Concerto for Flute and Orchestra

The Flute Concerto was written for my friend Robert Aitken, who gave the first performance with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. The Maestro, with a capital M, was Charles Dutoit, who treated the work as a pièce de garage, placing it at the beginning of the program and insulting Bob Aitken by following it with the Schumann piano concerto played by some headliner pianist.

I have never wasted my time kissing the feet of conductors, though I am always willing to explain my ideas whenever required, and so when Dutoit summoned Bob and me to a preliminary meeting in Montréal, I went.

I have a vivid memory of him waltzing into the room on his platform shoes saying, 'Eet is clear, Mr. Schafer, zat you are not a conductor. Please (passing me the baton) show me za way to conduct eet.' He was referring to the last movement which is in very fast five-eight time. Bob murmured in the background, 'Just beat one to the bar.' Dutoit wheeled about, 'Eh? Mr. Aitken would prefer to conduct eet.' 67 There was no further discussion and after the one and only rehearsal the Maestro hurried offstage without consultation. I didn’t attend the première, which was a great success – even though the last movement was too slow. R. Murray Schafer