Description

Autumn Squalls was commissioned by flutist Edward Schultz for his performance at a series of concerts presented by Network for New Music to celebrate the collaboration of music and poetry. The premiere performance was given at the World Café Live in Philadelphia on November 6, 2011. The work is inspired by the poem, Autumn Squalls, written by Barbara Burwell, well-known poet, author, and mother of Robert and Edward Schultz.

Burwell’s poem describes her delightful experience driving through the Pennsylvania countryside one night while being engulfed by wind-blown, swirling masses of leaves. The flute solo is built in five connected sections that are based on the primary themes and corresponding stanzas of the poem. In Broad Street Review Tom Purdom writes, “Her son’s music captures the images of the poem right up to a final scattering of notes to match the scattering of leaves in front of the car’s windshield.” Chuck Holdeman writes, “The Schultz brothers created a work which remained fascinating, just one flute managing to grip the listener’s attention with a flow of drama and arresting sound.”

Hear Edward Schultz’s premiere performance: