Eleanor Hovda
for 11 to 33 flutes
This piece was commissioned by the New York Flute Club.
This piece was commissioned by the NY Flute Club in 1973 for a concert in honor of Otto Luening. Since the Flute Club had scheduled Luening's "38 flutes" piece, which is very much a pitch/pulse canon, I decided to enlarge on that area that had been fascinating to me for some time: the acoustic articulation of "the sound around the sound." Not only would this make a nice contrast to Mr. Luening's wonderful piece, but would allow me to work in some directions that had been intriguing me. David Gilbert, flutist and inspiration for many of the techniques, conducted.
Essentially, the piece is played from full score. There are 11 distinct parts, and these parts can be doubled/tripled, etc. up to probably not more than 44 total players. However, anyone who wants to try 11 on each part for a total of 121 is welcome to try!
At no time, in this piece, is an "out and out pitch" blown. The piece is built on the idea of amplyfying breath resonances caused by vowel and consonant sounds plus variation of dynamics, and use of fluttertongue. The sole instance of "almost clear pitch" is the "dove sound" sections where "subtone" blowing and use of trill keys produces a hollow, reedy, "dove-like sound" (George Crumb is responsible for calling these sounds "dove sounds").
Timing is by breathflow and the process of proceeding through the piece. The conductor is involved to choosing when to make changes and for engendering "connectedness" amongst the ensemble.