Work
Once upon a time there were two brothers... : for solo flute and speaking voice
by Andrew Ford (2013)
Score
Once upon a time there were two brothers... : for solo flute and speaking voice / Andrew Ford.
Library shelf no. Q 788.32/FOR 4 [Available for loan]
Work Overview
Once upon a time there were two brothers . . . is a retelling of the folk tale most often referred to as 'The Singing Bone'. This is what Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm called it in their collection, but other versions exist in Scandinavia, the British Isles and North America in which the brothers are sisters and the flute is a harp. In composing this piece, I have drawn freely on a number of sources to make my own version of the story.
Work Details
Year: 2013
Instrumentation: Solo flute and speaking voice (ideally, the same performer), amplification, drone.
Duration: 15 min.
Difficulty: Advanced
Dedication note: Dedicated to Sally Walker
Commission note: Commissioned for Sally Walker.. Commissioned under the terms of the Albert H Maggs Award.
First performance: by Sally Walker at Andrew Ford: "Once upon a time there were two brothers..." (Collins St Baptist Church) on 21 Oct 2013
Although it is permissible to present this piece as duo, the playing and speaking roles divided, the composer intended it for performance by a flute player who also speaks the text. Either way, the speaking should always be intimate in tone, as though telling the story to a child, and unless the piece is being performed in a small room, flute and voice must both be amplified.
Subjects
- Inspired by: Literature & Poetry
Performances of this work
22 Oct 2018: at Once Upon a Time... an ANAM Recital (Federation Hall - Victorian College of the Arts). Featuring Eliza Shephard.
9 Sep 2018: at art:music (Artsite Galleries). Featuring Halcyon.
24 Apr 2018: at Andrew Ford: Instrumental works (Larry Sitsky Recital Room, ANU School of Music). Featuring Sally Walker.
26 Jul 2017: at Meet the author: Andrew Ford (Riverbend Books). Featuring Janet McKay.
21 Oct 2013: at Andrew Ford: "Once upon a time there were two brothers..." (Collins St Baptist Church). Featuring Sally Walker.
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