BANTAMMER SWING
(2008)
Concerto for contrabass flute and chamber orchestra
Instrumentation:
1-1-1-1,
1-1-1-1,
4-4-3-2-2, 2
percussion, solo contrabass flute
The contrabass flute is the much larger cousin of the normal flute, sounding two octaves below and taking up four times as much space. It’s largely unknown in classical repertoire and this is the first ever concerto written for it. That being the case, one of my goals as a composer was to establish its unique tone color next the other instruments of the orchestra. Further, I have tried to exploit its various qualities - the singing highs, the velvety middles, the rich lows and also some of its possibilities for extended techniques.
The piece is a standard concerto form of three movements with a cadenza.
"Ned McGowan, a composer and flutist, proved there's still plenty of life in old-fashioned virtuosity with "Bantammer Swing", a playful, athletic concerto for his unwieldy contrabass flute."
- Steve Smith, New York Times
Score available from Donemus Publishing
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Written for the American Composers Orchestra
Commissioned by the Brannen-Cooper Fund
Made possible with support from the ACO and Meet the Composer, NY
First performance: Carnegie Hall, New York, April 25th, 2008
"Ned McGowan, a composer and flutist, proved there's still plenty of life in old-fashioned virtuosity with "Bantammer Swing," a playful, athletic concerto for his unwieldy contrabass flute."
- Steve Smith, New YorkTimes, April 28, 08