Intermezzo

Intermezzo for flute and piano is one of the earliest works by Ukrainian composer Alexander Shchetinsky, written in 1983 when he was in his early twenties. The work is a chamber miniature of approximately seven minutes in duration and is structured as a single movement. While the specific details of its premiere are not documented, it was likely first performed in Kharkiv in the mid-1980s.

The work is through-composed and does not follow a traditional formal template such as ternary or sonata form. Instead, its structure emerges from the continuous transformation of a limited set of motifs. This developmental logic gives the piece its coherence: the form unfolds naturally, avoiding abrupt shifts or sectional division. The music moves at a moderate pace, suggestive of its title, which evokes the idea of a reflective or transitional interlude.

From the outset, Intermezzo employs compositional strategies that anticipate Shchetinsky’s later “micro-thematic” style. A small group of intervallic cells, introduced early on, undergoes constant variation and transformation throughout the piece. This technique—wherein structure is generated from a single germinal idea—is a hallmark of his later writing. Although not rigorously serial, the procedures employed show an affinity with post-serial thinking, emphasizing continuity and motivic development over formal symmetry.

The dialogue between flute and piano is central. Melodic fragments pass from one instrument to the other, often in echo or expansion. The texture fluctuates between sparse, atmospheric passages (featuring soft flute lines over lightly pedaled piano chords) and more animated sections with rapid flourishes and rhythmic interplay. Despite the presence of atonal dissonances, the tone remains restrained, not aggressive—reflecting the composer’s early preoccupation with balancing structural rigor and expressive clarity.

Style and Context
Stylistically, Intermezzo occupies a transitional space between late Soviet modernism and Shchetinsky’s emerging “new consonant” idiom. In the early 1980s, avant-garde techniques in Soviet Ukraine were beginning to gain cautious acceptance, and Intermezzo reflects the influence of these currents. The work incorporates elements of free atonality and episodic twelve-tone rows, yet it also contains lyrical and expressive gestures that suggest an underlying songfulness, particularly in the flute writing.

Critics and scholars have noted that even in this early piece, Shchetinsky pays “special attention to the attractiveness of sound material and to melody as a source of expression.” The flute’s natural singing quality—exploited across its full range—infuses the music with a human element, while the piano provides both harmonic color and rhythmic energy. The interplay of color, texture, and motivic development anticipates the more mature works of the 1990s.

Reception and Legacy
Though Intermezzo did not initially gain wide recognition outside Ukraine, it is now regarded as a significant early statement in Shchetinsky’s oeuvre. Analysts of his music have cited it as an early demonstration of his flexibility in form, rhythm, and motivic organization. The piece’s economy of material and its organic sense of growth point toward the larger chamber works he would compose in subsequent decades.

Today, Intermezzo is receiving renewed attention, especially amid the growing international interest in Ukrainian contemporary music. It has been included in anthologies of Ukrainian flute repertoire, such as the 2023 compilation prepared by flutist and scholar Dmytro Gnativ. Within that context, the work stands out for its synthesis of post-serial techniques with melodic expressiveness, offering performers and audiences a refined and introspective chamber experience.

In summary, Intermezzo exemplifies Shchetinsky’s early aesthetic: rooted in rigorous motivic development but oriented toward clarity, nuance, and poetic expression. Although modest in scale, the piece marks a crucial point in the composer’s trajectory and continues to offer insight into the evolving landscape of late 20th-century Ukrainian music.