Ballade for Flute and Piano by Frank Martin
Composed in 1939, the Ballade for Flute and Piano was part of a series of pieces that French composer, Frank Martin, wrote for a solo instrument with accompaniment.
The ballade, as the pieces were called, became a favorite musical form of Frank Martin. The flute ballade was one of his first and was actually written for a flute competition. Martin’s home city of Geneva inaugurated its International Music Performance Competition in 1939, and Martin was commissioned to compose a compulsory piece for the flute competitors.
Although composed originally for flute and piano, the accompaniment was orchestrated later.
The piece is neoclassical in style and has a tonal center. Martin was a student of the 12-tone form, though, and that can be heard in this piece.
The ballade tests the flutist's mastery of the range of the instrument.
See a copy of the first page here.
In this masterclass, flutist Paula Robison takes a student through the process of learning the piece, giving him/her the background of the composer, along with historical information about the work and her own experiences in performing and practicing it.
A must for students, amateurs and professionals alike!
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