PROJECT
Carwithen & Alwyn
Two composers, a shared life, and music still waiting to be heard.
THE PROJECT
Two composers, one musical conversation
Doreen Carwithen’s Five Diversions for wind quintet and William Alwyn’s flute concerto with wind octet offer two starting points for this project. Their music opens a programme that can also make room for Alwyn’s chamber sonatas and solo flute writing, alongside piano works by both composers.
THE MUSIC
Two distinct musical voices
Carwithen’s Five Diversions gives the wind quintet a vivid place in this programme. Alwyn’s flute concerto brings a different scale and colour, with the flute set against a wind octet. Together, these works give us a starting point for exploring each composer’s music in its own right.
DOREEN CARWITHEN · WIND QUINTET
Five Diversions
Carwithen’s wind quintet is one of the works that drew us into this project. Its five movements offer a focused way to encounter her writing for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon, and a natural starting point for a wider programme alongside Alwyn.
THE PROJECT
Two composers, many ways in
Carwithen’s Five Diversions and Alwyn’s flute concerto give this project its two focal works. From there, a programme could bring in Alwyn’s chamber music for oboe and clarinet, solo flute writing, and piano music by both composers. We are exploring how those pieces might sit together while letting each composer’s voice come through.
CARWITHEN
Five Diversions
A wind quintet at the heart of the project, opening a route into Carwithen’s chamber music.
ALWYN
Flute and winds
The flute concerto sets a solo voice against a wind octet, bringing another scale to the programme.
BEYOND
A wider programme
Sonatas, solo flute and piano music offer further ways to hear both composers.
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