Flute Fantasia "The Birthday Piece"

Back to piece page

Composition of ‘Fantasia’

The piece was written in October, completed on the 28/10/98 – the day before Louise’s birthday for which it was intended. The composition of ‘Fantasia’ interrupted the writing of another flute piece called ‘Destiny’s Child’ – a piece that was never finished. The opening piano riff of ‘Fantasia’ was the first idea to be written. The dance-like nature of the main theme was inspired by a Gigue that I had been studying with Louise for her GCSE. ‘Fantasia’ was composed in the order that it is performed – I mention this because that is quite unusual for me. The manuscript only shows a few changes being made during the process: the flutter tonguing of 56-57 was originally used in 13-14 but later removed; chromatic acciaccaturas were removed from the descending G major arpeggio of the flute part (34).

Back to piece page

View the score

Analysis:

The piece is in ternary form with the following structure:

Introduction (1-4):
The introduction establishes the key (Gm) but with added chromaticism. The E-natural in bar 4 gives a hint of the modal tonality that dominates the piece.

‘A’ Section (5-29):
This section consists of a 4-bar melody based around the dorian mode in G (5-8). This is then repeated with decoration in the flute part and more syncopated writing in the piano (9-12). The following four bars (13-10) consist of varied harmony that strays away from the key centre of G. The melodic material at this point is based around a motif played by the right hand of the pianist in bar 4. The opening chords return (17-19) leading into a short reprise of the opening flute theme, this time played by the piano and imitated by the flute (19-22). This material is developed and extended with an abrupt modulation (22-23): the developed ideas are then treated sequentially by the piano (25-27) whilst the flute hints at the original theme. At bar 29, the whole of ‘A’ is repeated.

Link Passage (30-34):
At the 2nd time ending, the preceding sequences continue leading to thunderous chords on the piano based around the main theme’s quaver motif inverted (compare piano of 31, with flute of 5). The link passage serves to modulate to Cm ready for section ‘B’.

‘B’ Section (35-49):
The mood changes towards that of the blues. The melodic theme is based loosely around the blues scale in C over the chord sequence I, Ib, ii, V – suggesting simpler harmony to the previous section. The chromatic bass (37-38) leads to a reprise of the chord sequence with a different melody. An abrupt modulation occurs in 44, unsettling the listener who would have become accustomed to the simpler repetitive harmonies that have marked ‘B’ thus far. Bars 45-47 see the sequential development of the motif found in the flute in the previous bar (44). The ‘B’ section then closes with sequential development of part of the ‘A’ theme (flute 48-49) with the harmony settling back into G dorian.

‘A’ Section (50-59):
The ‘A’ theme returns but this time abbreviated (52-59) and varied.

Coda (60-68):
The main melodic idea is used sequentially at the start of the coda (60-63) over diminished piano arpeggios. An overt perfect cadence is prepared and executed before the final Allegro. In the Allegro the opening piano chords return, but this time with a blues-like flute melody based around the ‘B’ theme. A fast chromatic scale then follows over the chords ii7b-V13 before a falling Gm arpeggio (flute) and altered scale (piano) and final flourish.

Back to piece page