Gold (2022)

for two flutes

Sappho of Lesbos often wrote of women in comparisons to gold – reflecting their beauty and nature to the precious metal. Gold is a set of four miniatures, where each movement is a character piece based upon a line of Sappho’s poetry that compared women to gold.  The first movement, more melodious than the lyre, more golden than gold, is inspired from Zorba’s Dance, the music used to accompany the Greek dance, the sirtaki – where the idea of continuous accelerando is displayed with the feathered rhythms and bouncing ideas between the two performers. The second movement, my goddess, goldcrowned Aphrodite, takes a sensual turn by bringing in the bass flute to create a warm, low, and luscious melody. The third movement, come to me once more, you Muses, leaving golden, incorporates a wide variety of techniques and textures, as well as exploring the wide ranges of the flutes to reflect the variety of the nine Muses. The last movement, the golden flowers are no match for her loveliness, is a lighthearted movement that expresses feelings of flirtation and butterflies, ideas much associate with young love.

Gold was commissioned by the two flutists of the Achelois Collective, Victoria Calderone-Moreira and Anna Wilkens-Reed.

Gold was premiered by Victoria Calderone-Moreira and Anna Wilkins-Reed on May 10, 2022.

Performances

• May 10, 2022 - Richard and Lucille Ice Auditorium at Linfield University in MicMinnville, OR (Premiere)

  • Performers: Victoria Calderone-Moreira, Anna Wilkins-Reed