Icicle for solo flute
Icicle was composed in 1977 on a commission from the Paris-based publisher Editions Musicales Transatlantique, for inclusion in a series of works, edited by Pierre-Yves Artaud, for young and intermediate flutists. The inspiration came from pranks which the composer’s daughter, Dianne (to whom the work is dedicated) had been playing on her younger, at that time double-bass-playing, sister. The prank involved the theme song from the film The Pink Panther, the rhythm of which may be apparent from time to time in this work. The resemblance ends there, however, as the remainder of the piece is based on the shimmering, glistening effects which can be produced on the flute through quick changes of multiple fingerings and various articulations. I composed this piece at the same time as Plainsong at the MacDowell Colony in New Hampshire. This colony consists of many small cottages where one can be entirely alone to compose. When I looked out the window I saw some icicles – glaçons – hanging on the roof and shining in the sunlight. This gave me the title.
Robert Aitken
Icicle was composed in 1977 on a commission from the Paris-based publisher Editions Musicales Transatlantique, for inclusion in a series of works, edited by Pierre-Yves Artaud, for young and intermediate flutists. The inspiration came from pranks which the composer’s daughter, Dianne (to whom the work is dedicated) had been playing on her younger, at that time double-bass-playing, sister. The prank involved the theme song from the film The Pink Panther, the rhythm of which may be apparent from time to time in this work. The resemblance ends there, however, as the remainder of the piece is based on the shimmering, glistening effects which can be produced on the flute through quick changes of multiple fingerings and various articulations. I composed this piece at the same time as Plainsong at the MacDowell Colony in New Hampshire. This colony consists of many small cottages where one can be entirely alone to compose. When I looked out the window I saw some icicles – glaçons – hanging on the roof and shining in the sunlight. This gave me the title.
Robert Aitken