Richard Sherman - American Soliloquy (2026) [Hi-Res]

Tracklist

01. Kokopeli for Solo Flute
02. Short Stories for Solo Flute: No. 1
03. Short Stories for Solo Flute: No. 2
04. Short Stories for Solo Flute: No. 3
05. Short Stories for Solo Flute: No. 4
06. Short Stories for Solo Flute: No. 5
07. Short Stories for Solo Flute: No. 6
08. Short Stories for Solo Flute: No. 7
09. Amhrán na hEascainne
10. Flute Set for Solo Flute: I. Moderato con anima
11. Flute Set for Solo Flute: II. Vivo
12. Flute Set for Solo Flute: III. Lento e teneramente
13. Flute Set for Solo Flute: IV. Allegretto
14. Trillium for Solo Flute
15. Variations on a Swedish Folktune for Flute Solo
16. Serenade for Solo Flute: I. Prelude
17. Serenade for Solo Flute: II. Caprice
18. Serenade for Solo Flute: III. Intermezzo
19. Serenade for Solo Flute: IV. Lament
20. Serenade for Solo Flute: V. Arioso
21. Serenade for Solo Flute: VI. Finale
22. Suite for Flute Alone, Op. 8: I. Moderato
23. Suite for Flute Alone, Op. 8: II. Vivace
24. Suite for Flute Alone, Op. 8: III. Molto con sentimento
25. Suite for Flute Alone, Op. 8: IV. Allegro ironico
26. Dithyrambes: I. Le Sacrifice du Miel
27. Dithyrambes: II. Plainte d'Ariane
28. Dithyrambes: III. Labyrinthe
29. Overture and Allegro
30. Sonata pour flûte seule: I. Allegro
31. Sonata pour flûte seule: II. Lento
32. Sonata pour flûte seule: III. Allegro molto vivace
33. Song
34. Sonata for Flute Solo: I. Questioning
35. Sonata for Flute Solo: II. Jaunty
36. Sonata for Flute Solo: III. Introspective
37. Sonata for Flute Solo: IV. Rakish
38. Soliloquy for Solo Flute, Op. 44
39. After (In Memoriam, Sydney Hodkinson)
40. A Song of Coming Awake; Variations on Christ ist erstanden
41. Sonata for Flute Alone: I. Adagio - Allegro
42. Sonata for Flute Alone: II. Adagio
43. Sonata for Flute Alone: III. Vivace
44. Passacaglia for Flute Solo, Op. 48, No. 2

In American Soliloquy, Sherman set out to demonstrate that there has been no 'typical' American sound. Each piece explores tonality, rhythm, form, timbre, and flute technique in its own unique way. But all share the challenge of creating a satisfying, complete-feeling composition for a solo instrument, in this case solo flute.

The composers include Katherine Hoover, Elizabeth Brown, Gary Schocker, Ingolf Dahl, Sarah Bassingthwaighte, Philip Glass, Adolphus Hailstork, Wallingford Riegger, Arthur Lourié, Lowell Liebermann, David Amram, James Willey, Stanley Weiner, David Maslanka, Jennifer Higdon, Virgil Thomson, John La Montaine, and Ernst von Dohnányi, all but three of which are native-born Americans.

In approaching the album, Richard Sherman asked, 'How can one construct a piece that feels long enough, that proceeds logically from beginning to end, that 'tells a story,' that contains enough dramatic contrast to keep it interesting, all on an instrument that has a relatively limited range (at least compared with a piano or a large ensemble) and can only play one note at a time?'