Sonata e Fantasia for solo flute (2018)
Sonata e fantasia was written at the request of the flautist Linda Jenkins, whose expressive, elegant, and virtuosic playing made this a pleasure to write. In the Classical repertoire, pieces for a single monophonic instrument are quite rare. Although there are some for the quasi-polyphonic violin and cello, there is no precedent for Classical sonata form applied in solo flute repertoire (CPE Bach’s Flute Sonata in a minor actually uses binary form!). This Classical sonata form is the “Sonata” part of the title; the “fantasia” part represents the dominant affect of the piece, especially the character of the beginning, with its freely spun-out arpeggios and melancholy melodic figures. In combining these “sonata” and “fantasia” elements I tried to create a play between freedom and order, expression and balance. Compound melody and registeral shifts suggest multiple contrapuntal voices within the flute’s monophonic line. This, combined with the frequent fast arpeggios, serves to better define the underlying Classical harmony, and shape the overall sonata form.