Lux Perdita

for Flute & Piano

I decided to start work on a Flute & Piano Sonatina whilst I was working on the Oboe Sonata. The Sonatina will be in three movements - at present only the first is completed but the others will appear in due course.

The title was inspired by the poem by William Watson although any other link is purely arbitrary. The Sonatina uses various methods to create the prime material which is presented in the first movement and then developed throughout the sonatina.

Work on the first movement began on the 23rd of July and the final draft was completed on the 10th of August 2006.

Analysis:

-Introduction (bb.1-4)
-Exposition: First Subject (bb.5-12); Bridge (bb.13-16); Second Subject (bb.17-28); Codetta (bb.29-36)
-Development: (bb.37-52)
-Recapitulation: First Subject (bb.57-64); Bridge (bb.65-68); Second Subject (bb.69-76)
-Coda (bb.77-87)

The introduction introduces two important motif (A and B) and a chord sequence (C) that features throughout the movement.

The flute enters in bar 5 presenting the first subject which is based around a dotted rhythm and variations on motif A. This is accompanied by a descending scale in dotted rhythm (motif D) and variations on motifs A and B (bb.5-7) before an augmented and abbreviated version of C appears (piano b.8). In bars 9-12 the first subject is developed by the flute with variation of motifs A and B. The left hand of the piano part in bars 9-10 employs motif C whilst the right hand develops the first two notes of B in a rising sequence. At bar 11, the piano varies motif D before a variation of C closes the 1st subject (b.12).

The bridge passage (13-16) is based around the motifs A, B, and D. This performance of D is intrinsically linked with the chord sequence (C) but inverted (descending instead of rising). The material from the bridge becomes very significant in the development and the coda to the movement. Bars 14-16 develops previous material (shown right) leading into the second subject.

Subject 2 is introduced by the flute in bar 17. It contrasts sub1 by being disjunct and less rhythmically stable. The piano initially plays a running quaver figure before launching into a variation on C in the left hand (19-20) and the abbreviated B in rising sequence as previously seen in bar 10. As the flute begins variations on Sub2, the piano alternates between motif D (bars 21, and 25) and thematic material from the bridge (based on A1 and B1). In bars 25-28 the flute joins the piano in developing the bridge material (A1 and B1). Sub2 draws to a close (28) with the left hand of the piano employing an inverted C. The codetta (29-35) borrows material from the introduction and Sub1. At 29 the piano enters with a transposed version of bar 2 whilst the flute lags a bar behind playing material from bar 1. As expected,, motifs A, B and C are employed in the same order. The codetta concludes with an abbreviated Sub1.

The development section (37-52) fuses motifs and themes together. An example of this can be seen right (b37) when the flute is developing the bridge theme (A1 & B1) whilst the piano employs a variation on D (LH) and develops the rhythm of the Sub2 and the bridge theme (A1 & B1). The piano continues to employ the rhythm from subject 2 (38-44) whilst the flute explores the bridge theme. In bars 43-48 the movement builds to a climax with the piano playing a rising sequence based on D and the general dynamics increasing. Sub1 makes an appearance in the piano (bb45-48) closely shadowed by the flute in canon. The climax is reached in bar 49 when the flute plays the dotted motif from Sub1 in a high register and the piano plays an inverted D fortissimo. The development concludes with hints of A1 and B1. The recapitulation (53-76) follows the same design as the exposition. The bridge passage sidesteps at the last moment in order to modulate so that Sub2 is in a related tonal center to Sub1. The coda (77-87) begins with the piano employing D with the flute exploring the bridge theme. A brief hint of the dotted element of Sub1 is followed by silence. The tempo gradually returns as an idea from 27-28 is presented. The movement closes with themes from the introduction mixed with snippets of the bridge theme. Motifs A B C and D are employed in almost their original form as the movement draws to a close.