Jenni Brandon’s “Goldfish Songs” performed by Jenni Olsen at her virtual Flute Friday on her Facebook page. This week’s Facebook live concert, is at 6:pm, Friday, 17, April 2020, featuring “Goldfish Songs” by Jenni Brandon. Jenni Brandon will be there via zoom to talk about her piece and answer any questions about “Goldfish Songs”. Donations are not required or expected, but if you want to donate you can Venmo jenniflute.
Jenni Olsen is an active recording, orchestral and chamber music performer in the Los Angeles area. As a recording artist, Jenni can be heard on over 100 TV and film soundtracks including the recent films, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Wreck it Ralph 2, Smallfoot and The Greatest Showman. As a studio musician, she has recorded with distinguished artists such as Barbra Streisand, Kelly Clarkson, Michael Buble, Neil Young and Idina Menzel. As a soloist, Jenni has recorded six solo albums, one of which, The Dreams of Birds, is on the Delos label and is distributed by Naxos. This album is a collection of premiere recordings by a prestigious group of composers.
The program for Friday April 17, 2020
I. Suite for Flute and Piano by Claude Bolling
Baroque and Blue
Irlandaise
II. Sonata in Eb Major by J.S. Bach
Allegro moderato
Siciliano
Allegro
III. Adieu to the Piano By L. van Beethoven
Goldfish Songs by Jenni Brandon
Pearlscale
Celestial
Ryukin
Lionhead
IV. Suite for Flute and Piano by Claude Bolling
Veloce
V. Goldfish Songs was written at the request of flutist Danielle Hundley, a member of the Cincinnati new music ensemble Conundrum. She has always loved fancy goldfish (and in fact movement three is named after her Ryukin goldfish Bela) and imagined a work for flute about some of these beautiful fish. We collaborated on this project to create four short, descriptive movements about a select variety of fancy goldfish, choosing these particular goldfish because of their unique attributes.
Pearlscale: A flash in the sunlight
The Pearlscale Goldfish is a variety characterized by pearl‐like nodules on the surface of its scales. As he swims, his scales pick up reflections of sunlight, creating a creature that shines and shimmers like a jewel under the water.
Celestial: Looking heavenward…
The Celestial Goldfish has a very unique feature—its eyes are positioned atop its head. This gives this goldfish the look of praying, or looking towards the heavens. This prayer-like quality is reflected in the ghostly harmonics played by the flute in this movement.
Ryukin: “Bela”*
The Ryukin is an extremely agile goldfish variety. Its stout belly and well‐formed fins make it an excellent swimmer, and this movement is fast and furious like these little swimmers.
Lionhead: The Gentle Giant
The Lionhead is known as the “puppy‐dog” of goldfish; this slow moving giant is infamous for becoming tame enough to eat out of your hand. In this movement for alto flute the Lionhead swims gently through the water, singing a peaceful song.