Contemporary Solo Works in the Modern Flute Competition: Performance Analyses of Aho’s Solo III, Hurel’s Loops I, and Ichiyanagi’s In a Living Memory

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to provide performance analyses for Kalevi Aho’s Solo III, Philippe Hurel’s Loops I, and Toshi Ichiyanagi’s In a Living Memory. These unaccompanied contemporary flute pieces are commonly asked for in major flute competitions, but there is little scholarly research available for performers preparing to compete in these competitions. This is in direct contrast to Luciano Berio’s Sequenza I, which is also commonly required for competitions but has a number of resources by flutists and theorists. Because the Sequenza predates Solo III, Loops I, and In a Living Memory by over thirty years, many defining characteristics of the later pieces can be traced back, in part, to similar material in the Berio. By examining the existing research on learning and performing Berio’s Sequenza I, I have informed my own work on the subsequent pieces. Just as the Aho, Hurel, and Ichiyanagi demonstrate influence from the Berio, my methodology is modeled after these existing performance analyses of Sequenza I. Throughout this paper, my analysis of each composition will address rhythmic complexity, extended techniques, form and phrasing, and the organization of pitch. Stripping away these layers of difficulty can help a flutist approach each piece more systematically and more fully understand the individual aesthetic and use of dramatic devices, preparing flutists to handle the demands in Solo III, Loops I, and In a Living Memory.