Ballade

Description

This Ballade for flute and orchestra was the last piece Reinecke completed. It belongs firmly in the Romantic tradition of the solo piece for flute and orchestra, showing different aspects of the instruments character. The start of the piece is slow and serious, with soaring melodic lines and sobbing appogiaturas. This is then followed by a lively central section showing the nimble, virtuosic elements of the flute’s character. To conclude the Ballade, the opening music returns with all it’s tragic overtones, until this theme is transformed in to the major key for a calm and peaceful ending.

In preparing this new edition of this piece, the solo line remains unchanged from the original, with the orchestral parts being taken by the supporting flute ensemble. It is hoped that this will make this piece available to more flautists.