MIGHTY METAMORPHOSES 21th-century repertoire for piccolo and flute between skit and sérieux, neo and new. With a first documented use case dating from the 18th century, the piccolo truly is the ‘little brother’ of the (much older) transverse flute, different.

Initially used for ‘special effects’ in symphonies and operas, the piccolo became a full member of the orchestra in the late 19th century only. It would take until

the end of last century for piccolo playing to become an established discipline, at which time most professional orchestras employed a specialised ‘piccoloist’.

The chamber music repertoire for piccolo therefore has remained rather sparse. Gary Schocker (b. 1959), a flautist who has worked with the New York Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra and ranks among the best of his generation, has firsthand experience with fruitless searches for interesting

material. Also including works by composers Matt Smith, Aaron Copland and Thea Musgrave, this is a unique recording celebrating one of the smallest instruments of the orchestra.