composer
Though first known through his collaboration with director Barrie Kosky in the Opera Australia production of his The Ascension of Robert Flau (1990), Douglas Knehans (b. 1957) is perhaps best ...
related works
Black City : Concerto for violoncello and orchestra Nº 2 / Douglas Knehans
Genre:
Orchestra
Subgenre:
Orchestra
Scoring:
vc-solo dulc pf hp sopr(offstage) 2fl(picc) 2ob 2cl 2fg(cfg) 4h 2tpt 2trb-t trb-b tb timp 3perc str
Concerto : per flauto solo, archi e continuo / Antonio Mahaut
Genre:
Orchestra
Subgenre:
Flute and orchestra
Scoring:
str bc fl-solo
¿Te acuerdas? Concerto Nº 2 : for flute and orchestra / Michael Fine
Genre:
Orchestra
Subgenre:
Flute and orchestra
Scoring:
fl-solo 2fl 2ob 2cl 2fg 2h 2tpt timp str
Élégies : pour quatre flûtes et orchestre, 1967 / Hans Henkemans
Genre:
Orchestra
Subgenre:
Flute and orchestra
Scoring:
2ob eh 2cl cl-b 2fg cfg 4h 3trp 3trb tb timp perc cel hp str 4fl-solo
composition
Tempest : Concerto for flute and orchestra / Douglas Knehans
Description:
The title of this work refers to rough wind. When I was approached me about a new flute work the idea of a virtuosic wind player set my imagination to types of crazy, unrestrained wind. This led me to look into the natural occurrences of wild, unpredictable wind patterns around the world. This led in turn to the titles of the three movements: Ostro the traditional name of the southerly wind in the Mediterranean sea; Mistral, a cold northerly from central France and the Alps to Mediterranean–this movement I have also allied to the notion of a type of funeral march, hence the title Mistral… Funerailles with the cold wind perhaps summoning the notion of death and impermanence. Finally, the last frantic and virtuosic movement is titled Etesian which references a strong, dry north wind of the Aegean Sea which is most of the time a good steady sailing wind. The well-contained and metrical virtuosity of this movement seems to align with this welcome and sustaining wind that is good for travel.
In artistically interpreting all of these types of global wind patterns I have tried to invest a dramatic and virtuosic element to the corresponding wind music. I was asked for a piece without restrictions and so a concerto seemed the obvious vehicle for the soloist’s awesome technical power and completely beautiful musicianship. I am extremely fortunate to have Gareth Davies, principal flute of the London Symphony Orchestra, as the soloist for this work.
Douglas Knehans