Ibert's Flute Concerto (Ep 5 2020)

ANAM Radio

Episode 5, 2020: Ibert’s Flute Concerto Wednesday 1 July 2020 ANAM Music Librarian, Phil Lambert thinks French composer Jacques Ibert’s most popular compositions sparkle like French champagne. First coming to public attention in the early 1920s, Ibert’s oeuvre is known for being polished and entertaining, never driven by any theory, agenda or the desire to gain attention through shock value. But lest you think that his range is limited, try tracking down Orson Welles’ 1948 film, Macbeth, which owes its ominous and oppressive atmosphere to Ibert’s excellent score. Ibert wrote his Flute Concerto between 1932 and 1934 for his contemporary flautist Marcel Moyse, who is probably considered the greatest flautist of his time. Knowing that he was writing for a virtuoso, Ibert did not spare this composition from any technical difficulty. This is the challenge ANAM alumna Cassandra Slater (flute 2019) had to overcome when mastering this piece for the Grand Final of the 2019 ANAM Concerto Competition . In this episode of ANAM Radio, Cassandra shares with us how she trained “almost like an athlete” to make sure she had the stamina to perform this rather demanding piece with the Tasmania Symphony Orchestra. She also shares some insightful anecdotes about the piece’s second movement, written after Ibert’s father passed away. Cassandra was one of three finalists to perform in the Grand Final of the 2019 ANAM Concerto Competition with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra in Hobart. The music you will hear is from her Melbourne performance where she performed the piece with Louisa Breen on piano.