Date du Récital/Date of Recital: May 7, 2018

Nom/ Name: Dov Houle

Classe de/ Class of: Claire Guimond and Lena Weman

These program notes are written by the student performing, and are presented by the student in
partial fulfilment of the requirements of their course.
Ces notes de programme sont écrites par l'étudiant-interprète et sont présentées en tant que
réalisation partielle des critères de leur cours.

Sonata in B minor for Flute and Obligato Harpsichord, BWV 1030 by Johann
Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

J.S. Bach was employed by the church for much of his career, but around 1717, Prince Leopold
of Köthen hired Bach as Kapellmeister (director of music) and gave him freedom over his
compositional pursuits. With this newly acquired liberty, Bach turned his attention to composing
secular music. These secular works include the Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin and the Cello
Suites. Around 1720, the popularity of the transverse flute was increasing and, around 1725,
overtook the recorder as the wind instrument of choice for chamber music. Bach would have
been aware of these developments and most likely fascinated by the new expressive capabilities
and tonal colours of the transverse flute. When Bach moved to Leipzig (1723-1750) to become
the director of music for the city’s two main cathedrals, his secondary duty was as director of the
Collegium Musicum which was a collective of university students who were uniquely talented
young musicians. The group had at least two flute players about whom Bach wrote most
favourably. Around this time, Bach wrote his most challenging flute sonatas and the level of
difficulty in the flute parts of his cantatas increased dramatically. Musicologists contend that the
autographed copy of the B minor sonata dates from around 1735, although, the piece was likely
transposed from an earlier version in G minor, possibly written for other combinations of
instruments. There is a fascinating theory that Bach composed the incredibly demanding B
minor sonata as a musical challenge for his fourth child, Johann Gottfried Bernhard Bach, who
was a gifted flute player. However, this idea remains speculative as we know very little about
Bernhard, his life or his musical achievements.

The B minor sonata has become an iconic work because of its complexity and expressivity. The
sonata has an unique nature: Bach expertly combines elements of style from the concerto, trio-
sonata, continuo sonata and the fugue. Obligato refers to the fact that the harpsichord line is fully
composed. In fact, the harpsichord is an equal partner to the flute in terms of melodic material,
and the codependent lines weave a fascinating and captivating texture for the listener.
The first movement, Andante, contains ritornello-like passages and long soloistic lines that pass
between flute and harpsichord in a dialogue that reflects the concerto form. It is also unusually
long for a baroque sonata movement. Flute and harpsichord exchange thematic material and
alternate the roles of soloist and accompanist while the composition continues to cyclically
modulate creating a feeling of endless-ness and paradoxically, inevitability. The second
movement, Largo e Dolce, starts as a relief from the complexity of the first movement: a simple,
self-assured melody unfolds into an insistence on major tonality and positivity. Soon it evolves
with increasing dissonance and complexity in the flute line. The third movement, Presto, begins
with a three voice fugue represented by the flute, the harpsichord right hand and the harpsichord
left hand. The end of the fugal section leads into a gigue-like section that is most notable for its
witty syncopations and demanding technicality.

Sonata in A minor for Solo Flute, Wq 132/H 562 by C.P.E. Bach (1714-1788)

In the Baroque era, a substantial repertoire of instrumental music senza basso (without bass)
emerged. The importance of the bassline was not ignored as the solo instrument would take upon
itself both lines. Initially, this concept appeared in works for string instruments where the lower
strings can accompany a melody played on the upper strings. Soon however, works for
unaccompanied transverse flute became quite popular. Many prominent composers including J.S.
Bach contributed to the genre before C.P.E. penned his sonata. His father’s Partita in A minor
might very well have influenced C.P.E to explore the genre and choose the key of A minor. In
1738, C.P.E. entered the service of Frederick the Great of Prussia. The monarch had a passion
for the flute and was a talented player which prompted C.P.E to compose more flute music,
including this solo sonata, written in 1747. Likely because C.P.E. required Frederick’s
permission to publish, the sonata was unfortunately not printed until 1762-63.

This sonata follows a three movement design, Slow-Fast-Fast, that was out of fashion for
accompanied sonatas but paralleled earlier Italian sonatas like those of Vivaldi. The first
movement, Poco Adagio, features a starkly delineated two part writing, with articulated ‘bass’
notes and arching melody. The effect is exciting and dramatic while at the same time elegant and
refined. The second movement, Allegro, features thematic material that is contrastingly bouncy
and arpeggio based. This material returns numerous times and is transposed and altered giving
the movement unity and cohesion. The third movement, Allegro, is a light, spirited movement
with scale-based melody lines that bring the sonata to a exhilarating and satisfying ending.

Concerto in A major for Flute and Harpsichord TWV 42:A3 by Georg Philipp
Telemann (1681-1767)

The precise musical nature of the Concertos published around 1715-1720 entitled Six Concerts et
Six Suites pour le Clavessin et Flûte traversière is puzzling. Although they are titled as
concertos, the equal distribution of melodic material between the harpsichord and the flute more
closely resembles a kind of eclectic trio sonata. The name may also refer more to the concertante
practice of combining elements of the popular trio sonata and of the Italian sonata da chiesa.
Different instrumental possibilities are listed on the title page, including various combinations of
flute, violin, cello and harpsichord indicating Telemann’s desire to make these pieces as
accessible as possible to a wide variety of performers. Telemann was an excellent self promoter
and knew how to market his music well, becoming quite popular and financially successful
during his long career.
The first movement, Tempo Giusto, features melodic imitation between the flute and
harpsichord, declaring A major and providing a lilting introduction to the concerto. The second
movement, Vivace, features short melodic motives that are passed between the harpsichord and
the flute with variation and playfulness. The third movement, Adagio, features beautiful melodic
lines harmonized in parallel cascading thirds. Finally, the fourth movement, Presto, resembles a
French Rigaudon and ends the concerto with lively frivolity.

La Deuxième Concert Royal (Second Concert Royal) of François Couperin (1668-

1733)

Les Concerts Royaux are a collection of suites containing brief movements that Couperin wrote
for the French court of Louis XIV. Around 1714, the chamber concert became the most popular
musical form in France. Couperin was contractually obligated to compose music for small
concerts that Louis XIV had almost every Sunday. Subsequently, he made sure they were
published as he felt that they might be as much to the public’s taste as to the King’s. These
pieces have no indication of instrumentation, leaving the performer a huge amount of freedom in
arrangement. They can be performed as solo harpsichord pieces or by a full ensemble with a top
melodic instrument (oboe, violin, or flute) and any combination of continuo (bassoon, viol,
harpsichord).

The Prélude features a simple melody embellished with tasteful and stylish ornaments that
establish a refined and stately affect. The Allemande Fuguée features an active and ornate solo
line, imitated in the bass, that provides excitement and an affect of eager interest while the
convolutions of the ornaments delight the ear. The Air Tendre is a somber affair that establishes
a languid and melancholic affect providing a minor mode contrast to the cheerful nature of the
previous two movements. The Air Contre fugue quickens the tempo again, captivating the
listener with unexpected melodic syncopations. Finally, Échos provides a beautiful conclusion to
the concert. In this highly imitative movement, the flute and viol (in this recital, a five string
cello piccolo) fully realize the duet that has been hinted at in the previous movements. The
melodic line is a depiction of an echo in a mountain range. The carefully notated dynamics and
rhythms are designed to illustrate the echo effect. The carefree melody and overall pleasant
affect recalls the listener to a sense of fulfillment and relaxation.

Sonata in G major, “L’Henriette” Op.2 #1 by Michel Blavet (1700-1768)

Michel Blavet was an accomplished self-taught multi-instrumentalist and prominent composer.

In 1723, he moved to Paris and was regarded as one of the finest flute players in France. He was
praised for his singing tone, excellent intonation and blazing technique. In 1728, Louis XV
granted Blavet a privilège général to publish his works which had drawn much admiration. The
Opus 2 Sonatas were published almost immediately. Blavet became ubiquitous with French
musical life as a musician in the Musique du Roi and the Musique de la Reine and the Opéra. The
Opus 2 suites show the hybrid French-Italian style that was quite popular in France during this
time, which combines elements of the French Suite with elements of the Italian sonata da
camera.
The opening Adagio is reminiscent of a French suite prélude: a beautiful and simple melody
unfolds over a slow moving bass. However, the Italian influences begin to show quite quickly
with ornamented sequential material and driving excitement. The second movement, Allegro,
passes motives between the flute and the bass. The flute floats overtop of a tumultuous stream of
bassline and interrupts it to impose calmness and a lyrical line. The two beautiful Arias entitled
‘L’Henriette’ form a Rondeau and give the sonata it’s sobriquet. The playful first aria seems to
depict a young woman or child while the second aria might depict the same woman at a later
more melancholic time in her life. The final sparkling Presto movement grabs the listener’s
attention with its rambunctious and enlivening character.