Erling Pedersen
Bergmann Edition: score and separate parts (14, 4, 4, and 4 pages respectively)
Anyone wondering why this piece written for two instruments has three separate parts, will find that upon opening the score there are two lines for the flute, one for a normal 6 string guitar, and one in a different key should you be using an Alto guitar, hence the two separate flute parts.
Danish – born Pedersen has written here a four – movement suite as a tribute to the wildlife and nature of Northern Jutland, Denmark. The style right from the outset is friendly and almost folk –styled in the opening Prelude. The guitar is playing a consistent arpeggio pattern for the first half underneath a long voiced flute melody, whilst later on in the movement the guitar provides a harmony to the flute whilst still retaining the arpeggio accompaniment.
Morning Psalm has a much more block chord accompaniment, whilst the flute retains the melody throughout. It is a flowing melodic piece that later on develops a little more movement in the guitar part whilst retaining the quiet dignity of the harmony work.
Jumping Deers is set in 5/4, and later on in 3 / 4 time and as you might expect has a leaping melody on the flute atop some triplet quaver arpeggios on the guitar, whilst the final movement In Twilight has mostly easy work on the guitar , indeed nearly all of it a solo line until the very last 8 bars, with the flute has a smooth flowing melody eventually leading to the coda that closes in a different key.
The whole work is pleasant, melodic and not too difficult for either instrument. Each movement is quite short but with a number of repeat sections and would be pleasant concert material for a modestly advanced duo.
Chris Dumigan
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