American Festival Series #1

Three Plus Flutes for three soprano with opt. 4th/ob. with alto and bass. A beginning that is yearning in emotion and subtle shifts in harmonic and linear lines. A modulation to a higher tessitura in strong block chords gives a feeling of strength. The piece then settles back into the original key with a series of imitation of the various parts. The piece becomes more solemn as the pitch levels drop until settling into a final cadence.

Three Plus Flutes for three soprano with opt. 4th/ob. with alto and bass & piccolo. The piece gins in a spritely duet in the upper voices and reverses roles with the lower voices carrying the melody and duet lines. All four voices now join in a smooth, serene fashion until it gains dynamic and harmonic strength. A modulation upward with the tune in voice two, and an obbligato-like movement in part one, while the lower parts underpin with a simplistic, though active line. In the last section the parts become more active and excitement abounds until a final flourish establishes the end.

(3-tpt, tpt/hn, 2-tmb, BH, tba)