I loved this piece when I first got it and still hope to see more people program it! Listen (this excellent performance is not by me) here.
Escape
Escape
Ryan Woodhouse
©2013 Potenza Music
In the front material to Escape, composer Ryan
Woodhouse writes that “Music possesses the amazing ability of transporting its
listener to a beautiful world of sound where the pressures of everyday life can
be momentarily forgotten. The escape
that music can provide is the inspiration for this piece.” This rather general description really does
not do the pieces justice; Escape is an eight minute emotional roller
coaster ride for the audience, taking us from a hazy fog, to intrigue and sheer
fright, and on to a dreamy lyricism that makes this a very compelling addition
to a collegiate or professional recital program.
The piano part is often minimalist in approach, switching
from one vamp to another, while the flute in turn growls, shrieks, slides
between pitches, and floats to a mysterious end. There are some simple extended techniques
used very sparingly, including pitch bends, flutter tongue, and humming while
playing. Range in the flute part goes
from low C to high G, and rhythm/meter is standard for an advanced
undergraduate player. The tempo remains
slow throughout, but the flute part sometimes breaks into fast chromatic and
tonal fragments over the piano’s steady, repetitive part. The piano part is not particularly technical
and fits easily with the flute part, requiring minimal rehearsal time for more
advanced performers.
Woodhouse’s ability to evoke so many varied, convincing
moods in a short period of time is laudable, and Escape is a thrilling
piece to hear. It is a wonderful
addition to the repertoire.
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