Chamber Music Work of the Day, Installment 2:
"Arirang Variations"
Duet for Two Flutes of the Same Kind
(2015)
My flute duet, "Arirang Variations", is an arrangement of my piano piece, "Variations on 'Arirang'", both of which were completed in 2008. "Variations on 'Arirang'" was composed for the 2008 Sejong Music Composition Competition. Although it did not win a prize, having entered the competition left me with a piano piece, and a flute duet that I arranged for Australian low flutes virtuoso, Peter Sheridan, also in 2008.
The set of variations opens with the traditional Korean theme accompanied by arpeggios. This is followed by Variation 1, a sad waltz in the manner of a Chopin waltz. Next comes Variation 2, a funeral march in the manner of Chopin’s “Funeral March” from the "Piano Sonata in B-flat Minor", Op. 35. Variation 3 is a Tango written in tribute to one of my favorite composers, Astor Piazzolla. Variation 4 combined the Korean tune with motifs from the slow movement of Beethoven’s "Symphony No. 6" (The Pastoral Symphony). The set of variations closes with a reprise of the opening passage.
Both versions were published by ECS Publishing Group in 2015, and have been performed numerous times around the world since 2008. The publisher's catalog number for Arirang Variations" for flute duet is 7.0663 and, FYI, the catalog number for "Variations on 'Arirang'" for piano is 7.0659. Follow the next URL to visit the ECS Publishing Group product page for "Arirang Variations" for flute duet.
"Arirang Variations" is recorded by low flutes virtuosi Peter Sheridan and Judy Diez d'Aux on the MOVE Records CD "Continental Drift". Follow the next URL to visit the record company's product page for this CD.
Follow the next URL to watch a scrolling score music video of "Arirang Variations" on YouTube.
Follow the next URL to listen to a synthesized performance of "Arirang Variations" for flute duet on my website.
Thank you for your time and attention.
Stanley M. Hoffman, PhD
Biography Published in Grove Music Online (The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Oxford University Press)
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