I recently began a new transcription project. “Little Church,” as recorded by Miles Davis on the album Live-Evil (1970), is my subject. This performance is remarkable for its serene, otherworldly aura. The music’s expressive potency and radiant timbres captivate me endlessly.
For this project, I would like to explore taking aim beyond the melodic line, and trying to capture what I perceive to be the essence of the performance in my own setting for flute alone. I have begun sketching out all the musical parts in the recording and studying the harmonies, though at present, I do not know how much of this content will make a literal appearance in my own creation. Put another way, to what extent my transcription will step into the realm of composition is an open question at this time.
For years I assumed that Miles Davis wrote “Little Church.” In fact, the liner notes credit Hermeto Pascoal (b. 1936) for the composition. A Brazilian multi-instrumentalist, Pascoal also sang, whistled, and performed drums and electric piano in the recording.
Pascoal’s musical skills include playing the flute, a detail which particularly interests me, of course. In my search for information about Pascoal’s flute playing, I stumbled upon something truly special: “Música da Lagoa.” Since, like me, many of my flute colleagues were unfamiliar with Hermeto Pascoal, I wanted to spotlight this magical video here.
In this joyful and playful performance, Pascoal showcases some amusing water techniques for the flute—techniques that I have not yet had the occasion to use, at least! The rhythmic harmonies of the bottle ensemble, and the flight of butterflies are also each wonders. How have I (and perhaps you, the reader) not learned of Hermeto Pascoal and this fantastic flute video until now?
Thank you for reading, and please stay tuned for updates on my “Little Church” project.
Check out my follow-up to this posting here, where you can listen to my own performance of “Little Church”!