Love Flute

A very long time ago there was a young man who was very interested in a beautiful young girl. He was always trying to get her attention, but she never seemed to notice him. Nothing he did seemed to attract her. Dejected, the young man walked into the nearby old growth forest and sat down at the base of a long dead cedar tree. As he sat there thinking about the girl, a woodpecker landed on a hollowed limb that was over his head. The limb had been hollowed over time from the wind and weather. The woodpecker pecked holes along the length of this hollowed limb. The limb broke off and fell next to the young man. As the wind blew over this hollow limb with the holes in it, the man heard musical voices coming from it. He picked it up and found that when he blew into this limb and covered the holes, he could make beautiful, mournful music to match the feelings in his heart. The young girl heard this music coming from the old growth forest. When she came upon the young man, and as she listened, she fell in love with him. (Excerpted from story by Phillip Brown Bear ((Phil Lane)), Lakota Indian) The music for Love Flute is written in 6/8 time as an opportunity for young musicians to become familiar with counting and playing rhythms in triple meter. The main theme, played by the flutes, uses the universal calling tones: yoo hoo. The ensuing melodies represent the mournful longing of a young man courting a potential love interest, per the story of the Native American flute above. The range for all instruments is limited, allowing young players to develop tone with expressive, legato playing. The clarinet part provides options for players to develop right hand skill and move into the upper register. The double notes are not necessarily to be played simultaneously but should be chosen to meet the skill level of the players. Love Flute is Part 3 of a Native American Suite for Beginning Band.