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Uncommon Sheet Music for Flute and Alto Flute

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All scores that include a part for at least one harp.

  • CD - Tea-Time Classics - Flute and Harp

    TeaTimeClassics nsmTea-Time Classics
    Robin Chudy, harp and Peter H. Bloom, flute
    Soundjewel Productions, SJ.240.1, CD $14.97

    This sachet of classic and exotic harp and flute music was inspired by the elegant ritual of afternoon tea.  It is the ideal accompaniment to tea-time, or any time an infusion of relaxation and euphoria is needed.  Previously based in Boston, harpist Robin Chudy played the harp daily for fourteen years at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, where she developed a style suited to relaxed listening in the Tea Lounge and Cafe, and acquired a broad repertoire of classical and lighter compositions, many her own arrangements.  Well-known to our website visitors, Peter H. Bloom is a consummate flutist, NSM editorial consultant, and NSM contributing composer and arranger.

    Tea-Time Classics

    To listen to audio clips of selected tracks, click on the mp3 icons beside the titles.

    1.   Menuet from l’Arlésienne Suite no. 2, Georges Bizet, 4:12     mp3 icon
    2.   Morceau de Concours, Gabriel Fauré, 2:29     mp3 icon
    3.   Suite of Waltzes from Tales from the Vienna Woods, Johann Strauss, 8:06
    5.   First Arabesque, Claude Debussy, 4:13
    6.   Entr’acte from Act III of the opera Carmen (arr: Quinto Maganini), Georges Bizet, 4:17    mp3 icon
    7.   Romanza from Act I of the opera La Wally, Alfredo Catalani, 3:18
    8.   Sentimental Walk from Diva (Tr: Ed Meredith, arr: R. Chudy), Vladimir Cosma, 3:07
    9.   Danza Habanera, Th. H. Northrup, 3:04
    10. I Dreamt I Dwelt in Marble Halls from The Bohemian Girl, M. W. Balfe, 4:27
    11. Theme from Brideshead Revisited, Geoffrey Burgon, 2:44
    12. Gnossienne no. 1, Erik Satie, 2:23
    13. Gnossienne no. 2, Erik Satie, 1:25
    14. Gnossienne no. 3, Erik Satie, 1:59
    15. Rêverie, Claude Debussy, 3:30
    16. Étude, Opus 10 no. 3 (excerpt), F. Chopin, 2:28
    17. The Swan, Camille Saint-Saëns, 2:20

    To order a copy of theTea-Time Classics CD for $14.97, please use the Noteworthy Sheet Music Contact Us form to let us know which CD(s) you would like to purchase, along with your email contact information and shipping address. For orders shipping to addresses in the USA, a $4.99 shipping and handling fee will be added; for international orders shipping outside the USA, the fee is $14.99. We will send you a PayPal invoice for the sale and, once we receive notice from PayPal that you have paid for the item(s), Americas Musicworks will ship your CD(s) to the address provided, for delivery in 7-10 days.

  • Coste - Les Regrets - Afl or Fl (or Ob, Vn) and Pf (or Guitar, Harp)

    Coste LesRegrets nsmLes Regrets-Cantilène, Op.36, by Napoléon Coste

    Transcribed for Alto Flute or Flute (or Oboe or Violin) and Piano (or Harp or Guitar) by C.A.Vater


    Score, Alto Flute Part, and alternative Flute (or Oboe or Violin) Part, PDF $5.99


    Napoléon Coste (1805-1883) became famous not only as a guitar soloist, but also as a major composer of some 60 works, most of which were written for guitar. His music is in the romantic French style and appreciated for its originality.  His Fantaisie, Op.36, Les Regrets-Cantilène, is a short, single-movement piece written for oboe or violin with piano or harp or guitar.  We created our Noteworthy Sheet Music edition from the difficult-to-read manuscript version in the public domain, available on imslp.org.  We include a score in concert pitch and a part suitable for flute, oboe or violin, as well as a part transcribed for alto flute in G.  The piece falls nicely within the sweet range of the alto flute and our transposition sounds appealing and completely natural on that instrument.  In fact, Les Regrets-Cantilène is gorgeous on either flute or alto flute.  Melodic and sentimental, the work is not overly demanding technically and should appeal to players of a moderate or higher skill level.


    Score, 4 pages; Alto Flute part, 1 page; Flute (or Oboe or Violin) part, 1 page; Total 8 pages.

    Preview
  • Nelson - Play of Light - Flute & Harp

    nelson POL nsm-rPlay of Light, by Richard Nelson 

    Contemporary Composition for Flute (doubling piccolo & bass flute) and Harp

    Score and Flute Part, PDF $15.25

    Play of Light, for flute and harp, was written for the duo "2" (Peter H. Bloom and Mary Jane Rupert).  The piece is built around spaciousness, transparency, multi-hued shadings and playful chases.  The incorporation of bass flute and piccolo further enhances the inherently rich color possibilities of the flute/harp combination—the three flute instruments in succession form a sort of "super-flute" in the work's final section.  

    Drawing on his jazz and improvisation background, composer Richard Nelson in this composition leads the players into a substantial section that they complete through improvisation.  While they follow signposts on intensity, energy and pitch content that he provides, this practice nonetheless creates an element of intrigue and unpredictability that the composer values highly.  It also assures that each performance of the piece will have a strongly individual profile. 

    The Duo "2" artists have released a studio recording ofPlay of Lightavailable free of charge; please click the link to listen to the audio file on the composer's SoundCloud site.

    Peter H. Bloom gave a lecture on “Effective Writing for Flutes and the Contemporary Flutist” at the 2018 Snow Pond Composers Workshop.  In his presentation, Mr. Bloom discussed various topics using four contemporary works published by Noteworthy Sheet Music, including Play of Light, as examples.  We later published a free text version of this excellent presentation on our website, in the Reviews and Articles section, including some of the audio clips and supplemental written materials that Mr. Bloom used as demonstrations.

    Score, 23 pages; Flute part, 9 pages; Total, 36 pages.

    Preview
     

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    We also offer a print version of Play of Light by Richard Nelson, for those who prefer to purchase the work as a professionally-printed hard copy. Due to prohibitively high international shipping rates, we ship print editions only to addresses in the USA. The cost of the hard copy edition of Play of Light is $25.93, plus a $5.95 shipping and handling fee. Please use the Contact Us form to let us know which print publication(s) you would like to purchase, along with your email contact information and USPS mailing address. We will then send you a PayPal invoice for the sale and, once we receive notice from PayPal that you have paid for the item(s), we will ship your music to the address provided for delivery in 7-10 business days.

  • Nicholson - Coolun - Fl or Fl & Pf or Fl & Hp

    nicholson coolun 240pxCoolun, A favorite Irish Air with Four Variations, by C. Nicholson

    Gassett Collection - Facsimile Edition by C.A.Vater/Noteworthy Sheet Music

    Piano Score and Flute Part, PDF $9.99

    Charles Nicholson (1795-1837) was a masterful, hugely popular, and highly influential English flutist and teacher, famous for his individual style and powerful tone.  Among Nicholson's compositions are 13 fantasies and 15 airs with variations, including Coolun. A favorite Irish Air with Four Variations arranged for the Flute with an ad libitum Accompaniment for the Piano Forte, or Harp.  The "Coulin" or "Coolan" was described in an 1833 letter to the editor of the Dublin Penny Journal (www.libraryireland.com) as "an air, that once heard even in the earliest infancy, can never be forgotten—a melody which breathes the most touching tenderness and exquisite sensibility, and the memory of which, enables the Irish to hear Scotland's 'O, Nanny wilt thou gang with me,'—or her 'Banks and Braes,' without envious repinings."

    Nicholson's consummate rendition of Coolun is highly effective when played either as a solo for flute alone or by flute with accompaniment of piano, lever harp, or pedal harp.  The Gassett Collection print from which our facsimile was created consists of a score for piano forte and flute, without a separate flute part. The flute part included in our edition was created from the score using a modern music notation software program.   

    Noteworthy Sheet Music's publication of Coolun was favorably reviewed by Katherine Borst Jones in the January, 2014 issue of Flute Talk magazine.  You can read the review, reproduced on our website for your convenience, or at Flute Talk (subscribers).

    For additional information about the Gassett Collection, please see see our article An Introduction to the Gassett Collection.

    Piano score, 6 pages; Flute part, 5 pages; Total, 15 pages.

    Preview

     

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    To order our print edition of Coolun, A Favorite Irish Air arranged for Flute and Piano or Harp for $16.98 plus a $5.95 shipping and handling fee to addresses in the USA. Use the Contact Us form to let us know which hard copy publication(s) you would like to purchase, along with your email contact information and USPS mailing address. We will then send you a PayPal invoice for the sale and, once we receive notice from PayPal that you have paid for the item(s), we will ship your music to the address provided.

  • Ross - Cockles and Mussels - Harp Ensemble

    ross cm nsmCockles and Mussels, James Yorkston

    Arranged for Multi-Level Harp Ensemble by Judith Ross

    Score and Parts for Harps I, II, & III, PDF $10.50

    Cockles and Mussels, also known as Molly Malone or In Dublin's Fair City, is a popular song thought to have been first published in Boston, MA, in 1876, in a collection of college songs.  The 1884 London version, published by Francis Brothers & Day, lists the piece as a comic song composed by James Yorkston.  The piece is especially beloved in the city of Dublin, where a statue of Molly Malone has been erected on Grafton Street.

    Judith Ross, founder and director of the Massachusetts Harp Ensemble, has created numerous mixed level harp arrangements over the years.  She welcomes harpists of all levels of expertise into her ensemble, so most of her arrangements are designed to include parts of different levels of difficulty.  That way, anyone can have a chance to participate and join in the fun.  The Massachusetts Harp Ensemble is a Boston area treasure, enjoyed and appreciated by local harp students and their teachers, many of whom are already familiar with Ms. Ross' arrangements in manuscript form.  Now some of these works are available to the broader harp community as new, typeset editions prepared by Noteworthy Sheet Music.  Cockles and Mussels includes two intermediate level pedal harp parts and one easy lever harp part.

    Preview

     

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    US customers may purchase professionally-printed hard copies of Cockles and Mussels directly from Noteworthy Sheet Music for $17.85 plus a $5.95 shipping and handling fee.   Please use the Contact Us form to let us know which edition(s) you would like to purchase, along with your contact information and your USPO mailing address.

  • Ross - Love Thee, Dearest - Harp Ensemble

    ross love thee nsmLove Thee, Dearest, Thomas Moore

    Arranged for Multi-Level Harp Ensemble by Judith Ross

    Score and Parts for Harps I, II, III, and IV; PDF $8.75

    Love Thee, Dearest is a popular Irish ballad with lyrics written by the famous poet Thomas Moore (1779-1852). Our harp ensemble arrangement was created by Judith Ross and is specifically designed for performance by harpists at varying levels. The Beginner, Easy, and lntermediate level parts may be performed on lever harp by one or more harpists. The Advanced part, for the teacher or advanced student, is designed to be performed by one person on pedal harp.

    Judith Ross, founder and director of the Massachusetts Harp Ensemble, has created numerous harp ensemble arrangements over the years. She welcomes harpists of all levels of expertise into her group, so most of her arrangements are designed to include parts of different levels of difficulty. That way, anyone can have a chance to participate and join in the fun. The Massachusetts Harp Ensemble is a Boston area treasure, enjoyed and appreciated by local harp students and their teachers, many of whom are familiar with Ms. Ross’ arrangements in manuscript form. Now some of these works are available to the broader harp community in new, typeset editions prepared by Noteworthy Sheet Music.

    Score, 5 pages; Harp I part, 1 page; Harp II part, 1 page; Harp III part, 2 pages; Harp IV part, 1 page; Total, 16 pages.

    Preview

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    US customers may purchase professionally-printed hard copies of Love Thee, Dearestdirectly from Noteworthy Sheet Music for $14.85 plus a $5.95 shipping and handling fee. Please use the Contact Us form to let us know which edition(s) you would like to purchase, along with your contact information and your USPO mailing address.  

  • Ross - The Croppy Boy - Harp Ensemble

    ross.croppy boy nsmThe Croppy Boy, Traditional Irish Ballad

    Arranged for Multi-Level Harp Ensemble by Judith Ross

    Score and Parts for Harps I, II, III, & IV, PDF $8.97

    The Croppy Boy is one of the saddest lrish ballads of the 1798 rising.  The title refers to the young rebel soldiers, who wore their hair closely cropped.  This arrangement is specifically designed for performance by harpists at varying levels.  The Beginner, Easy, and lntermediate level parts are intended for lever harp, but can be played on pedal harp, and may be performed by one or more harpists.   The Advanced harp part, for the teacher or advanced student, is designed to be performed by one person on pedal harp, but can probably also be done on a lever harp having all the high and low strings.

    Judith Ross received a B.M. with Distinction and M.A. from the Eastman School of Music.  She studied harp with Eileen Malone and Pierre Jamet, and harmony, keyboard, and composition with Nadia Boulanger (considered one of the greatest musical pedagogues of the 20th century).  She is a winner of the Paderewski Gold Medal in piano.  Ms. Ross has given frequent solo and orchestral performances throughout New England, and is the founder and director of the Massachusetts Harp Ensemble.   She has taught at the State University College of NY at Fredonia, Boston University, Lesley College, New England Conservatory, and El Coro de Niños in San Juan, Puerto Rico.   For 37 years she taught solfège, harmony, form and analysis, and harp at the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, MA, where she is former Chair of the Theory Department.

    Score, 7 pages; Harp I part, 1 page; Harp II part, 2 pages; Harp III part, 2 pages; Harp IV part, 1 page; Total, 22 pages.

    Preview

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    US customers may purchase professionally-printed hard copies of The Croppy Boy directly from Noteworthy Sheet Music for $15.25 plus a $5.95 shipping and handling fee.  Please use the Contact Us form to let us know which print edition(s) you would like to purchase, along with your contact information and your USPO mailing address.

  • Saint-Saëns - Fantaisie - Flute

    saint-saens fantaisie nsm 245Fantaisie, Op.124, by Camille Saint-Saëns

    Transcribed for Flute (originally for violin) by Peter H. Bloom

    Flute Part, PDF $8.98

    The following excerpt is taken from Peter H. Bloom's foreword to the edition:

    "We flutists are always on the lookout for great repertoire to perform with harp, and the Fantaisie is a perfect gem to purloin from the violinists' repertoire.  The expressively romantic melodies, lush impressionistic sonorities, athletic intervals, diversity of articulation, variety of dynamics, and evocative exoticism are ideal for the flute.  The few problems of range are easily modified, customized, accommodated.   As a duo, the work features both instruments in equally prominent and demanding roles.  It's no surprise, then, that a number of flute transcriptions have been generated over the years.  My goal, in this current work, is to provide fellow flutists with a significantly fresh approach to the Fantaisie.

    Although a simplified adaptation of the Fantaisie is fairly straightforward, an arrangement that preserves the thrilling virtuosic intensity and rhetorical thrust of the work is another matter.   An accurate presentation of Saint-Saëns's aural palette is essential to an authentic performance of the Fantaisie, and methods of achieving dynamic balance and tonal color often differ between flute and violin.  The rhetorical nuances of articulation between the two instruments also require different approaches to achieve equivalent interpretations. The treatment of the violin pizzicato at measure 178, the elimination of articulation marks at measure 11, the inversions of double-stops/tremolos at measure 43-44 and 77-86, and the octave transposition from measure 184-194 exemplify these accommodations.

    Violin double-stops present a conundrum.   Technically impossible on the flute, double-stops are often reduced to a single line.  The lower part is simply excised. But discarding the sonic complexity and virtuosic gesture of Saint-Saëns's parallel voicing dilutes the music and belies the composer's dramatic intentions.   I've suggested double-stops be executed, on the flute, as tremolos.  They're somewhat challenging but not impossible.   Consider that the tremolo, as a virtuoso flute technique, was perhaps more popular during the composer's lifetime than in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

    Changes to the original violin part are made, here, with the intention of conserving the composer's ingenious creation.  After a decade of study, experimentation, adjustment, and performance of this work, I've settled on a transcription for flute that conveys, with integrity, the musical spirit of the original orchestration."

    P. H. Bloom, May 11, 2013 ©

    mp3 iconClick the icon to listen to a portion of the Saint-Saëns's Fantaisie performed by the duo "2", Peter H. Bloom on flute and Mary Jane Rupert on harp.  Or watch part of a performance video on YouTube

     

    Fantaisie, Op.124 was written originally for violin and harp.  We provide the Fantaisie flute part transcribed by P. H. Bloom; the harp part is available as a free PDF download from online libraries of public domain music, such as imslp.org.

    Flute part, 7 pages; Total, 12 pages.

    Preview

     

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    We also offer a professionally-printed hard copy edition of Fantaisie, Op.124 by Saint-Saëns, transcribed for Flute for $14.99 plus a $5.95 shipping and handling fee to addresses in the USA.  Use the Contact Us form to let us know which hard copy publication(s) you would like to purchase, along with your email contact information and USPS mailing address. We will then send you a PayPal invoice for the sale and, once we receive notice from PayPal that you have paid for the item(s), we will ship your music to the address provided.

  • Tchaikovsky - Arab Dance - Alto Flute & Harp/Piano

    tchaikovsky.arab dance aflpf 240pxArab Dance, by P. Tchaikovsky

    Arranged for Flute and Harp or Piano by Mary Jane Rupert

    Transcribed for Alto Flute by C.A.Vater

    Alto Flute Part and Harp or Piano Score, PDF $7.99

    Mary Jane Rupert's arrangement of The Nutcracker for flute and harp or piano includes all of the pieces from the original Suite, Op. 71a, except the Overture.   Dr. Rupert stayed as close as possible to the original orchestration, in terms of key, harmony, register, and color.  Originally published in 1988, the arrangement was re-edited by Dr. Rupert in 2013 for publication as separate flute/piano and flute/harp editions by Noteworthy Sheet Music.  After creating the new flute editions, Noteworthy Sheet Music's editors realized that one of the pieces of the suite in particular, Arab Dance, would work beautifully on alto flute.   We created an alto flute transcription of the flute part, both for ourselves and for our alto flutist friends.

    We offer separate versions of the score for piano or harp, although in the case of the Arab Dance the harp-specific notation is minimal compared to some of the other pieces contained in the complete edition of The Nutcracker arranged for flute and harp.

     

    tchaikovsky.arab dance aflhp 240pxAlto Flute & Harp Edition: Harp score, 6 pages; Alto Flute part, 1 page; Total, 10 pages. $7.99
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    tchaikovsky.arab dance aflpf 240pxAlto Flute & Piano Edition: Piano score, 6 pages; Alto Flute part, 1 page; Total, 10 pages. $7.99
    Preview

     

     

    Add To Cart Product Name Price
    Tchaikovsky - Arab Dance - Alto Flute & Harp
    $7.99
    Tchaikovsky - Arab Dance - Alto Flute & Piano
    $7.99

  • Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker - Flute & Harp

    tchaikovsky.nutcracker flhp nsmThe Nutcracker, by P. Tchaikovsky

    Arranged for Flute and Harp by Mary Jane Rupert

    Flute Part and Harp Score, PDF $17.95 (also available as individual pieces)

    Mary Jane Rupert, pianist and harpist, has performed as soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player in many groups in the Boston area throughout the past three decades.   She has toured the United States, Thailand, and New Zealand as a member of the duo "2" with flutist Peter Bloom, and performed with such other groups as the Southcoast Chamber Players, Musica Sacra, the Cecilia Society, and the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra.   Educated at Oberlin College and Indiana University, Ms. Rupert earned a B.M. in piano, M.M. degrees in both harp and piano, and a doctorate in piano performance.  Having taught at Western Michigan University, Oberlin College, and Wellesley College, she now maintains a private studio for both piano and harp in Cambridge, MA.

    Dr. Rupert's superb arrangement of The Nutcracker for flute and harp includes all of the pieces from the original Suite Op.71a from the ballet by Tchaikovsky, except the Overture. Originally published in 1988 by New Boston Editions, the arrangement has been re-edited by Dr. Rupert and re-notated by NSM for this new edition, which is available as a PDF download.  Professionals, students, and amateur musicians should all find uses for these popular pieces—as encores, recital pieces, and as part of the repertoire for more informal musical occasions.

    Cynthia Price-Glynn, Principal Harp of the Boston Ballet and Chair of the Harp Department at the Boston Conservatory writes: "Mary Jane Rupert has done a masterful job of capturing the mood, attitude, and even humor of these pieces that are recognizable all year round.  Her partnering of the two instruments actually mirrors the color and nuances of the original orchestration."  Read the full review here.

    Jan Jennings writes in The Harp Column: "Dr. Rupert uses enharmonics to play repeated notes cleanly and adds some p.d.l.t. sections for variety in "March." "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" is a charming arrangement with the harp harmonizing with the flute in sixths. The harp is featured in measures 32-36 and brings to mind the original orchestration. "Trepak (Russian Dance)," "Arab Dance" and "Chinese Dance" are all pretty readily playable. "Dance of the Reed Flutes" is more challenging and the harp harmonizes with the flute in thirds. The signature piece of the suite is, of course, "Waltz of the Flowers" and includes the cadenza." Read the full review on The Harp Column website.

    Complete Edition: Harp score, 44 pages; Flute part, 14 pages; Total, 64 pages. $17.95
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    For anyone wishing to purchase individual pieces of Mary Jane Rupert's arrangement of The Nutcracker for flute and harp, rather than the entire suite, we also offer the seven pieces as separate PDF's.  Just check the appropriate box in the Add to Cart table below:

      Arab Dance: Harp score, 6 pages; Flute part, 1 page; Total, 9 pages. $7.99
      Chinese Dance: Harp score, 4 pages; Flute part, 1 page; Total, 7 pages. $5.99
      Dance of the Reed Flutes: Harp score, 4 pages; Flute part, 2 pages; Total, 10 pages. $5.99
      Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy: Harp score, 3 pages; Flute part, 1 page; Total, 7 pages. $4.99
      March: Harp score, 4 pages; Flute part, 1 page; Total, 7 pages. $5.99
      Trepak (Russian Dance): Harp score, 5 pages; Flute part, 2 pages; Total, 12 pages. $6.99
      Waltz of the Flowers: Harp score, 18 pages; Flute part, 6 pages; Total, 28 pages. $10.99
     

    Add To Cart Product Name Price
    Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker, Complete Edition - Flute & Harp
    $17.95
    Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker, Arab Dance - Flute & Harp
    $7.99
    Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker, Chinese Dance - Flute & Harp
    $5.99
    Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker, Dance of the Reed Flutes - Flute & Harp
    $5.99
    Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy - Flute & Harp
    $4.99
    Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker, March - Flute & Harp
    $5.99
    Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker, Trepak (Russian Dance) - Flute & Harp
    $6.99
    Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker, Waltz of the Flowers - Flute & Harp
    $10.99

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    We also offer a professionally-printed hard copy of the complete edition of The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky, arranged for Flute and Harp for $33.33 plus a $5.95 shipping and handling fee to addresses in the USA.  Use the Contact Us form to let us know which hard copy publication(s) you would like to purchase, along with your email contact information and USPS mailing address.  We will then send you a PayPal invoice for the sale and, once we receive notice from PayPal that you have paid for the item(s), we will ship your music to the address provided.

  • Vercoe - Butterfly Effects - Flute(s) and Harp

    vercoe.butterfly.nsmButterfly Effects, by Elizabeth Vercoe

    Contemporary Composition for Flute(s) and Harp

    Flute Part and Harp Score, PDF $26.99
     

    Butterfly Effects is an intriguing and varied piece in seven sections for flute and harp in which the flutist is asked to play bass, alto, piccolo and concert flutes. The titles are the names of butterflies: Mourningcloak, Banded Blue Pierrot, Common Jezebel, Question Mark, Monkey Puzzle, Karner Blues, and Psyche.

    Excerpted from Elizabeth Vercoe's preface: "Butterfly Effects for flute and harp was written for the duo "2", with flutist Peter H. Bloom and harpist Mary Jane Rupert, who premiered the first parts of the piece in Bangkok and the entire work in Illinois in 2010. Along with the butterflies themselves, a quotation from Zhuangzi was the starting point for the music: "Am I a human who dreamt of being a butterfly or am I now a butterfly who dreams of being human?" The Taoist philosopher's dream illustrates, among other lessons, his sense of oneness with all living beings. // All seven movements are short, some only a minute in length. Mourningcloak, for alto flute and harp, is somber and reflective. Banded Blue Pierrot (concert flute) is short and glittering. Common Jezebel is a sultry tango for bass flute and harp that becomes increasingly chromatic and contrapuntal, requiring the harpist to do some fancy footwork. Question Mark, also for bass flute, requires the flutist to use "beat boxing" and key slap techniques that maximize the percussive qualities of the flute. Monkey Puzzle, in a kind of mimicry of the confusing antennae and pseudo antennae of the insect, flutters along to the middle of the piece and then proceeds backwards to the beginning in what is known as retrograde motion. Karner Blues adopts some of the riffs of blues instrumentalists and singers in the only movement for piccolo. Psyche, a word meaning breath or soul in Greek, is for concert flute and reminds us again of the Zhuangzi dream and the oneness of all living beings."

    Butterfly Effects may be performed by one flutist playing multiple instruments, or by multiple flutists each playing one instrument for the relevant movement(s).

    Our striking cover image for this publication is of the painting "Jezebel Tapestry #2" by Louisa King Fraser, used with the artist's permission.

    Butterfly Effects for flute(s) and harp received a rave review by Nicole Riner in the Fall 2015 edition of the National Flute Association’s membership magazine The Flutist QuarterlyRead the review in its entirety reprinted on the NSM website with permission from the NFA, or visit the NFA website.

    Click to view a YouTube video of the duo "2" performing Banded Blue Pierrot.

    Peter H. Bloom gave a lecture on “Effective Writing for Flutes and the Contemporary Flutist” at the 2018 Snow Pond Composers Workshop.  In his presentation, Mr. Bloom discussed various topics using four contemporary works published by Noteworthy Sheet Music, including Butterfly Effects, as examples.  We later published a free text version of this excellent presentation on our website, in the Reviews and Articles section, including some of the audio clips and supplemental written materials that Mr. Bloom used as demonstrations.

    CD cover butterfly effects finalThe Elizabeth Vercoe CD "Butterfly Effects and Other Works" was released in November 2018.  The CD is available through Navona Records and features the title track performed by duo "2".  Here is a quote from Cinemusical's review of the CD: "The album opens with a multi-movement work for flutes and harp, Butterfly Effects (2009).  Across the seven movements, Vercoe explores the qualities of different instruments in the flute family: alto flute, bass flute, concert flute, and piccolo.  The music has a slight impressionistic quality to it, aided by the harp’s material.  Against this is first a rather dreamy, dark opening movement (“Mourningcloak”); a faster-paced flitting “Banded Blue Parrot”; a tango (“Common Jezebel”); intriguing effects like beat-boxing (“Question Mark”) and blues riffs (“Karner Blues”); and a palindromic compositional technique (“Monkey Puzzle”).  The flute lines allow for registral exploration and often features some sinuous lines.  Some are sultrier than others, but it is as if these are all like watercolor brushstrokes that tend to be somewhat introspective in this often stunningly beautiful work."  Another nice review of this CD, written by Nicole Riner, came out in the Flutist Quarterly Spring 2019 edition; here's a quote: "I had the pleasure of reviewing the sheet music for Butterfly Effects for this publication in 2015 and found it to be wonderfully diverse and intriguing. /// Bloom and Rupert perform this work deftly and with a great sense of unity”.

    Flute part, 16 pages; Harp Score, 43 pages; Total, 66 pages.

    Preview

     

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    We also offer a printed hard copy edition of Butterfly Effects for $45.88 plus a $5.95 shipping and handling fee.  Due to prohibitively high international shipping rates, we ship print editions only to addresses in the USA. Please use the Contact Us form to let us know which hard copy publication(s) you would like to purchase, along with your email contact information and USPS mailing address.  We will then send you a PayPal invoice for the sale and, once we receive notice from PayPal that you have paid for the item(s), we will ship your music to the address provided.

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