The Sonatine for Flute and Piano is one of a series of four test pieces for the Paris Conservatoire that Dutilleux wrote between 1942 and 1951.
[2] Dutilleux was notoriously critical of his early works, including the Sonatine.
[2][4] The work has become a standard of the flute repertoire[2] and has been performed many times by flautists such as Sharon Bezaly, James Strauss and Emmanuel Pahud.
[6] The first section features a mysterious theme in 78 contrasting with jagged piano figures.
The last section features rapid exchanges between the flute and the piano before another short but difficult cadenza recalls the themes heard before.