Estsanatlehi from The Book of Goddesses by Kris Waldherr.
© Kris Waldherr. All Rights Reserved. Used With Permission.
This is the fifth movement of The Book of Goddesses, a nine-movement work I wrote for flute, harp percussion and optional choreography. It is scored for bass flute (or regular flute if a bass flute is not available) and is the only one for a solo instrument. Each of the movements of this larger work may be performed individually or in smaller subsets.
In Estsanatlehi, I mimic the sound of a Native American flute by using a bass flute, which has a similar range. Unlike the Western flute which is a transverse flute (blown on the side), Native American flutes are blown from the top and often have two chambers. This allows the flutist to bend notes. This technique is also possible on a bass flute, although a lot more difficult, but I incorporate it nevertheless. Estsanatlehi is also a transformative goddess, so I gradually transform the musical scale by adding notes as the piece progresses.
The Book of Goddesses was commissioned by MAYA with funding provided by the New York State Council on The Arts.
– Robert Paterson
"[The Book of Goddesses] is just terrific!! So imaginative, evocative of world music without being derivative; varied, original and beautiful."
