Einojuhani Rautavara

Konzert für Flöte und Orchester op. 69

I composed the flute concerto ,Dances with the Winds' in 1974 for the Swedish flutist Gunilla von Bahr, who specialized in the entire flute family. Therefore, at the beginning and at the end of the four-movement concerto, an ordinary and a bass flute alternate, while the second movement is the very own domain of the shrill piccolo, and the third is dominated by the more sensual alto flute. The final movement is a summation of the musical events throughout the concerto. At the conclusion, the bass flute climbs to its highest range, the note d acting as the axis for much of the symmetry in this work - against it, a resigned B-flat minor chord is heard in the orchestra.
(Einojuhani Rautavaara)