Analysis Of Concertino For Flute And Piano

Concertino for flute and piano, Op.107 Cécile Chaminade (1857-1944)

Cécile Chaminade (1857-1944) was a French composer and pianist. Her mother, a pianist and singer, provided young Cecile with her earliest musical instruction, who at a later age began to experiment in composition. Her father’s disagreement prevented her from attending the Paris Conservatoire, so instead she studied privately with members of its faculty, which included Benjamin Godard. She started composing music at the age of 8 and performed abroad at the age of 16.

Chaminade became a successful composer and concert pianist in the early 1900s, with a tremendous popularity in the United States and was one of the first French female professional composers.

It features two main themes, plus many melodic episodes. The structure - in A-B-A form - is clearly identifiable through the themes that mark each of the sections: the lyrical melody that opens the work, the exciting piu animato that ends with a demanding cadenza, and the final recapitulation that is followed by a cheeky and vivacious codetta that brings the work to a dramatic close. Possessing a memorable melodic theme, the piece tests the performer through the unending phrases, virtuosic c and the resultant nimble fingerwork required. It has remained one of the great standards amongst the

Ferdinand De Jean, a Dutch flautist, ordered Mozart to write 4 quartets and 3 flute concertos, but Mozart only completed three quartets and one flute concerto. Instead of composing a brand new flute concerto, he rearranged the oboe concerto he had written earlier that year as the second flute concerto, which is divided into 3 movements: Allegro aperto, Adagio non troppo and Rondo: Allegretto. The concerto is an excellent showpiece and is widely performed by soloists nowadays. Listening to this well-written repertoire, it is hard to believe that Mozart disliked flute or that this piece was originally written for another