Through the Tube

Tubes are as vital as they are capable of shaping sound: the human body demonstrates this, perhaps most impressively through the soprano voice. That is why this evening brings together the soprano voice with the mother of all modern wind instruments: the flute. A Greek myth even tells us that the flute was once invented as a means of coping with the loss of a woman: the shepherd god Pan pursued the nymph Syrinx, who then transformed herself into a reed, from which Pan carved a flute. Claude Debussy’s *Syrinx* evokes this story, and the evening features a series of other pieces in which these reeds fascinate as sources of sound: whether the flute solo, as in Debussy; the soprano solo, as in Anna Korsun’s *Song of a Fish*; or both together, as in compositions by André Caplet, Albert Roussel and André Previn (often accompanied by the piano). The connection to nature and the animal world is ever-present: this is also the case in Olivier Messiaen’s musical studies of birds and in Charles Ives’ Piano Sonata No. 2, whose fourth movement, subtitled ‘Thoreau’, evokes the philosopher’s forest cabin, with a flute complementing the piano here.

An event organised by the Anhaltisches Theater Dessau as part of ‘Raum für Klang. New Music at the Bauhaus Museum’. Featuring works by Claude Debussy, Charles Ives, Olivier Messiaen and others.

• André Caplet Viens! une flûte invisible … for soprano, flute and piano
• Claude Debussy Syrinx for flute solo
• Salvatore Sciarrino D’un faune for flute and piano
• Anna Korsun Song of a Fish for Sopran
• Olivier Messiaen Catalogue d’oiseaux
• III. Le merle bleu for piano
• Olivier Messiaen Le merle noir for flute and piano
• Albert Roussel Deux Poèmes de Ronsard op. 26 for Sopran and flute
• André Prévin Two Remembrances für Sopran, Altflöte und Klavier
• Charles Ives Klaviersonate Nr. 2, ‘Concord, Mass., 1840–60’
• 4. Satz ‘Thoreau’ für Klavier mit obligater Flöte