Flute Mystery Op.66
Digging Deeper
Alto Flute, Harp and String Orchestra (Op.66a)
C Flute, Harp and String Orchestra (Op.66b)
Piano reduction (Op.66c)
Dedicated to — and premiered by — Sir James Galway
Aside from being the album title of the Grammy-nominated album FLUTE MYSTERY, Flute Mystery Op.66b is a symphonic poem for transverse flute, harp and orchestra. Op.66 comes in a version for Alto Flute (Op.66a), C Flute (Op.66b) and Piano Reduction (Op.66c).
It is a melodic anchored composition; on the surface appealing and relaxing, but at the same time dynamic, complex and with many hidden layers.
The composition is dedicated to the flautist Sir James Galway, and the original version for Alto Flute had its world premiere at the Kennedy Center, Washington D.C., in 2006 by Galway and National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Leonard Slatkin.
The C Flute version was first performed at St. John's Smith Square, London, in 2009 by Emily Beynon (flute), Catherine Beynon (harp) and Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy: The C Flute version is also available on the album FLUTE MYSTERY (2L), performed by the same artists.
Flute Mystery Op.66a [Alto flute version]
Emily Beynon, flute
Catherine Beynon, harp
Philharmonia Orchestra
Vladimir Ashkenazy
Flint Juventino Beppe, composer
Nominated for a Grammy Award in 2010 in the category Best Surround Sound Album
Flute Mystery Op.66 is dedicated to Sir James Galway
Flute Concerto No.1 Op.70 is dedicated to Emily Beynon
Cat. No. 2L-58-SABD, Digital Album, 2-disc Hybrid SACD & CD + Audio Blu-ray, FJB 50
Album Page
FLUTE MYSTERY is released on label 2L in collaboration with Symbiophonic.
2L Album Page
2L emphasize immersive audio with Pure Audio Blu-ray and Hires file distribution.
[...] Beppe writes music of a spare beauty. The 15-minute, one-movement piece merges cool restraint and rhythmic exactitude. Galway, to whom Beppe dedicated the score, played his languid lines with sympathy and dark polish. Washington Post, October 6, 2006First performed in the Kennedy Center, Washington D.C. on the 5th of October 2006 by Sir James Galway and the National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Leonard Slatkin. The same program also performed the 6th and 7th of October.
Program note from the Kennedy Center: National Symphony Orchestra: Leonard Slatkin, conductor/Sir James Galway, flute, performs Mozart Oct. 5 - 7, 2006
Version for C flute first performed in 2008 by flutist Judith Hall, harpist Willy Postma and the Pluri_Art Orchestra, conducted by Viacheslav Valeev. UK premiere and album release in 2009 by flutist Emily Beynon, harpist Catherine Beynon and the Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy.
Flute Mystery Op.66b — the title track of this recording — is another example of a calm, enchanted work in which the sounds of conventional instruments meld together to produce a fascinating new entity. Just listen to the first few cautious notes, orchestrated as unison between flute and harp; they reach out beyond our everyday lives to a timeless realm which supports the entire work. From a technical point of view Beppe's music is governed by an unfailing, intuitive understanding of the instruments' physiology and the distinctive auditory character and potential of the ensembles; however it is never the craftsmanship which comes first in his music — it is the overall artistic flow. This work also exists in a version for alto flute (Op.66a).
Wolfgang Plagge, professor