I meant just the fact that it was a Piano/Flute thing. I liked this because it was 2 solo instruments. She wrote it for a guy that she loved, that loved someone else I believe. Keeping it intimate and small adds to the dramaticism. It might sound beautiful as an orchestra, but it takes away from the depth of the meaning IMHO. Sorry!

-Dennis

I've heard that story too, but I wonder how true it is. The concertino was commissioned as a Morceau de Concours piece. That means it was a new composition to put all those participating in the competitions at the Paris Conservatoire on an equal footing. In the story you mentioned, supposedly she delivered it to the man she loved (who was a flutist) the morning he married another woman. I have to doubt that, because as a contest piece for the conservatory, it most likely would have been finished only shortly before it was to be given out to the competitors, or if finished earlier would have been delievered to one of the professors and kept secret so that it could fulfill it's role as an equalizer. She may have had that man in mind when she wrote it, but I'm not sure I believe the whole story.

Sorry I haven't been back to reply yet. I've been rather busy. Anyway, a few pieces that I'm working on include: Mozart's Concerto in G (I'll be getting the one in C shortly), the Copland Duo for Flute and Piano, Quantz Concerto in G, the Poulenc sonata, and the Griffes Poem and a bunch of other pieces that I'm too lazy to list right now (my teacher likes to load us down with stuff to work on during the summer), if that gives you any idea as to what level I'm at right now. I'm considering the third movement from the Mozart Concerto in C as of now (I have the recording by Galway and love it), but I'm waiting for some more music to come in the mail.

Kara- do you have any specific pieces by Mercandante or Danzi that you like to play that you would recommend?

Thank you to everyone for your help...I think I'll steer away from the Chaminade. You're all right, it is rather overplayed.

I like Mercandante's Concerto in Re Maggiore and also the one is E Minor. The one in E minor is quite a bit harder and it probably more on the level of what you are looking for.

The Danzi Concerto in D minor which has three movements in one of my favorites also. The hardest part in the at piece is mainly the octave jumps on the 16th notes, the rest is not bad.

I can't say I am a very big fan of Poem. It is fun to play, but gives me a headache!

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PS I can't play the entire piece yet of Mercandante's Concerto in E minor, it gets crazy in the 3rd movement! I have a recording of Galway playing this one and I never noticed till a friend of mine pointed out that he doesn't play it the way it is written on that last part. He cheats! Lol!

I love the Mercadante in E minor. It's so....dramatic, I suppose would be the best description. I haven't heard Galway's rendition of it, but I'd be mighty interested to hear a player of his calibre cheating....Looks like I've got another CD on my wish list!

If you listen closely to some of his music he changes things quite often. For the Mercandante's concerto he changes where the octave jumps go which makes his version easier, so hence, I called it cheating, though some people may not see it as such. Maybe there is a different version of it that I am unaware of? I do like how he puts his own expression into pieces and does not play them exactly as written, that is what makes it fun.

I am sure you play it perfectly though and could play the thing backwards as I am all thumbs at the end. I am just too lazy to learn it.

I think it is nice when Galway puts his own "twists" on music, but it gets difficult to follow along with if you have the sheet music. I have had a recording of a song I bought that Galway has done, and I get worried that I bought an easier arrangement or something different than the recording! That's the only thing I don't really like.

I have had judges take points away and then I have had judges add on extra points in contests where I have changed something and performed it how I wrote it in. It's just expression! Besides, if there was the same recording of everything, the songs (especially the classics, if I dare to say!) would get boring, if that is the proper word!

This is interesting to me...Once again my views seem different. I think as musicians, it is up to us to respect the basic skeleton of the music (everything the composer has specifically written in note, rhythm, and the like), adding only our own interpretation (emphasis on certain notes, tone colour, phrasing, articulation, etc.). Of course, in Baroque music where the embellishments aren't notated and are left to the performer to include, or writing your own variation on a theme, you should be free to do things however you want, but I generally believe that most composers have spent a good deal of time notating the music so that it is as close to their vision as possible, and to change it seems to corrupt their ideas. By including our own interpretation of what the composer has written, we ensure that it’s never really the same piece twice, and help to stave off the boredom.

Then Galway must drive you nuts because he does it all the time!

Actually, he (and most other modern flutists) sort of does. There's no denying that he's an incredible player, but to me, most of the things he plays sound the same (Danny Boy vs. Mozart) tone-wise and stylistically. I prefer the older (deader) flutists like Moyse, Baker, and Rampal...IMHO, they each had their own individuality, and that's what keeps it interesting.

I am with you on that!