Sonata for Flute and Piano in C-sharp minor Op. 64 Cover Image

Sonata for Flute and Piano in C-sharp minor Op. 64: Flute & Piano Book

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$16.95 USD
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Sonata for Flute and Piano in C-sharp minor Op. 64 Cover Image
Sonata for Flute and Piano in C-sharp minor Op. 64: Flute & Piano Book

Sonata for Flute and Piano in C-sharp minor Op. 64: Flute & Piano Book

By Melanie Helene Bonis

Level: Advanced

Item: 98-EP20013
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Description

The Sonata for Flute and Piano in C-sharp Minor, Op. 64 by Mélanie Bonis was composed in 1904. Over the course of the 20th century, the Sonata gained recognition and is now considered a staple of the flute repertoire. However, the composer, who often published under the pseudonym "Mel Bonis," remains relatively unknown outside France. She studied piano under César Franck alongside Claude Debussy and composition under Ernest Guiraud at the Paris Conservatoire. This Urtext edition seeks to bring greater international attention to the work of this remarkable composer. Presented as a practical edition, it includes a critical commentary from Dr. Wilfried Lingenberg in German, English and French, flute part and piano accompaniment. The piece is 18 minutes long and suitable for intermediate to advanced flautists.

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Additional Details
Series: Edition Peters
Publisher: Edition Peters
Page Count: 56
ISBN10: 0-577-02478-7
ISBN13: 979-0-577-02478-3
SKU: 98-EP20013
Instrumentation: Flute, Piano

More about this title

About the Composer: Melanie Helene Bonis

Mélanie Bonis (1858, 1937) was a French composer and pianist who studied under some of the era's most influential teachers: César Franck for piano and Ernest Guiraud for composition at the Paris Conservatoire. She was a contemporary of Claude Debussy in Franck's studio, yet her prolific output of chamber music, songs, and keyboard works remained largely overshadowed during her lifetime. Publishing under the masculine pseudonym "Mel Bonis" was a practical necessity in an industry that systematically undervalued women's voices.

Despite centuries of institutional invisibility, her chamber music has proven remarkably durable. The Sonata for Flute and Piano reveals a composer fully conversant with late-Romantic idiom and impressionistic color, crafting works that reward both soloist and accompanist with genuine musical substance. Her rediscovery in recent decades has rightfully restored her to the canon of significant French composers.

Why we love this

This Urtext edition finally gives serious flutists access to a work that deserves its place alongside the Franck and Fauré sonatas in the standard repertoire. Bonis writes idiomatically for the instrument with real harmonic sophistication, and this critical edition with commentary in three languages provides the scholarship that makes programming it in a major recital or competition viable.

What to expect

Rich and introspective, with the harmonic vocabulary of Franck filtered through impressionistic sensibility. The flute sings across a landscape of shimmering piano color, moving between moments of lyrical warmth and passages of unsettling harmonic complexity that feel entirely modern for a work written in 1904.

Who it's for

Advanced flutists preparing for competitions, graduate recitals, or chamber music festivals will find this both a rewarding artistic challenge and an opportunity to champion underrepresented repertoire. Pianists seeking substantial sonata literature beyond the canonical works will appreciate Bonis's sophisticated writing and genuine collaborative demands.

How to get the most out of it

  • Balance the piano part throughout; Bonis writes the accompaniment as a genuine partner, not mere background support, and the harmonic richness demands attention from both players.
  • Allow yourself time with the tonal shifts between sections. The C-sharp minor tonality and harmonic language can feel unfamiliar on first reading; mark your structural landmarks before the first rehearsal.
  • Reference the critical commentary (available in English within the score) to understand Bonis's original notation choices and any editorial decisions that affect articulation or phrasing.
  • Rehearse the work across multiple sessions rather than attempting it all at once; at 18 minutes, it requires stamina and familiarity to shape effectively.

How to use it

Pair this with other late-Romantic or early-modernist flute works to build a thematic program around women composers or French chamber music. It also serves as an ideal centerpiece for a graduate recital, offering sufficient technical and musical substance to stand as the evening's anchor work.

Skills your students will build

  • Reading and interpreting a critical Urtext edition with multilingual commentary
  • Navigating rapid harmonic motion and late-Romantic chromaticism in C-sharp minor
  • Sustaining lyrical phrasing across an 18-minute single-composer work
  • Balancing as an equal partner with the piano in genuinely collaborative chamber writing
  • Executing the wide dynamic and tonal range required in French salon and concert repertoire

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