Flute Sonata Op.121 (1977)

There was no composer more expert than Sir Malcolm Arnold in writing for wind instruments and – bearing in mind his prodigious output of concertos for woodwind or brass soloists – few more experienced. As well as the wind concertos, there is an extensive catalogue of wind chamber music, including four well characterised Sonatinas for various woodwind instruments and piano. In writing a Sonata for James Galway, however, he excelled himself by presenting the flautist with a technical challenge exceeding that of even the two Concertos let alone the Sonatina.

The florid beginning to the Allegro could be taken as an introduction, particularly since the shapely main theme makes an early entry on the flute accompanied by bell-like chords on the piano. But those opening bars influence much of the rest of the movement, not least by way of the little flourish that animates the following scherzando passage and drives the flute into a frenzy of bravura figuration. The lyrical second subject, introduced by flute over a rocking accompaniment on the piano, makes a timely contrast. But it’s not long before the flourish returns to provoke a virtuoso development and, indeed, to claim a place in the recapitulation. Having stayed away long enough to allow the second subject gratifyingly to expand, it makes a brief reappearance at the end.

The Andantino recalls the flute’s penchant for melodious exoticism so resourcefully exploited by French composers earlier in the 20th century, even though it introduces a slightly sinister rhythmic motif to unsettle the middle section and, curiously, to take over the closing bars. As for the similarly short last movement, it would be an uncharacteristic Arnold work that denies itself popular dance dance allusions such as those which so entertainingly sustain the interest of this tuneful but still technically challenging Maestoso con molto ritmico.