Leaves for Flute and Percussion [Playing score(s)]

This is a ten-minute piece in five short movements for flute and percussion. The flute player switches between flute, piccolo and alto, while the percussion part requires vibraphone and crotales.

Each of the short movements has a different character and atmosphere, and approaches the duo of flute and percussion in a different way. The first movement, marked pensive, explores the shared resonances of the alto flute and vibraphone, with long held notes and pitch bends enticing the listener in. The next movement uses only percussive sounds on the flute, including tongue rams, pizzicato and key clicks. The percussion takes on the melodic material with slow, sporadic gestures. Movement 3 is written in proportional (spatial) notation, and gradually gains in both pitch and energy as the movement develops. Here the combination of piccolo and crotales provides an increasingly bright interlude, with an exciting rush of adrenaline towards the end of the movement. The fourth movement returns somewhat to the mood of the first, this time with the sustained pitches decorated with flutter tonguing and quartertones. Finally, the last of these five short movements is marked powerful, radiating, and brings both instruments together in an equal-voiced duo, which features elements which have been previously encountered in the earlier movements.

This is an enjoyable piece which would serve as a great exploration into extended techniques for intermediate players. The score is well presented with notation conventions clearly explained.