Instrumentation

Flute and bassoon duet

Advanced Intermediate
Duration: 5’13” total
1997
Mvt. I: Dance – 0’58”
Mvt. II: Pattycake – 0’36”
Mvt. III: Tag – 1’27”
Mvt. IV: Lullaby – 1’37”
Mvt. V: Dark – 0’35”

Available from:
JW Pepper
Sheet Music Direct
Sheet Music Plus

Media

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4UboE0T_tM

Program Notes

This piece was written during my undergraduate studies under the guidance of Dr. Jan Radzynski. He suggested I write a small-scale piece using two to three instruments in several short movements. This idea appealed to me, and I began The Children’s Hour.

“Dance”
Written in triple meter, this movement evokes images of children dancing. Sometimes they’re together, sometimes they imitate one another, but they always have fun.

“Pattycake”
Pattycake, pattycake, baker’s men
Bake me a cake as fast as you can.
Roll it, and pat it, and mark it with a ‘B’
And put it in the over for Baby and me.

“Tag”
This movement begins in a flurry, with the flute chasing the bassoon. After a while, the bassoon realizes the flute will not catch up, and starts to taunt the flute. But the flute fights back. The game resumes, ending with a “tag” declaring the winner.

“Lullaby”
Part of any child’s day is bedtime, complete with lullaby.

“Dark”
In a segue from the lullaby, “Dark” restates the first theme from “Dance”, just as a child fondly remembers the day’s activities while falling asleep.