Six Pieces

Description

These pieces were written between 1999 and 2000. At that time, I was living In Modena, Italy, although making frequent visits to my family home in Kent. I mention this because some years later an Italian journalist wrote that the pieces have a particularly English atmosphere. I’m not sure what was intended, since I wasn’t particularly indulging in any programmatic writing –  for me they were simply  my first creations specifically for flute and piano.
The pieces were initially written for my flute students, and as such were intended to present a few challenges, while offering material that was, hopefully, not too difficult, and enjoyable to play. As usual with my work the challenges are mostly in the rhythmic writing; no overtly irregular time signatures, just a few syncopations and odd internal bar divisions that possibly relate more to pop and jazz than to “classical” music.
The piano parts are fairly easy, since I had to play them myself during lessons, although there are a few exceptional moments when my humble strumming abilities at the keyboard weren’t quite enough. For this reason, I soon got the backing tracks assembled. The pieces are brief, averaging under two minutes each.
The book was originally issued by a small publisher in North Italy; I am glad the pieces have finally found their home in my Forton catalogue.
A full audio version and a “minus one” backing track is available for each piece. The backing tracks each have a two-bar count in, even if there is a piano intro. This should help the flautist get a good idea of the tempo.  “Reflections” has a rather particular alternation of bars in four and three; in this case I have given two full bars of click in four, plus the downbeat of the bar where the flute enters. (So you get;  One –  two – One two three four – One…) Please forgive the rather manic finale to Oakleigh Park – once you get it it’s quite fun!
Geoff Warren, Montesilvano, Italy, 2025.