Score: Maqamat
For solo quarter-tone alto flute [2002]
Duration: c. 6 mins.
Commissioned by Carla Rees
Notes:
When Carla approached me about writing a new piece for quarter-tone alto flute I was really excited. Much of my work up until this point had been influenced by music from the Middle East and I often found myself up against the technical restrictions of western instruments when required to perform Arabic scales (in Arabic, maqamat). These scales are often constructed using quarter-tones. However, for many western instruments, especially woodwind, quarter-tones are not easy to perform at speed, if at all! So here was a perfect opportunity to write more freely using Arabic scales as a starting point, hence the title Maqamat.
© Patrick Nunn 2002
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