Suite Antique - for Flute and Piano

Originally for Flute, Harpsichord and Strings

By John Rutter

Rutter's Suite Antique has six pieces with varying difficulty levels. The odd-numbered movements tend to be slower and much more expressive, while the even-numbered movements are quicker and more dramatic, and all 6 sound great. The main difficulties in the slower movements would probably be the range...

: there are many sections that are supposed to be piano or softer where the flute is playing in the upper register. The quicker movements have some difficult runs, especially in the waltz and the rondeau. The waltz and the rondeau (movements 4 and 6) are the two hardest movements, as the waltz has a lot 2-on-3-on-4 rhythms, as well as some awkward runs for the flute. The rondeau is in an irregular time signature for most of the piece as well, and there are some runs that require a lot of control of the embouchure and airflow (such as between E and A in the upper register). Still, an advanced high school student would probably be able to learn the entire suite. I recommend this highly.

My private teacher suggested this piece for one of my solos, and I love it! It's just easy enough to be fun to learn and listen to, but it's also difficult enough to push me to be a better flutist. I found some of the movements in Suite...

Antique to be fairly easy, which provided a counter to the more challenging movements. My accompanist and I love it for its flowing melodies and its familiar quality. The best thing was that I received the music within three business days, even though I was told it would take up to twenty!

A real audience pleaser with lots of pretty melodies. A good piece for developing a singing tone and introducing polymeters. Loosely based on a Baroque dance suite with modern touches, as in the waltz.

I heard this on our local PBS station and loved the flute parts so I ordered it. I am in the process of learning the parts, particularly the odd-numbered movements (for some reason I like those best). I plan on using these in Church programs as either a prelude...

or offeratory.

I first heard just the Prelude of "Suite Antique" by John Rutter played in The Collegiate Presbyterian Church in Ames, Iowa. I was so swept off of my seat that I immediately ordered it to play myself. It arrived as I arrived home from Iowa. I am looking forward to...

playing parts of it with a former piano student as she plays flute.