Danse de la chèvre (Dance of the Goat) was written by Arthur Honegger in 1921 as incidental music for dancer Lysana of Sacha Derek’s play La mauvaise pensée.
The peaceful opening is troubled by the mysterious tone colour and prominent use of the tritone. The dance is suggested before it is in full swing.
It is thought that the story follows a dreaming goat or one that is dancing before falling back asleep, due to the circular structure.
Another theory is that it depicts a sacrifice, possibly due to the unsettling feeling that comes with the jaunty dance. Whichever story you think about, the solo nature leaves a lot of room for interpretation and once again proves that the flute is capable of surprising colours.
Jessamy Robinson 