Flute and dark sadness?

[AurokeFlute]

Recently i've been listening to the Elgar cello concerto. It is such a wonderful piece. I am a big fan of jacqueline du pre. Back on topic, i was discussing with a friend why the cello can do very emotional works, like the elgar concerto. That got me thinging about the flute and darkness. Is the flute capable of producing as much emotion in the crowd and on the musician as the elgar concerto or rachmaninoff piano concerto no 2 can? I dont think so. I may be wrong, but with the tonal integrity, i think the closest we can get is poem. Correct me if im wrong, which i hope. Is there a piece that is as emotional and dark as the elgar concerto?

[fluteguy18]

I disagree. I think we can get every bit as dark. Have you ever heard the second movement of the Ibert Concerto or perhaps Autumn Reflection by Jennifer Higdon? Both of those are extremely dark and introspective. Or what about the Liebermann Sonata?

In my opinion however it is true that certain players have difficulty reaching those areas of darkness and that other players have trouble reaching areas of brightness and lightheartedness. In that regard however it lies in the general quality of their tone. A bright sound is going to sound 'happier' period than a dark sound. That at least is my interpretation. I don't think Galway could ever sound as mournful as Marina Piccinini.

[lianeandflute]

I also think that just from a composer's perspective you wouldn't turn to the flute for a darker work - simply because of what the flute is normally associated with (often brightness and lyricism but not so much darkness) and things like register (the flute is obviously quite high, even the lower register is not that low) and tone colour (most flute players sound bright compared to instruments like the cello - even if they do have quite a dark tone). So I guess I feel like flutes also don't have as many opportunities to play such dark works as instruments like the cello, piano and even the violin have.

I don't think it's that we can't, we just don't have as much opportunity. And it's harder simply because of the above reasons.

[StephenC]

I also think that just from a composer's perspective you wouldn't turn to the flute lessons for a darker work - simply because of what the flute is normally associated with (often brightness and lyricism but not so much darkness) and things like register (the flute is obviously quite high, even the lower register is not that low) and tone colour (most flute players sound bright compared to instruments like the cello - even if they do have quite a dark tone). So I guess I feel like flutes also don't have as many opportunities to play such dark works as instruments like the cello, piano and even the violin have.

I don't think it's that we can't, we just don't have as much opportunity. And it's harder simply because of the above reasons.

^
I agree. I also don't think that flute can be used for such kind of music or category - dark sadness. Moreover, flute music really makes your spirit relaxed.

[fluteguy18]

You just haven't heard the right players playing the right pieces.

[Bo]

I must agree with fluteguy18 here...

[fluteguy18]

Here's an example of a fairly decent one. If you listen to the score (not the soundtrack) in the Lord of the Rings the Two Towers composed by Howard Shore a solo flute plays the melodic line in a section entitled 'Evenstar.' In my opinion it's one of the most melancholic and mournful melodic lines out there. The only thing about it is that it is actually passed between a flute and an alto flute because of the register. But throughout the rest of the films Shore uses the same melodic material in a slightly higher key and an alto flute isn't needed to play the lower bits any longer. In the third film particularly it is Galway playing it. That actually surprised me because he has a very bright sound but in that recording he was very dark in tone color.

I just think that piece is interesting because the composer turned to higher sounds to indicate sorrow and darkness and it came out to be beautiful and haunting.