Emma Lou Diemer wrote her flute sonata in 1958, while studying for her Ph.D. in composition under Bernard Rogers. Diemer acknowledges a specific connection to Johann Sebastian Bach’s flute sonata in E-flat major (BWV 1031, 1730-34), which also features a Siciliano as the second of its three movements. Diemer writes, “The Bachian interplay and equality of the writing for flute and keyboard was uppermost in my mind, and also a lyricism and tonally uncomplicated style – though moving quickly through changing tonalities.” The first two movements have neoclassic ternary formal structures, while the third is in sonata form with a fughetta in the development section. It was dedicated to Mark Thomas, for whom Diemer also wrote a flute concerto.
