"Folk contra Punkt" is an international collaboration between flautists Elyce Ostermann and Nancy Tyler, cellist Suellen Primost and composer and guitarist David Warin Solomons. We also have special guests The Flute-View (Viviana Guzman, Barbara Siesel and Fluter Scooter) in track 22 and the guitarist Bruce Paine in tracks 21 and 25 . The pieces all involve various combinations of these instruments and the last three tracks involve our flautists multitracking with flute, alto flute and bass flute. 01 Ash Grove (Llwyn Onn) Arrangement of the Welsh folk song for 2 flutes and guitar. There is much debate on the origin (and original purpose) of the melody, but the best known versions use lyrics about a lover lamenting his beloved who lies buried in the Ash Grove. 02 Scotland the brave (Alba an Aigh) Patriotic song of Scotland, the tune itself probably dates from the turn of the 20th century. This arrangement for 2 flutes and guitar was written on the day of the Scottish Independence referendum 03 Danny Boy (Londonderry Air) Arrangement for 2 flutes and guitar of the Irish tune best known for the words "O Danny Boy, the pipes the pipes are calling" although it has been used in many other contexts, including hymns. As with many of these arrangements I have given the 2nd flute a countermelody which reflects the main theme. 04 Zwischen Berg und tiefem tiefem Tal German children's song about two hares on a mountainside and an inept hunter who fires his gun - the musicians clap their hands for this. However, he misses them, so they can hop away unharmed. 05 Kindlein Mein German lullaby arranged for two flutes which wanders from the mixolydian to the major mode. Kindlein mein, schlaf doch ein, weil die Sternlein kommen - My little child go to sleep because the stars are coming.... This arrangement is written in honour of Elyce's newborn child, Noah. 06 Minstrel Boy (The Moreen) This arrangement for 2 flutes and guitar is based an ancient Irish tune The Moreen, which was used by Thomas Moore at the end of the 18th century to create his patriotic song The Minstrel Boy. 07 Belle of Belfast city This arrangement for 2 flutes is based on the old children's dance song "The Wind" or "I'll tell me ma". It has become known as the Belle of Belfast City in Northern Ireland, and is possibly best known by that name, but it has been attached to other towns and cities throughout the British Isles, including Dublin and London. 08 Paddy asleep This is an original guitar solo written in honour of the composer's girlfriend at the time, called Paddy. Whenever she heard me play it, she would open her eyes and say "It's not true, I'm wide awake". The inspiration for the melodies comes from various Irish folk tunes but without actually quoting any particular one. 09 Paddywhack Variations for solo guitar on the Irish jig Paddywhack (also known as The Green Joke, Paddy O’Whack, Tommy Reck’s and When History’s Muse). The variations take it into more classical guitar repertoire than folk guitar, especially when it goes into the minor mode 10 Willow Song This arrangement for 2 flutes and guitar is based on the traditional tune used for Desdemona's song in the play Othello 11 Green Broom This arrangement for 2 flutes and guitar comes from an English folksong about a young man who is forced out of his lazy bed by his father in order to cut broom. The young man meets a fine lady while selling said broom and marries her. 12 1st song for guitar This is David's first composition for solo guitar (dating back to 1969). It has a simple but memorable tune. 13 Eos (Dawn) Trio for 2 flutes and guitar based on the above "1st Song for guitar", written some 44 years later. 14 2nd song for guitar Another simple piece for solo guitar. 15 Romance Trio for 2 flutes and guitar based on the above "2nd Song for guitar", again written over 40 years after the original 16 Lament for Owen Roe O'Neill (Eoghan Ruadh Ó Néill) Trio for 2 flutes and guitar based on a song by the Irish composer O'Carolan 17 O'Carolan's Concerto This is a flute duo based on Turlough O'Carolan's "Concerto". The fast and unabating melody switches between flutes so each flautist can have a bit of a breather. 18 Es es es und es Arrangement for 2 flutes and cello of a German folksong. The song would be sung by craftsmen who have to wander from town to town to practise their craft - the rules say that these craftsmen have to move on at regular intervals, so: "Es, es, es und es, es ist ein harter Schluß, weil, weil, weil und weil, weil ich aus Frankfurt muß. Drum schlag´ ich Frankfurt aus dem Sinn und wende mich, Gott weiß wohin. Ich will mein Glück probieren, marschieren." -translation by Martin Dardis: "It, it, it and it, this ending it is hard For, for, for and for, from Frankfurt I must part. So I’ll banish Frankfurt from my mind And see what with God’s help I’ll find I’ll join in fortune’s gamble and ramble 19 On the Wallaby Journeymen (young craftsmen) in Germany used to be required by law to go from town to town to practise their skills rather than stay in one town, which gave rise to many songs, of which "Es es es und es" is the best known - (the words of that song mean "it is a hard conclusion but I have to leave this town). These journeys were referred to as "Walz" so these workers went "auf der Walz". The idea of travelling auf der Walz was also taken up in Australia (where they called it "on the Waltz" or "on the Wallaby") and it gave rise to the famous song Waltzing Matilda, although in the Ozzie song the traveller was a swagman rather than a craftsman. So I have called this arrangement "On the Wallaby". In neither case was the 3/4 time of the Waltz used although there is probably a connection: I initially tried to create this merged arrangement in 3/4 but it didn't seem to work satisfactorily - indeed my left hand ended firmly stuck in my collar and my right leg twisted round my back - well... sort of! So here is a 4/4 "waltz" based on the two traditional and related songs. 20 Eriskay love lilt (Vair mi o) Arrangement for 2 flutes and cello of this lovely and well known Hebridean song. The melody intertwines with each instrument having an opportuity to play it within the texture; it also goes into a canon form at various points. 21 Japanese Song for guitar solo Classical guitar solo written for Seiji Kojima, back in the days when we were both students at Oxford (1975). It makes use of many typical guitar effects, especially harmonics. This new performance is by New Zealand guitarist Bruce Paine 22 Japanese Song for flute trio Nancy's arrangement of the "Japanese Song" for 2 flutes and alto flute, performed by Flute-View (Viviana Guzman, Barbara Siesel and Fluter Scooter) 23 Prelude for guitar This prelude for classical guitar forms part of a series of pieces written to reflect the events of Holy Week. 24 Variations on Naivety The basic melody here (a parody of the old English folk song "Early one Morning") was originally a choral piece called "Madrigal of Naivety" which can be found on youtube. It has been arranged, with added decoration and variations, for flute and cello in this recording. 25 Bifocal Rag A fun duo for guitars with a little bit of bitonality thrown in. This is performed by New Zealand guitarist Bruce Paine, who was multitracking with himself. 26 Feuer + Wasser (flute quartet) Quartet for two flutes 1 alto flute and 1 bass flute based on a song written on a poem of resigned teenage-angst and unrequited love. (I must settle my mind on this: that fire and water do not go together). The flutes are all played by Nancy Tyler, multitracking. 27 Railway song (flute quartet) A jolly quartet for 2 flutes 1 alto flute and 1 bass flute based on the Swabian folksong "Auf de schwäb'sche Eisebahne" (= on the Swabian railway) The music mimics the speeding up and slowing down of the train and its whistles. The flutes are again all played by Nancy Tyler, multitracking. 28 The grass is growing. Flute quartet based on my old song by the same title expressing the hope that nature will fight back no matter what we throw at it. The music reflects some of the ideas of simplicity to be found in 1960s hippy and peace movement songs. In this version each of the lower instruments has the chance to play the countermelody and also the guitar style arpeggiatos of the original song.