Wednesday 8 June 2011
Tune of the Day: Rêverie by Pessard
for solo Flute and Piano
French composer Emile Pessard, who was professor of Harmony at the Paris Conservatoire at the end of the 19th century, was also the son of a flutist, and he was probably familiar with the tonal brilliance and technical capabilities of the flute. His “Rêverie” (“Dream”) for solo flute and piano exemplifies a style of popular virtuoso salon music, where the soloist is given ample opportunity to display his or her mastery of the instrument at the expense of the piano, which is assigned a very simple chordal accompaniment.