Silhouette Roger Cichy

A multi-movement work which shows off the many dimensions or silhouettes of the flute. From tender ballads to high trills and chromatic passages to a lively jazz movement, it is all here.

Genre: Solo Flute with Band | # of Players: Standard + 1
Level: 4 | Duration: 10:50

Instrumentation
Solo Flute
Flute/Piccolo
Oboe 1
Oboe 2
Bassoon
Clarinet 1
Clarinet 2
Bass Clarinet

Trumpet 1
Trumpet 2
Horn 1
Horn 2
Trombone
Bass Trombone
Tuba

Timpani
Percussion 1 (suspended cymbal, snare drum, bar chimes, finger cymbals)
Percussion 2 (chimes, finger cymbals, woodblock, bass drum, suspended cymbal, crash cymbals, tambourine)
Mallet Percussion (vibraphone, xylophone, marimba)

Program Notes
Commissioned by the Luther College Concert Band, Silhouette was composed as a response to director Frederick Nyline's concern for the lack of contemporary solo literature with chamber ensemble accompaniment accessible to both high school and collegiate ensembles. Nyline suggested that work for solo flute be considered. Composer Roger Cichy chose to create a multi-movement work which would show off the many dimensions or silhouettes of the flute, hence the title, Silhouette. Cichy purposefully chose not to title the individual movements (which might influence the listener), but rather to let the listener's imagination play into the interpretation.

The opening movement, marked plaintively, serves as a short introduction to the work and contains an additive melody with a repeated interval scheme, which grows in length as the movement transpires. The second movement places the flute into the jazz idiom with its typical angular melodies and swing-style rhythm; a now acceptable idiom for flute. Movement three, composed in minor, uses the flute in a more tradition role allowing the player to perform highly articulated passages. Movement four brings out the warmth and beauty of the flute. Composed as a sort of ballad, this movement draws on the idea of the first movement where the initial notes of the melody are repeated in the following two measures with embellishments providing a type of organic nature to the melody.

The final movement serves as the finale. Again, Cichy draws on the flutist's capability to play highly articulated passages. Very animated and somewhat comical sounding at times, this movement contains moments where the flute is in musical dialog with the ensemble. High trills and chromatic runs bring out two other idiosyncrasies which the flute can perform effectively, bringing the work to its conclusion.