Trois Pièces pour flûte seule (192021)

I. Bergère captive [0:00]
II. Jade [2:25]
III. ToanYan: La fête du double cinq [4:05]

A set of three pieces for solo flute in a quasiChinese style by French composer PierreOctave Ferroud (19001936).

The composer wrote this note describing the third movement:

"The ToanYan holiday (or the day of Double Five) is celebrated in China on the fifth day of the fifth month whence its name and it is dedicated to the commemoration of a certain hero who flung himself into a body of water and drowned rather than submit to military dishonour. The solemnity of the holiday gives way in turn to mystical and fervid dances which symbolize the contrast between peace and war."

Later in the movement, the theme marked "très libre dans la mesure" [] is described by the following annotation:

"This theme is an authentic Chinese melody that is played on the large recorder each Chinese instrument has a monopoly on certain musical themes, on account of its form, fingering and extent. One must play it in a chanting manner [psalmodier] with extreme simplicity, and without rhythmic precision."

Flute: Robert Aitken