The Mad Hatter (Flute and Piano)

The Mad Hatter (Flute and Piano) by Ian Clarke (b. 1964), Published by IC Music, written in 1994.

"Normal .. but .......well..... a little mad!!!! Quick and playful throughout ‘The Mad Hatter’ makes extensive use of whole tone, chromatic and diminished scales. No extended techniques are required. The piano part is of moderate difficulty.

The title 'The Mad Hatter' prefaces some of the zany nature of the work with it’s shifting, uncertain and playful tonality.  It also serves as a style reference for the performer encouraging a fast talking, colourful and slightly unpredictable approach; ironically the music also requires a good deal of control and precision.

Whilst some of my other flute pieces such as 'Orange Dawn' had clearer external influences of inspiration i.e. an East African dawn scene in the case of 'Orange Dawn',  'Mad Hatter' was inspired by the initial theme itself.  Within this theme there is the tonal reference of C, emphasised by the piano, and scale alterations that set the scene for the use of whole tone, chromatic and diminished/octatonic scales throughout the piece.  Equally the compound rhythms and groupings are shifted around along with the tone centres themselves." - Ian Clarke