challenges. Overall, Prokofiev’s flute sonata is uniquely positioned as one of the great pieces in the
flute repertoire.

Le Merle noir
Olivier Messiaen composed Le Merle noir in 1952 and is his shortest work. Originally composed
as a piece for the Paris Conservatoire, this piece has become a staple of the flute repertoire. Le
Merle noir translates to The Blackbird, which informs our understanding of Messiaen’s intent with
this piece. The two flute cadenza sections are meant to be based off birdsong that he heard while
in the woods. Anecdotally, the ending two notes of the second cadenza are meant to be the bird
departing, leaving the listener to ponder their encounter with the blackbird, much as Messiaen
would after such an encounter. The cadenzas are interspersed by longing, melancholic melodies,
that give a sense of an inner dialogue between the piano and flute timbres. The chaos of the closing
section represents the flittering of a bird, or of how thoughts interact with one another. Messiaen’s
Le Merle noir was the first work of his to feature music based almost solely on birdsong and lays
the groundwork for later works of larger scale.
Sonata for Flute, Viola, and Harp
Claude Debussy composed this sonata in 1915 as part of a series of sonatas near the end of his life.
In the process of composing this sonata, Debussy single-handedly created a new standard chamber
music group with the innovative timbres that this ensemble produced. This sonata, like the
Prokofiev, was composed during a world war. Whereas the first two movements combine the
instruments in generally more lyrical and colorful ways, the last movement begins with an
aggressive, warlike theme that is often in the minor and constantly changing by one chromatic note.
The drastic changes in dynamics also reflect the idea of a warlike disposition in this movement.
Near the end of the work, we are presented with the theme from the opening once more and a
restatement of the warlike theme, but in the major. This transformation is emblematic of
Debussy’s work and illustrates the hope that he had for eventual peace, despite the chaos of the
first world war.