REENA ESMAIL
Zinfandel
for unaccompanied Flute
2010
Program Notes:
One of the very first pieces of music I ever wrote was a flute solo called Chardonnay, in 2000. Ten years later,
when the commission came for this piece, it was with the stipulation that it be called Zinfandel. At this rate,
I’m hoping to write one solo woodwind piece every decade, named for a wine (!) (Note: the original version of
Zinfandel is for solo bassoon — this version is a transcription for flute)
More seriously, though, this piece was written at an inflection point in my life: I had just begun my journey
into studying Indian classical music, and this piece was one of the first ones in which I tried to get a sense of
this incredible music that ultimately became a major influence on my style. The beginning section just starts
to bend towards the idea of a raag, both in its unique, characteristic pitch collection and in its development of
melody, just barely hinting at a Hindustani aalap.
While writing the fast section, I held an image in my mind: a glimmer of light reflecting and refracting off the
surface of the dark, rich wine. It reflects in one place, pauses momentarily, then flits asymmetrically to appear
in another place. The liquid is silent and still, but the surface is moving very delicately.
Performance Notes:
A note on rhythm: The rhythm in the first section should be very flexible, using the metronome mark only as
a guideline during points of stillness. In the second section, each phrase is rhythmically rigid, but the rests in
between are expressive pauses. The bracketed rests suggest a rough length, but the player should aim to keep
motion and energy in each pause, as if notes are still being played that are too soft to hear.
Zinfandel was commissioned by Bruno and Norma Repp for bassoonist Tariq Masri. It was premiered on February 17, 2015
at the Alabama Symphony Chamber Series at Samford University.
Reena Esmail works OTHER WORKS for FLUTE
between the worlds of by REENA ESMAIL
Indian and Western
classical music, and SOLO FLUTE
brings communities • Chardonnay (2000) solo flute - 4’
together through the • Flute Sonata (2019) flute+piano - 7’ (mmt2 only)
creation of equitable • Jhula Jhule (2013) version for flute+piano - 11’
musical spaces. Esmail
holds degrees from The CHAMBER MUSIC
Juilliard School and the • Nadiya (2017) flute+cello (also available for
Yale School of Music. A flute+viola) - 5’
resident of Los Angeles, Esmail is the 2020-23 • The Light is the Same (2017) wind quintet
Swan Family Artist in Residence with Los Angeles (original version) - 9’
Master Chorale, and the 2020-21 Composer in • The Light is the Same (2017) version for flute,
Residence with Seattle Symphony. She is a Founder oboe and piano - 9’
and Artistic Director of Shastra, a non-profit
organization that connects the classical music CHORAL MUSIC
traditions of India and the West. • She Will Transform You (2019) version for
SATB choir + flute - 9’
• I Rise: Women in Song (2016) SSAA choir +
string orchestra+flute+harp - 5 mmts, 14’
(alternate version — 3mmts, SSAA+flute only)
Full catalog of works available at
http://www.reenaesmail.com
Flute Version commissioned by Bruno and Norma Repp
for Tariq Masri
Z infandel
transcribed for unaccompanied flute Reena Esmail
Deep and rich ( q = 52*) a
Flute & ˙™ fi
œœœ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
mp p
— b a little slower c
& œfi œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ
‰ ‰
p
pp ,
œ œ œ #œ # œ œ
& œ œfi œ œ ˙ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
‰
mp f
‰ ≈
b˙ b œ œ œ œ œ œfi œ œ œ œ œ œ b œ b œ œ œ œ œ œ
œœœ œœœ
&
p mf p
<b> œ ‰ œ œ œ œb œfib œ œ ˙ ‰ bœbœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ -œ -œ -œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
&
mf f
‰ œ b œfib œ œ œ œ œ™ fi
œœœ œ fi
œœœ œ b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ™ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
& #œ œ œ #œ
ff mf p mf p
* the general tempo for long notes is around q = 52, but there should be a considerable amount of flexibility in the performance.
a: accidentals are always good until the end of the line, unless otherwise specified
b: ties that lead into rests: the rest should be quick and active, articulated as if it is 'on the beat'. The tied note should lead into it, in the way an upbeat leads to a downbeat.
c: non-connecting beams indicate that the notes in question should be played even slower than the notes with the 8th note beams.
Copyright © 2010 - A Piece of Sky Music (ASCAP)
All Rights Reserved -- Last Edit: Wed 9/22/21
Licensed to Chen-Yu Lee 1/21/2025
‰
fi
bœ b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ -œ -œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœœ œ œ œ œ œ
2
bœbœ œ
& #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
mp p
n -˙ œ™™ b œ n œ œ œ™™ b œ œ -œ -œ -œ b œ œ b œ œ œ œ œ œ
Boldly
& bœJ ‰
ff f
≈
œ œ œ bœ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ -œ -œ -œ b œ œ œ œ - -œ
œ œ b œ œ œ œ >œ
&
ff
mf
fi
bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ b œ œ œ œ #œ œ fi
bœbœ œ œ œ ˙
˙™ ≈
œ œ œbœ œ
&
f p sub
f p sub f mp
≈ œ fi ‰ bœ
œ #œ œ
œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ b œ b œ œ œ
œ œœ œ b œ œ œ œ #œ n œ œ œ
&
f mp f
-œ -œ n -œ
Distant
œ -
œ n ˙
®
nœ nœ œ œ b œ œ œ b œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ
&
pp
ff mf p
œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙
& ‰ nœ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ
mp pp
œ œ œ œ œ b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ™ œ ˙ 3
& J Œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
mp pp mp
-œ b -œ n -œ ˙
U
& ‰ Ó ‰ #œ œ œ œ nœ Ó ‰ #œ œ Œ
mp mp
Delicate, like a reflection on moving water (q = 80)
. . . .
-œ œ. # -œ œ. -œ œ. -œ œ œ -œ œ œ -œ œ œ
d *suggested length
-
-œ œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ
& ‰ Œ Œ ‰ Œ
mp o p mp o
rhythmically
œ œ œ. -œ œ. œ. -œ œ. œ. -œ œ. b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ -œ
#œ œ œ œ œ œ. Œ Œ nœ bœ œ œ œ b œ œ b œ œ œ
& ≈ ≈
o mp p mf p o p
-œ œ. -œ œ. -œ œ. -œ œ. n œ. -œ œ. œ. -œ œ. œ œ œ œ
bœ œ œ œ -œ n -œ œ œ. -œ œ.
œ #-œ œ. Œ
&
mf mp p mf p mf o
n -œ œ œ. -œ œ. -œ œ. -œ œ. œ. -œ œ. b œ. œ œ œ b œ œ œ œ œ -œ œ. -œ œ. -œ œ
™ #-œ œ.
& ‰ R
mp p f p mf p
- . - . - . œ -œ œ. -œ œ. -œ œ. # œ -œ œ.
b œ. œ # œ œ œ œ œ œ
& Œ ‰™ Œ Œ ‰™ R ‰
mf o mp o p
d: each short grouping should feel like an echo -- each tenuto note is the main note, and the others are progressively
softer. Each grouping should be quite legato within the slur, but slightly separated from the next group.
œ #œ - . - .
œ #œ œ œ œ b œ œ b œ œ œ -œ œ. #œ -œ œ œ. n œ œ œ œ œ œ
4
#œ
& ≈ Œ Œ
mf mp o
œ œ œ œ b œ œ œ -œ œ œ. n -œ œ. -œ œ. -œ œ œ œ. œ b œ b œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ
& ≈ œ #œ œ nœ œ bœ
p mf
. . .
-œ œ. # -œ œ. -œ œ. -œ œ œ -œ œ œ -œ œ œ
& ˙ Œ ‰ ‰™ Œ Œ ≈ œ #œ nœ œ œ bœ ˙
f mp o o mp
. - . - . - .
œ -œ # œ -œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ #œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
& ≈ Œ
mf o mf
n œ œ#œ œ œ#œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
& bœ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œ ˙
j œ
‰ nœ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ
˙ ‰ #œ œ œ œ ≈
nœ œ œbœ œ œ œ bœ b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ™ œ
& J
mp
ff mf
4˙ -œ œ œ. U
&4 Œ Œ ‰ œ. j #œJ. œj Œ Œ Œ Ó
.
p pp ppp
A Piece of Sky Music (ASCAP)
Zinfandel - flute version (ZIN200)
Parts Included: NONE
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