CONCERTO FOR FLUTE AND CHAMBER ORCHESTRA for solo flute, oboe, bassoon, harpsichord and string orchestra. 1993. Commissioned by ConAccord Canada for Robert Aitken with a grant from the Ontario Arts Council. 35 minutes. Part of the SPRING EQUINOX project. Score and parts available through PROMETHEAN EDITIONS.

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Compressed MIDI file of the third movement (ZIP file: 45Kb; uncompressed file size: 128Kb). This is a demo recording of a piece which is meant to be performed by acoustic instruments on stage and is, therefore, a rough approximation of the intended sound. The demo is in GM format. A Roland SUPER JV (JV1080) 64 voice synthesizer module was used to produce the file. If you are using a GM module with anything less than 64 voices, you may experience occasional dropout on held notes and/or complete loss of notes in busy passages.

Commissioned by Conaccord Canada for flutist Robert Aitken, the Concerto for Flute and Chamber Orchestra is a palimpsest of—and a musical commentary on—the Concerto for Flute and strings in G minor by J. S. Bach. The latter is itself a compilation of movements from earlier concerti, the manuscripts of which no longer exist. Judging from the melodic writing and the instrumental range of the solo part, it seems that the two outer movements are probably from a violin concerto, while the middle movement must have been originally conceived for a solo wind instrument. It has been handed down to us as the Concerto for Harpsichord and Strings in F minor, an arrangement Bach probably made for his weekly Collegium Musicum concerts in Leipzig. In my own composition, I took into account the published harpsichord version of the original and the flute version recorded on compact disc by William Bennett and the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-fields under Neville Marriner (London Jubilee 417 715 LM). The entire Bach concerto is included, however fragmented, in my own work. Not only have I preserved the original in its entirety, but I have also preserved the overall structure: the linear harmonic and thematic evolution is identical in both works. A process of intervalic stretching and tempo compression of the original music is in operation throughout, and the listener is invited to make comparisons between the original and the derivant materials, which, for that purpose, are always juxtaposed in close proximity. This method of conveying musical information is more evident in the outer movements. In the middle movement, there is an emotional and personal involvement with the material which, like in a romantic concerto, will hopefully carry the listener beyond the cerebral concerns of the other two movements. Here, the opening melody - one of the most beautiful melodies by Bach - is interrupted at the point of the half-cadence, and what follows is a long development section in the romantic tradition which eventually returns to the original melody at the end. The baroque concerto character of the original is preserved in the outer movements. There the soloist plays with the orchestra, not against it. In the middle movement, the orchestra begins as an accompanist to the solo instrument, eventually assuming a role reminiscent of the nineteenth century concerto. In addition to the strings and continuo orchestration of the original, my orchestra includes an oboe and a bassoon. The prominent role of these two instruments, second only to the solo flute, is acknowledged in the rather long cadenza of the third movement, where they occasionally share the spotlight with the soloist. The solo part itself is arduous, and makes great demands on the player in terms of range, expressiveness, rhythmic precision and breath control. It is a tribute to the artistry of Robert Aitken, as my concerto is a tribute to Johann Sebastian Bach and the unique place he holds in music history and in the history of human endeavor in general.
 

Notes for the conductor:

A normal size string orchestra (16, 14, 12, 8) is required, although a smaller ensemble may be possible. Less than half of these strings should play in the first movement. If at all possible, all strings should be played with baroque bows. In the second movement the full string orchestra may be split to either right desk / left desk for all strings or front half / back half of each section. In the individual string parts the corresponding instruments of each orchestra are grouped together (for example violin 1a with violin 1b) to make both of the above options possible. Modern bows should be used throughout this movement. The entire string orchestra should play in the third movement. However, if discrimination in interpreting dynamics is not applied, the wind instruments and the harpsichord will be disadvantaged. To compensate for this, the oboe, bassoon and harpsichord should be placed on a slightly raised platform so that they may project better. In this movement too, modern bows should be used. (Additional notes in the score).
 

Premiere performance: March 23, 2001. Patrick Gallois, flute and an orchestra consisting of University of Toronto faculty and students under the direction of Gary Kulesha. Faculty Artist Concerts, Walter Hall, Faculty of Music, University of Toronto. 
 

For more information on the make-up of this work, read the essay: The Art of the Palimpsest: Compositional Approaches to the Music of J. S. Bach
 

Reviews:

Hatzis' compositions a feast for the ears 

The world premiere of Concerto for Flute and Chamber Orchestra showed us Hatzis as deconstructionist, creating a collage from a Bach flute concerto and his own manipulations of Bach's familiar phrases. If the first movement tipped to the side of arid ingenuity, the second tipped the other way as Hatzis unmuzzled his inner rhapsode. The third abounded in fun. Soloist Patrick Gallois seemed to enjoy himself throughout as he leaped through the florid difficulties of his part. His delight mirrored the response of all present. John Lehr, The Toronto Star (Canada)

 Camerata Premiere Turns into Adoration at the Athens Concert Hall

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