III. Choral et variations (Piano Sonata, Op. 1)

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Musical Terms (2)

• fan-shaped phrases English
  Dutilleux's signature compositional device — a melodic or figural pattern that expands outward from a central note in both directions symmetrically, like an opening fan, creating an expanding arc that radiates upward and downward simultaneously. The device first appears prominently in the third movement of the Piano Sonata Op.1 and recurs throughout his output. It generates an impression of resonance and spaciousness even in dense textures, and is closely related to Dutilleux's preoccupation with the acoustic resonance of instruments.
  Fan-shaped phrases should open out with a natural sense of growth, as if the sound is expanding into space. Do not rush the outer voices — let the extremes of register ring. Dutilleux is very precise about pedalling in these passages because the resonance of each note feeding into the next is the point, not just the melodic outline.
• Conservatoire examination piece English
  A piece written specifically for use as a sight-reading or set piece at the examinations (concours) of the Paris Conservatoire, typically commissioned from established French composers. Dutilleux composed many such pieces during his career — notably the Sonatine for Flute (1943), Sarabande et cortège for Bassoon (1942), Choral, cadence et fugato for Trombone (1950), and the Oboe Sonata (1947). These pieces were disowned by Dutilleux as his 'official' output but they have all entered the standard repertoire of their respective instruments and remain widely studied and performed today.
  The Conservatoire examination pieces have a specific character: they are typically demanding enough to test advanced students while being clear in their formal articulation. The Sonatine for Flute in particular should be approached as a fully serious French sonata in miniature, not as a student exercise. Dutilleux's craftsmanship is evident even in these 'disowned' works.