Wednesday 11 August 2021
Tune of the Day: Montagnarde by Paul Merkus
for flute and piano
Today we have a new contribution from our guest composer from the Netherlands, Paul Merkus. This easy piece for flute and piano was written early 2014.
The title “Montagnarde“ was chosen because (French) bourrées in 3/4 time are also called montagnardes (a word which could be translated as “mountain folk dances”). This dance is less “peasant-like” than the traditional bourrée in duple or quadruple time, and is often danced in celebration. This “Montagnarde” consists of themes and motifs of four bars or a multiple thereof. There is an interesting interplay between the flute and the piano with a game of question and answer, leading to a climax at the end.