Samuel Barber Canzone for Flute and piano

Samuel Barber’s Canzone for Flute (or Violin) and piano is his transcription of the second movement of his Piano Concerto, op.38. The Piano Concerto (1960~1962) was the composer’s final masterpiece, and arguably the zenith of his professional life. Barber was among the most honored and respected living American composers, both at home and abroad. Canzone is a notable instance of the composer’s self-borrowing. This work was originally written for the amateur flautist Manfred Ibel in 1959. It was given the simple title Elegy, but was never published or catalogued as such; two years later Barber re-titled the piece Canzone for Manfred.
The melody of Canzone became the main theme of the second movement of the Piano Concerto. Barber then rededicated Canzone as op.38a and catalogued it as a transcription of the Piano Concerto’s second movement. The beginning and end of both pieces is nearly identical. However, in the Piano Concerto, the mood of the second movement is in general restful and song-like, whereas in Canzone, the lyricism quickly reaches an impassioned and chromatic peak.

(Taken from the All Music Guide)