Chant de Linos by Andre Jolivet

Chant de Linos is a flute solo by André Jolivet.

Jolivet was very devoted to French culture and the French way of life.

He was very interested in acoustics, atonality, and ancient influences on music.

He grew up in a very artistic environment, with both parents being artists, and living in a typically French artistic setting.

His early desire to compose for the theater is evident in the drama and passion of his works.

Flute repertoire

He wrote a number of chamber pieces for the flute, including...

Asceses
Capers
Cinq incantations for flute
Fantaisie Caprice
Incantation
Pastorales de Noël, for flute, bassoon, and harp
Sonata for flute and piano
Sonatine for flute and clarinet
Suite en concert for flute and four percussion instruments
Concerto for flute and strings

All of his works for solo or chamber instruments are technically extremely demanding.

Translated, "Chant de Linos" means "singing of Linos." In Greek mythology, Linus is the son of Oeagrus and the muse Muse Calliope. Linus could have been the personification of a dirge or lamentation, a Greek song form. You can definitely hear the sorrow in Jolivet's setting.

This definitely isn't the pretty French music from the 19th century. It's wild and in your face, very assertive, full of emotion and sadness and definitely a technical showpiece.

Written in 1944 as an exam piece for the flute students at the Paris Conservatory, it was dedicated to Gaston Crunelle, professor of flute at the Conservatory. Jolivet's only instruction when he received the commission was that the piece be "difficult." I believe he fulfilled that requirement!

"Chant" was originally written for flute and piano, but Jolivet later reworked it for flute, violin, viola, cello, and harp because he felt it needed a fuller accompaniment to the solo flute.

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