Below: Music For Low Flutes Peter Sheridan & Claire Cooper

• Gary Schocker (b. 1959): A Small Sonata For A Large Flute:
• 1 Schocker: A Small Sonata For A Large Flute: Moderato 02:04
• 2 Schocker: A Small Sonata For A Large Flute: Cantabile 05:55
• 3 Schocker: A Small Sonata For A Large Flute: Snappy 01:37
• Sheridan Stokes:
• 4 Stokes: Irish in the Lowlands 06:18
• Hilary Taggart:
• 5 Taggart: Virtuosic Etudes: Winter Sun 01:08
• Jules Demerssemann (1833 - 1866):
• 6 Demerssemann: Virtuosic Etudes: Allegro Vivace, Op 4 #18 00:53
• Ernesto Kohler (1849 - 1907):
• 7 Kohler: Virtuosic Etudes: Allegretto Vivo, Op 33 #8 02:00
• Philippe Gaubert (1879 - 1941):
• 8 Gaubert: Madrigal 04:05
• Patrick Neher: City Vignettes:
• 9 Neher: City Vignettes: Corner Encounter 04:06
• 10 Neher: City Vignettes: Lunacite 06:42
• 11 Neher: City Vignettes: Block Party 03:58
• Gary Schocker: Adventures Under A Leaf:
• 12 Schocker: Adventures Under A Leaf: Fern 02:04
• 13 Schocker: Adventures Under A Leaf: Hosta 01:26
• 14 Schocker: Adventures Under A Leaf: Mint 00:32
• 15 Schocker: Adventures Under A Leaf: Monkshood 02:35
• 16 Schocker: Adventures Under A Leaf: Poppy 01:34
• Bruce Lawrence (1932 - 2010):
• 17 Lawrence: Elegy 03:02
• Vinny Golia (b. 1946):
• 18 Golia: There Is A Difference Between Apples And Men 07:52
• Peter Sheridan:
• 19 Sheridan: And The Giant Began To Dance 03:26
• Alex Shapiro (b. 1962):
• 20 Shapiro: Below 10:21
• Total Runtime 01:11:38

Info for Below: Music For Low Flutes

This charming and rare recording features predominantly commissioned chamber music for low flutes that was composed to showcase the lyrical and colourful tonal qualities of these instruments, expanding their small yet growing repertoire.

Low flutes are mostly a 20th century invention, yet the concept of extending a particular instrumental sound dates back to the Renaissance period, when recorder consorts, with bass and alto recorders were used frequently in performances. In recent times, the popularity of low flutes grew with the renewed interest in the flute choir and flute quartet. Low flutes are basically members of the extended flute family, which play below the range of the standard orchestral C flute.

These instruments include the alto flute in G (four notes below the C flute), the bass flute in C (one octave below C flute), the contrabass flute in C (two octaves below C flute, played in an upright standing position), and the sub-contra bass flute in C (three octaves below the C flute, played either sitting or standing). There are a few other low flutes not represented on this recording. These are the Pinschofon in C, bass flutes in F and G, and a extra large piped instrument known as the hyperbass flute.

“I am still basking in the beauty of Peter Sheridan's new album, aptly titled Below. A real gem for those of us who love the lower voices of the flute family. In particular, the works of Gary Schocker and Alex Shapiro's stunning Below. Peter's beautiful and agile tone on the lower flutes is truly amazing.” — Adrienne Albert, Composer

“Peter Sheridan is a musician among flutists. The result is a complex and provocative recording, all thoroughly enjoyable.” — Gary Schocker, Flutist/Composer

“Peter Sheridan presents a kaleidoscope of flutes on this album and honours every single flutemaker by playing their instruments so marvellously. In "Below" he appears to master my subcontrabassflute in a way I had never thought possible!” — Jelle Hogenhuis, Designer of Low Flutes (Holland)

Peter Sheridan, alto, bass, contrabass and sub-contrabass flutes
Sheridon Stokes, bass flute, Irish flute, piccolo (track 4)
Lisa-Maree Amos, C-flute (tracks 12—16)
Peter Neville, vibraphone (track 18)
Heather Price, double bass (tracks 9—11)
Claire Cooper, piano (tracks 1—3, 9—11 and 17)
John Sawoski, piano (track 8)

Peter Sheridan
A specialist in low flutes (bass, contrabass and sub-contrabass flutes), performer Peter Sheridan has commissioned over seventy compositions for these unique instruments.

He has recorded Hollywood soundtracks and has been a recipient of awards from Mannes College, University of Arizona, Aspen Music Festival, Ottorino Respighi Festival (Italy), American Composers Forum, and Santa Monica College.

A native of New York City, Peter has performed and taught in America, England and Australia. He has been a faculty member of numerous music faculties in Los Angeles and was a founding member of the Los Angeles Flute Quartet. He is now a Teaching Associate at Monash University, and a woodwinds instructor and band director at Donvale Christian College and Mazenod College in Australia.

He is an active soloist and chamber musician and his flutes can be heard on Albany, Innova, Warner Music Latina, Varese Sarabande and Move record labels.

Peter performs on Kotato and Fukishima bass and contrabass flutes, and Jelle Hogenhuis's subcontrabass and hyperbass flutes.

Claire Cooper
studied with John Winther at the Canberra School of Music, and later at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. She spent five years as repetiteur and accompanist for the Victorian College of the Arts and was a member of staff at the Faculty of Music, University of Melbourne as an accompanist.

Claire worked extensively in Melbourne with major music organisations and festivals, and had an extensive and wide-ranging repertoire.

She suffered an acquired brain injury after being hit by a car in 2013 while cycling on the Upfield bike path in Melbourne which, sadly, has put an end to her musical career. She has spent two years largely in and out of Epworth's rehabilitation clinic. Her outlook is positive as she slowly rebuilds her life in country Victoria.

Move Records wishes her well in her expected many years of gradual recovery.

This album contains no booklet.