Five Miniatures For Flute Quartet

The flute quartet is a unique and distinctive voice in chamber wind ensembles as far as timbre and agility are concerned. The possibilities of tone color and timbral richness are endless. I favor the flute personally as a “go to” instrument in the woodwind family. I’ve always like its clean and precise tone and it luscious velvety quality. Now multiply that warm fervent evocative tone color, that lightness and agility by four.

What could possibly inspire a composer to write a flute quartet using an uncommon bass flute? What could possibly inspire a composer to write a flute quartet which has more than an inkling of minimalism. Minimalism as far as I’m concerned, is a vehicle for a particular artistic vision or aesthetic. An aesthetic bent on expressing a feeling rather than expressing a thought. An aesthetic with a vision to express an over-abundance of joy. A flute quartet can do this. Sometimes in a flute quartet the music can be a naturally expressive, idiomatic mini wind extravaganza.

The temptation to create something really beautiful is too invaluable for me to ignore. The flute quartet inspires me to strive for this.

The temptation to create something really beautiful is too invaluable for me to ignore. The flute quartet inspires me to strive for this.