flute

Not-Pooh Songs, by Tom Schnauber

For Female Voice and Flute or Female Voice and Oboe, 2 editions

Score for Female Voice and Flute, PDF $18.46
Score for Female Voice and Oboe, PDF $18.46

Tom Schnauber’s Not-Pooh Songs are absolutely delightful. The composer has set to music six children’s poems by A. A. Milne, four from When We Were Very Very Young (“The Alchemist”, “The Mirror”, “The Four Friends”, and “If I Were King”) and two from Now We Are Six ("The Charcoal Burner" and "The Engineer"). The work is offered by Noteworthy Sheet Music, LLC in two publications, one for female voice and flute, the other for female voice and oboe. The oboe line is sufficiently different from the flute line in terms of register to warrant it being published as a separate edition (i.e., the flute version makes use of that instrument’s wider range by putting some material in higher octaves). Also, the flute edition includes an alternate variation of “The Mirror” for voice and alto flute, whereas the oboe edition includes an alternate variation of “The Mirror” for voice and English horn.

It’s clear from hearing this music that Schnauber gets a real kick out of Milne’s poetry. The flute/oboe comments, echoes, etc. go with or against the voice line very effectively and entertainingly. These songs will have broad appeal to both players and audiences, and there’s a lot that a pair of performers could do with them. The music isn’t easy, but provides just the sort of challenges that the adventuresome player loves; in places, for example, the flute jumps from C7 to C4, plays multiphonics, and executes finger snaps. But, as the composer has pointed out, just because the music is somewhat demanding doesn’t mean that it should be presented seriously in performance; on the contrary, players should have fun with these pieces and convey the intended joy and playfulness of the work.

Note that both performers are to play from the score, so flutists and oboists may want to print their copy of the score single-sided to avoid a few difficult page turns.

To listen to a recording of Not-Pooh Songs performed by Mitsi Westra, voice, and Pamela French, oboe, visit Tom Schnauber’s SoundCloud page at https://soundcloud.com/user-557772917/sets/not-pooh-songs.

► Schnauber - Not-Pooh Songs - Voice and Flute - PDF

Preview: Not-Pooh Songs for Voice and Flute, p1

Score for female voice and flute, 22 pages; Lyrics, 2 pages; Total, 28 pages.

► Schnauber - Not-Pooh Songs - Voice and Oboe - PDF

Preview: Not-Pooh Songs for Voice and Oboe, p7

Score for female voice and oboe, 22 pages; Lyrics, 2 pages; Total 28 pages

Those Infernal Exsanguinators, by Tom Schnauber

Flute part and Piano score, PDF $17.97

Summer in Minnesota. The sun is setting, the broad sky is clear, and the cool light of dusk promises a welcome respite from the day’s heat and humidity. You step out into the stillness and stand, gazing at the orange-red horizon, thankful for the dimming light and approaching night. And then they come. Those insidious little creatures, those vile insects that define and destroy the season: the mosquitoes. Only some at first, few enough to make you think that if you swat them away, you can still enjoy the evening air. But then more come, and more, and even more. They whine, you moan, they sting, you slap, they swarm, you flail. Soon, your body a mass of swelling welts, you realize that the twilight peace you had hoped for when you left your house is a sham, an impossible illusion shattered by the piercing terror of those infernal exsanguinators. Angry and itching, you run back inside and slam the door shut. —Tom Schnauber

In October, 2020, we at NSM were delighted to welcome Tom Schnauber as one of our contributing contemporary composers; click the link to read about this acclaimed composer's career and his many exciting projects. 

Those Infernal Exsanguinators is a compelling piece; to discover this for yourself, please visit Tom Schnauber's soundcloud page and listen to a recording of the work beautifully performed by Tamara Thweatt, flute, and Hey-Seon Choi, piano.

Piano Score, 18 pages; Flute part, 7 pages; Total, 28 pages.

Erlkönig, Franz Schubert

Arranged for Flute, Cello, and Piano by John W. Pratt

Piano Score and Parts for Flute and Cello; PDF $11.99

Franz Schubert (1797-1828), inspired by reading Goethe's poem, wrote his song "Erlkönig" in a few hours in 1815. The song was an immediate hit, and continues to be popular to the present day. Numerous transcriptions have been prepared, but surprisingly none that we found for flute, cello, and piano. John Pratt has created such a trio arrangement, listed here, and also a duet version of the piece with Schubert's solo part adopted without change but with a less punishing alternative to Schubert's piano accompaniment.

Excerpted from Mr. Pratt's © preface:
"In the trio arrangement, the flute provides a natural voice for the child and for the mysterious Erlking, whose words are in the child's head. The cello makes a natural father. The narration is mostly given to the cello also, but the flute takes over when the child is mentioned in bars MM 24-30, and joins the cello when the ride is ending in anguish and distress (MM 139-145). The piano is treated as a member of a trio rather than an accompaniment to a voice singing words. The presence of the cello helps free the piano from the constant pounding and allows it to employ a wider range of expressive sonorities than Schubert's, befitting the absence of words. One might view the result as a kind of tone poem."

Rondo in B minor, D.895, by Franz Schubert

Transcribed for Flute (and Piano) by J.W.Pratt and C.A.Vater

Flute Part, PDF $11.99

The Rondo in B minor, D.895 (alternatively known as Rondeau brillant) was written for violin and piano in 1826 by the great Austrian composer Franz Peter Schubert.  Dedicated to the young violin virtuoso Josef Slawjk, the Rondo is demanding in both the solo and piano parts.  The work consists of an Andante introduction and an Allegro rondo, and is quite long at 713 measures and typically some thirteen minutes or more in duration.  Inexplicably, the piece is less familiar to players and audiences than many of Schubert’s other works.  Brian Newbould, renowned composer, conductor, author, and Schubert expert, wrote of the Rondo in his treatise Schubert: The Music and the Man (University of California Press, Jan 1, 1997, p365): “Not surprisingly, perhaps, it is little known because it is seldom played. But it is also undervalued: it scintillates, dances and sings, with a blend of infectious joy, tireless energy, rhythmic zip and ‒ from time to time ‒ heart-melting turns of melody and harmony.”

These characteristics and the way the music realizes them are not only suitable to but often even suggestive of a wind instrument. Our transcription provides effective flute-friendly alternatives for the violin’s double-stops as well as for notes that fall below the flute’s range, so the piece can be played comfortably and beautifully on flute. The Rondo is virtuosic in places, showy and exciting, and overall great fun to play.  The Noteworthy Sheet Music edition of our transcribed flute part does not include a re-notated copy of the score, since high-quality PDFs of the piano and violin score are freely available in the public domain and are sufficient to use along with our flute part, in lieu of violin. To download one such PDF of the score, please visit the Rondo’s page on IMSLP.

Flute part, 12 pages; Total 14 pages.

Three Romances, Op.22, by Clara Schumann

Transcribed for Alto Flute or Flute (and Piano) by C.A.Vater

Alto Flute Part and alternative Flute Part, PDF $8.99

Clara Schumann’s Drei Romanzen für Pianoforte und Violine, Op. 22, were written in 1853 and dedicated to the Schumanns’ great friend, the famous Hungarian violin virtuoso Joseph Joachim, with whom Clara performed the Three Romances when they concertized together on tours across Europe. The Romances are lovely, short pieces; melodic and expressive, they epitomize the Romantic era and represent true chamber music in the sense that both instruments are featured comparably, rather than the piano having a merely accompaniment role. They are nicely adaptable to wind instruments, and are particularly lovely when played on alto flute. Our transcription required few modifications to bring the original violin part completely in range for alto flute and provides flute-friendly, musically-appropriate alternatives to the occasional violin double-stop. Some flutists may wish to mix and match the three movements, preferring to play one or two of the Romances on alto flute and the third on concert flute, or vice versa; so, to that end, we have included in this edition a complete alternative part adapted for C-flute. We do not provide a re-notated copy of the score, however, since high-quality PDFs of the piano and violin score are freely available in the public domain, and are easy to use along with our flute transcriptions of the violin line. To download one such PDF of the score, please visit the imslp website.

Alto Flute part, 5 pages; Flute part, 5 pages; Total 14 pages.

Romance, by Alexander Scriabin

Transcribed for Clarinet or Flute or Alto Flute (and Piano) by J. W. Pratt

Parts, PDF $0.00

Alexander Scriabin (1872-1915), the mystic Russian composer with music to match, wrote nine mind-bending orchestral works and myriad mostly miniature piano pieces. He began as a "Russian Chopin" and ended planning a week-long "Mysterium" to be performed in the Himalayas using "an orchestra, a large mixed choir, an instrument with visual effects, dancers, a procession, incense, and ... mists and lights" (Wikipedia).

Please click on the links to download your free PDFs:

Transcription for clarinet required no changes of pitch.  Scriabin - Romance - Clarinet

The transcription for flute is raised an octave, except the last five measures.  Scriabin - Romance - Flute

The transcription for alto flute raises MM21-24 and MM36-48 an octave.  Scriabin - Romance - Alto Flute

The piano score is freely available on IMSLP.org.

Scriabin image courtesy of Wikimedia.org, PD-old.

5 Dessert Rounds, by Zenon Slawinski

Contemporary Composition for Two Flutes

Score, PDF $4.99

Excerpts from the preface to the edition by Zenon Slawinski:

In most classic rounds the second voice begins and plays (or sings) the same melody as the first voice. That's the case here too for three of the five Dessert Rounds. Rounds 3 and 4 are different. In Round 3 - The Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie - the second voice plays the same melody but a third higher. In Round 4 - Sweet Potato Flan - the second voice plays the melody a 4th higher. // The Dessert Rounds are relatively simple and should not pose any difficulties for most intermediate players, although there are some tricky meter changes in Round 2 - Chocolate Mint Ice Dream - if you practice this slowly you'll soon be able to get past the meter changes and simply enjoy your dessert. // Round 4 - Sweet Potato Flan - is written in 7/4. // I purposely left off many performance markings so the players can make their own mark on the compositions. Interpret these pieces freely and have fun.

Zenon Slawinski, September 12, 2014

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Click to listen to a few audio samples of the Dessert Rounds:

Round 1 

Round 2 

Round 4 

Round 5 

Score for two flutes, 6 pages; Total, 10 pages.

Bagette no. 4, by Zenon Slawinski

Contemporary Composition for Flute and Piano

Flute Part and Piano Score, PDF $16.99

Zenon Slawinski studied music theory and composition at the University of Michigan with Leslie Bassett, William Bolcom, and William Albright. He also studied Campanology with Hudson Ladd. After graduating with honors he pursued a career in both music and graphic design. Mr. Slawinski was co-music director for the Peabody and Ohio State award winning Children's Radio Theatre program, and scored numerous independent and industrial films and films for the Smithsonian Institution that aired at Smithsonian museums and on PBS. He wrote the music to the popular political talk show The John McLaughlin Group. Mr. Slawinski was a founding partner of a multimedia production company and recording studio working in the early interactive days on educational and entertainment music projects in the CDi and CD-ROM formats, many of which won numerous awards. For more details of Zenon Slawinski's biography, please see the Composers section of the NSM website.

Bagette no. 4 is from a set of four Bagettes written by Zenon Slawinski for his flutist wife, for the two of them to play together. The piece showcases the flute and has challenging moments for both players throughout. The spelling of "bagette" is intentional. The piece opens and closes with a quick ostinato in ¾ in the piano part that lays the foundation for the feel of the entire Bagette. The second section is more pensive and contemplative, with the piano taking the lead initially. The next section is bold and in a new key - B major - and here the flute and piano engage in a playful interaction. The composer intends for the players to put their own spin on the piece and interpret the music freely.

You may also listen to audio of the piece, recorded on the composer's Yamaha MOTIF ES with the sampled piano and flute sounds found in the instrument.  Click to listen

Customers who purchase the sheet music to Bagette no. 4 are entitled to a free rehearsal mp3 of the piano track with which the flutist can play along.

Piano score, 15 pages; Flute part, 7 pages; Total, 26 pages.

Cookies, by Zenon Slawinski 

Contemporary Composition for Flute and Piano

Flute Part and Piano Score, PDF $24.50

From the preface by Zenon Slawinski:

The Cookies came about because my wife and I had been exploring the various compositions and arrangements available for flute and piano and I felt that we needed something new for our time and our audience. We live in a constantly changing world yet we love to hang our hat on the past, especially when it comes to music.  I wanted to create a set of pieces that would not only be enjoyable for the listener but provide the players with a high level of satisfaction.

These pieces range in difficulty from the rather simple and easy to play (Cookies 1, 2, 4, 7), to the intermediate (Cookies 5, 8, 9, 11), and to the more challenging (Cookies 3, 6, 10, 12).

A special note about Cookie No. 5.  This piece was influenced by the Jazz tunes in the popular series of Real Books which follow a common practice in today's "chart" or "lead sheets" where the melody line is written out and chords are marked for the accompaniment to play.  This gives a lot of freedom initially to the piano.  As the flutists becomes more familiar with their part, I would encourage them to get off the page and try some of their own lines.

I purposely gave few performance markings so that players can create their own.  Interpret these freely and have fun.

Zenon Slawinski, September 17, 2014

Cookie 1 mp3

Cookie 4 mp3

Cookie 5 mp3

Cookie 6 mp3

Cookie 7 mp3

Cookie 9 mp3

Cookie 12 mp3

Customers who purchase the sheet music to Cookies are entitled to free rehearsal mp3’s of the piano tracks with which the flutist may play along.

Cookie 9 is a flute solo; the piano is tacet.

For those who would prefer to buy a subset of the Cookies, rather than all 12, we offer three smaller editions:

  Cookies 1,2,4,7: Piano Score, 15 pages; Flute part, 5 pages; Total 24 pages; PDF Price $9.45

  Cookies 5,8,9,11: Piano Score, 15 pages; Flute part, 7 pages; Total 28 pages; PDF Price $9.45

  Cookies 3,6,10,12: Piano Score, 30 pages; Flute part, 9 pages; Total 42 pages; PDF Price $18.90

Snow Pond Composers Workshop Anthology New Music for Flute 2015

Edited by Joshua Tomlinson, PDF $21.95

The first annual Snow Pond Composers Workshop took place June 7-13, 2015, under the direction of Edward Jacobs and Richard Nelson.  The workshop was part of the broader Snow Pond Music Festival taking place in Sidney, Maine.  Peter H. Bloom was the Visiting Performing Artist, and Elliott Schwartz was the Guest Composer.  The Snow Pond Composers Workshop Anthology—New Music for Flute 2015, edited by Joshua Tomlinson, includes all of the scores presented at the workshop:

  ED by Sean O. G. Burns | one player, on flute with kick drum and voice
  Where Wind Blows by William C. Edwards | solo flute
  Farewell to Charms by Henry Feinberg | solo flute
  Amuse-Bouche by Edward Jacobs | solo flute
        Published by American Composers Alliance, reprinted with permission.
  Stillness by Richard Nelson | trumpet, saxophone, guitar, bass, and drums/percussion;
        or, flute and electric guitar (or other small combination of instruments)
  Party On, Bloom!  by Alan Racadag | one player, on piccolo, C-flute, alto flute,
        and optional bass flute
  Soliloquy III by Elliott Schwartz | one player, on flute, piccolo, alto flute, and piano
        Published by American Composers Alliance, reprinted with permission.
  Something Human by Joshua Tomlinson | solo flute
  Indecision (...or maybe not) by Isaac Ward | solo flute
  Vyvirian Folk Songs by Julian Ward | solo flute
  Quicksilver by Joshua Zinn | solo flute

This is a remarkable collection of new music for flute, which Noteworthy Sheet Music is pleased to make available to the broader flute community.  Our edition includes composer biographies and performance notes, as well as the scores.  

Here's a YouTube link to a 9/23/2023 performance of ED by Peter H. Bloom: