Dubois - Sonata for Flute and Piano, III. Rondo

Matthew Ross, Flute
Kseniia Polstiankina, Piano
Pierre Max Dubois (1930-1995)
Sonata for Flute and Piano
III. Rondo
September 10, 2015
Robert J. Werner Recital Hall
University of Cincinnati
French composer and pianist Pierre Max Dubois (1930-1995) was a product of the Paris Conservatory. His success began at an early age, receiving his first commission at age 19 from French National Radio. Soon after, Dubois won the highly prestigious Prix de Rome with Le Rire de Gargantua (a cantata for soprano, tenor, bass, and orchestra) in 1955, and the Grand Prix of the city of Paris in 1964 for his Symphonie-Sérénade. Dubois later took up conducting, making frequent tours of France, Belgium, Canada, and the United States, all while holding a position as Professor of Analysis at his alma mater. His teaching resulted in several editions of educational material, all of which are still highly regarded today. A prolific composer of instrumental music, Dubois' style closely reflects that of Les Six, a group of composers all working in Montparnasse, an area of Paris on the left bank of the river Seine, in the early 1900s. Their music is often seen as a reaction against the heavily dramatic style of Richard Wagner and the impressionist music of Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel. The Sonate pour Flûte et Piano is no exception to this correlation with Les Six. The work puts charm and a certain cheekiness at the forefront, not to be taken too seriously. This relentless desire for this affect results in a plethora of technical challenges for both players in all three movements.