I'm a beginner Flutist, my wife is a beginning intermediate cellist. I've been playing for about a year and a half, and recently finished Moyse's "Forty Little Pieces" book. She is working through the Suzuki books, and has wrapped up Book 4, and onto Book 5.
I'm looking for recommendations for fun duets geared to our skill level that my wife and I could play together. Any thoughts?
Yes, most baroque flute sonatas would work because there is almost always a basso continuo line (usually viola da gamba) that can be played by the cello.
How do I know what to look for? I tried searching on Handel Sonatas on some of the sheet music sites. They provided no indication of what the music sounded like, or how hard it might be, or anything.
Lots of them are public domain, and can be found for free on sites such IMSLP and Free-scores.com. Here are what seem to be the complete sonatas. The handwritten scores are a bit messy, but I don't think you'll have too much trouble playing them.
go to www.fluteworld.com, BUY the Handel Sonatas, some are very easy and some are more advanced....you can find them on Ebay sometimes light used for a very good price...
Did you ever find any good cello-flute duets? My wife plays the flute, and our son, age 13, plays the cello, so we are on the lookout for something similar, and not too advanced. I may get some recommendations from his teacher, but maybe you can point me to something.
A few years ago I studied the Hallenser sonatas by Händel. They are not too complicated, exception made of the fast movements. But probably averything by Haendel could be too difficult for a beginner with just one and a half year practise. It depends on how fast you learn and how much you practise.
The Continuo in Baroque sonatas is not exactly a part of a duet, because in general the Cello part is too simple compared to the main voice. It is really an accompaniment. Some sonatas hare true duets or Trios, in this case the Cello part is comparable in importance to the flute part(s). One example I have studied and played partially is the Trio sonata BWV 1039 by J.S. Bach. The Adagio piano movement is not difficult, but the main dialog is really between the two flutes. I think I have uploaded a few parts of this sonata in 8Notes, but not sure. I should check and come back.
Yes I did, but it looks like that I uploaded only the first Adagio. You can listen to a mp3 with synthesized instruments (not my actual playing) here: http://www.8notes.com/members/6399.asp?ftype=mp3. There may be other parts that I uploaded but you need to search more than I did.
The first and second flute play very similar parts and they interchange the theme several times. So if you play just one flute with the Cello as second voice and forget about the other flute it still sounds beautiful. I could make a mp3 for you with just one flute and Cello, in case you think it could be suitable for your level, (though no immediately as I have to travel tomorrow)
So far, our favorite duets are:
Scott Joplin's Easy Winners, arranged for flute/oboe/clarinet and cello/bassoon by Deborah Kauffmann (Alry Publications)
Beethoven Three Duets for Flute/Oboe/Violin and Cello/Bassoon, Kalmus Edition (Alfred Publishing Co)
If you have a very good pianist on hand, we also love Claude Bolling's Irlandaise as a trio. (The cello can take the bass part)
So far, our favorite duets are:
Scott Joplin's Easy Winners, arranged for flute/oboe/clarinet and cello/bassoon by Deborah Kauffmann (Alry Publications)
Beethoven Three Duets for Flute/Oboe/Violin and Cello/Bassoon, Kalmus Edition (Alfred Publishing Co)
If you have a very good pianist on hand, we also love Claude Bolling's Irlandaise as a trio. (The cello can take the bass part)