Carter, Elliott: Enchanted Preludes (1988) 6'
for flute and cello
World Premiere
5/16/1988
Merkin Hall, New York, New York
Patricia Spenser (flute), Andre Emelianoff (cello)
Composer's Notes
Enchanted Preludes is a birthday present for Ann Santen, commissioned by her husband, Harry, and composed in gratitude for their enthusiastic and deeply caring support of American music. It is a duet for flute and cello in which the two instruments combine their different characters and musical materials into statements of varying moods. The title comes from a poem of Wallace Stevens: The Pure Good of Theory, "All the Preludes to Felicity," stanza no.7:
Felicity, ah! Time is the hooded enemy,
The inimical music, the enchanted space
In which the enchanted preludes have their place.
The score was given its first performance by Patricia Spencer, flute, and André Emelianoff, cello, of the Da Capo Chamber Players in New York, on May 16, 1988.
Elliott Carter
Reproduction Rights
This programme note can be reproduced free of charge in concert programmes with a credit to the composer
Recommended Recording
Happy Birthday, Elliott Carter! New Chamber Works
Swiss Chamber Soloists
Edition Vol. 2
NEOS 10816
Released November 30, 2008
Click here to purchase this album from NEOS.
for flute and cello
World Premiere
5/16/1988
Merkin Hall, New York, New York
Patricia Spenser (flute), Andre Emelianoff (cello)
Composer's Notes
Enchanted Preludes is a birthday present for Ann Santen, commissioned by her husband, Harry, and composed in gratitude for their enthusiastic and deeply caring support of American music. It is a duet for flute and cello in which the two instruments combine their different characters and musical materials into statements of varying moods. The title comes from a poem of Wallace Stevens: The Pure Good of Theory, "All the Preludes to Felicity," stanza no.7:
Felicity, ah! Time is the hooded enemy,
The inimical music, the enchanted space
In which the enchanted preludes have their place.
The score was given its first performance by Patricia Spencer, flute, and André Emelianoff, cello, of the Da Capo Chamber Players in New York, on May 16, 1988.
Elliott Carter
Reproduction Rights
This programme note can be reproduced free of charge in concert programmes with a credit to the composer
Recommended Recording
Happy Birthday, Elliott Carter! New Chamber Works
Swiss Chamber Soloists
Edition Vol. 2
NEOS 10816
Released November 30, 2008
Click here to purchase this album from NEOS.
Mailing List
Sign up for news updates and offers via email
SIGN UP
Featured Publication
Britten: War Requiem
Britten's pacifist masterwork, combining war poetry by Wilfred Owen with the Latin Requiem Mass, is included in the Masterworks Library of full scores, ideal for conductors, students and music lovers.
READ MORE