July 5
Evening on the Plain
Philippe Gaubert (1879-1941)

Philippe Gaubert, born on this day in 1879, is well-respected as a flutist, composer, and pedagogue. As the flute professor at the Paris Conservatory, he wrote many of his compositions and methods to help the students there. This shorter piece is less often played but exhibits the flutist’s knowledge of the sonority of the instrument.

Performed by Jennifer Parker-Harley, flute and Winifred Goodwin, piano

July 25
Barcarola et Scherzo
Alfredo Casella (1883-1947)

Today we celebrate the birthday of Alfredo Casella, born in 1883 in Italy. Casella was an avid promoter of Vivaldi’s compositions and is sometimes credited with the 20th-century resurrection of this master composer’s works. Despite being a composer at the turn of the century, many of Casella’s works invoke older styles including the dance forms that inspire the Barcarola and Scherzo forms of this piece.

Performed by Emily Stumpf, flute and Luke Fang, piano

July 27
Aria
Ernst von Dohnanyi (1877-1960)

Ernst Dohnanyi, born on this day in 1877, was a Hungarian composer whose career was modulated significantly by the two World Wars and the political upheaval surrounding them. His compositions are often neoromantic and their extensive use of chromaticism couples intriguing harmonies with high technical demands. Many flutists are familiar with his Passacaglia but this piece adds a more lyrical item to his flute output offering a taste of his lush harmonic language.

NFA Rep Guide Level I

Performed by Jenny Davis and Claudio Olivera, piano

July 27
Aria from Sonata for Flute and Piano
Otar Taktakishvili (1924-1989)

Otar Taktakishvili, born on this day in 1924, was a prominent Georgian composer perhaps best known in America for his Sonata for Flute and Piano. He also composed the Georgian National Anthem and many of his compositions, including the flute sonata, reflect his nationalist fervor. In his Sonata for Flute and Piano, he takes inspiration from Causcasus music, which is a categorization of styles from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Chechnya, and Georgia. This work has become a staple in 20th century repertoire, and is performed frequently by flutists in the United States.

NFA Rep Guide Level J

Performed by Mimi Harding and Claudio Olivera, piano