Flute Sonata No. 6 – (The Toulouse Lautrec Sonata)

Mvt 1 – Ballettes, fantaisie nautique et japonaise

This movement serves to introduce our cast of circus characters – colorful, skillful, and energetic. The ensemble enters the big tent. A Japanese dancer, our featured artist, emerges from the cast and moves toward the center of the ring, She takes a special bow in front of the audience before her acrobatic peers escort her from the main tent.   Duration: 4’16

Met 2 – Danseuse de corde (rope dancer)

All eyes are cast on the circus performer on the tightrope. Rather than capture the physical aspects of the performer, I chose to focus on the artistry and beauty of the high-wire dancer.  Duration: 4

Mvt 3 – Clown dresseur (clown trainer)

This movement portrays a small poodle looking up at a huge clown brandishing a whip. The dog is belittled by the little clown, its vulnerability heightened by the shaving of its fur giving it a groomed and feminine air. The poodle’s appearance is like the clown’s; their androgynous disguises not only bind them together but also fuel their conflict, seeming to be in competition for the same identity. The music utilizes two vocabularies: one, delicate, whimsical, and kinetic for the poodle, the other raw, any, and dissident for the clown.   Duration: 3’29

Mvt 4 – Travail sur le panneau (work on the panel)

This movement features a skilled performer – a lovely lady riding side saddle on a big horse. Intensely alive and fascinating, this image reproduces the riding exercises showing extraordinary precision.  Duration: 5’22

Total Duration: 17 minutes