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The Flautist Blog

Albert Roussel – Pan Joueurs de Flute

Pan Joueurs de Flute by Albert RousselEach of the Joueurs de Flute has a mythological theme and the God Pan is this one. Pan was half man and half goat. He wasn't the most handsome of creatures and was the God of nature. He had a penchant for chasing the nymphs and in...

Claude Debussy – La Plus que Lente

La Plus que Lente by Claude DebussyLa Plus que Lente (the more than slow) waltz by Claude Debussy was written in 1910 after his Preludes book 1. It was originally written for piano but has over the years has been adapted to many instruments and in different keys and...

Francis Poulenc – Hommage a Edith Piaf

Hommage a Edith Piaf by Francis PoulencThe Improvisations are fifteen short works for piano, none lasting more than three and a half minutes, and most not even half that length.But just as historical perspective has recognized the startling originality of Poulenc’s...

Maurice Ravel – Bolero

Bolero by Maurice RevelBefore he left for a triumphant tour of North America in January 1928, Maurice Ravel had agreed to write a Spanish-flavoured ballet score for his friend, the Russian dancer and actress Ida Rubinstein (1885-1960). The idea was to create an...

Gary Schocker: Regrets & Resolutions

Hello Everyone, Well, this is a fantastic addition to the flute repertoire and something I have been wanting to talk about for a while and that is working on gaining technique through repertoire and not relying so much on pattern repetitive studies. They still have an...

J S Bach – BWV 1031 Sonata in E Flat Major

Sonata in E Flat MAjor BWV 1031 by J S BachSonata in E Flat Major BWV 1031 1st Movement Allegro Moderato Sonata in E Flat Major BWV 1031  2nd Movement SicilianoSonata in E Flat MAjor by J S BachThe Sonata in E♭ major for flute and harpsichord, probably by J. S. Bach...

Francis Poulenc – Les Chemins de L’Amour

Les Chemins de L'Amour by Francis PoulencLes Chemins de L'Amour by Francis PoulencShortly after the 1940 Nazi invasion of France, Francis Poulenc was asked to write incidental music for a light drama by Jean Anouilh, Léocadia. It starred the celebrated French actress...

Arabesque No 1 by Claude Debussy

Arabesque No 1  by Claude DebussyArabesque by Claude DebussyMs. de la Pejaudie is the last of the four pieces and is dedicated to Gaubert. The first three are themed on mythology like the God Pan. Arabesque in musical terms refers to changes in tempo and highly...

Ms. de la Pejaudie by Albert Roussel

Monsieur de la Pejaudie  by Albert RousselMonsieur de la Pejaudie by Albert RousselMs. de la Pejaudie is the last of the four pieces and is dedicated to Gaubert. The first three are themed on mythology like the God Pan. Ms. de la Pejaudie is the hero of Henri de...

J. S. Bach – Concerto in F Minor BWV 1056 Largo

Concerto in F Minor BWV 1056 largo by J. S. BachConcerto in F Minor BWV 1056 J.S.Bach- LargoThis Largo, also called Arioso by Bach from the harpsichord concerto is the other piece I have loved from a far for a very long while. I finally decided to play and record it....

Stephen Preston on Baroque Performance

 The Baroque period of performance can be quite challenging for a Boehm system player. Our flute offers so much beauty tone wise but can make things more difficult for us ornamentation wise. I have wanted to do a blog on performance in Baroque music for a long time,...

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Conversation in music performance.

Conversation in music performance.

There is so much that goes into interpreting a composer’s wishes. One aspect which is intertwined with storytelling is the conversations between musical parts. The Mel Bonis sonata for flute first movement is a beautiful example of the importance of being aware of the...

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Conversation in music performance.

Story Telling in a Flute Performance

There are a few different ways and aspects to storytelling as a performer. Firstly , the player should endeavour to understand the composer, his life and any information about the piece they are playing. Secondly, use a backtrack or recording to understand the piano...

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Learning from Baroque

Learning from Baroque

Listening to artists and recordings that make one think as a player and musician. Baroque period performance and its challenges for a Boehm system player. I like to continually question and open my mind and musicality to new thoughts and possible directions. It really...

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Pieces

Here are a some of the flute pieces.

Hope you enjoy them

Claude Debussy – Petite Suite En Bateau

Petite Suite En Bateau by Claude DebussyPetite Suite: En Bateau by Claude Debussy 1685 - 1759One third of the art songs Debussy composed were settings of the poems of Paul Verlaine (1844-1896).  The first movements of the Petite suite are drawn from two poems of...

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George Frideric Handel – HWV374 Sonata in A Minor

Sonata in A Minor HWV374 by George Frideric HandelSonata in A Minor HWV 374 1st Movement Adagio Sonata in A Minor HWV 374 2nd Movement Allegro Sonanta in A Minor HWV 374 3rd Movement AdagioSonanta in A Minor HWV 374 4th Movement AllegroSonata in A Minor by George...

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Gary Schocker – Regrets and Resolutions

Regrets & Resolutions by Gary SchockerRegrets and Resolutions by Gary SchockerGary Schocker American flute player is also a pianist, harpist, prolific composer and a talented teacher.Born into a musical family in Easton, Pennsylvania, Schocker began his musical...

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Concerto de Aranjuez Adagio Theme by Joaquin Rodrigo

Concerto de Aranjuez: Adagio Theme by Joaquin RodrigoConcerto de Aranjuez by Joaquin Rodrigo 1901-1999Joaquin Rodrigo was born on November 22, 1901 in Sagunto, Valencia, Spain. At the age of three, Rodrigo contracted Diphtheria, due to which he almost lost his...

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Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy

Clair de Lune by Claude DebussyClair de lune by claude debussy Claude Debussy was born as Achille-Claude Debussy. He is one of the most notable and influential French musical composers that has ever lived. At the turn of the 20th century he was one of the most...

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Schindler’s List by John Williams

Schindler's List by John WilliamsB ackground In a career that spans five decades, John Williams has become one of America’s most accomplished and successful composers for film and for the concert stage. He has served as music director and laureate conductor of one of...

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Romance Op 23 by Amy Beach

Romance Op 23 by Amy BeachBackground Known as the first female composer to have a symphony performed by a major orchestra (her “Gaelic” Symphony, premiered by the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1896), she was also one of the first U.S. composers to have her music be...

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Flute Sonata Andantino Con Moto by Mel Bonis

Flute Sonata Andantino Con Moto by Mel BonisBackground Mel Bonis started to compose at the age of 16 and at this age she was also introduced to César Franck who gave her piano lessons and showed a great interest in her first compositions. At 17 she attended the...

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Fantasie Op 79 by Gabriel Faure

Fantasie Op 79 by Gabriel FaureBackground The Fantasie was commissioned by and dedicated to Paul Taffanel in 1898 for the "Concours de flute", a flute competition held by the Conservatoire de Paris. Taffanel, who took over a flute class in 1893, regularly commissioned...

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Pavane Op 50 by Gabriel Faure

Pavane Op 50 by Gabriel FaureBackground The work was written for orchestra, but Faure went on to pen an arrangement that included a choir, although only the original version remains in regular performance today. It’s thought that Fauré probably added the chorus at the...

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Guides

Here are a number of guides for flute pieces. Some are restricted to subscription members.

Example Guide The Serious Doll by Edward Elgar

the serious doll by Edward Elgar 1857-1934the serious doll by edward elgar 1857-1934 Why Choose The Serious DollI have chosen to play from the piano version of this Suite. I have taken the right-hand melodic line. The reason I have chosen this melody apart, from the...

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Pieces Guide: Claude Debussy – Syrinx

Pieces Guide:Syrinx by Claude Debussy 1862-1918Syrinx by Claude Debussy 1862-1918Why Choose Syrinx by Claude Debussy?“Music is the expression of the movement of the waters, the play of curves described by changing breezes.”  Although the solo flute can create a wide...

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Tone Development Through Interpretation No 09

Tone Development Through InterpretationMarcel Moyse No 9 Extract from Oberon by Carl Maria von WeberPurpose of These StudiesThe Tone development Through Interpretation by Marcel Moyse is a series of extracts that study expression, vibrato, colour and suppleness by...

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Example Guide Claude Debussy – Syrinx

Pieces Guide:Syrinx by Claude Debussy 1862-1918Syrinx by Claude Debussy 1862-1918Why Choose Syrinx by Claude Debussy?“Music is the expression of the movement of the waters, the play of curves described by changing breezes.”  Although the solo flute can create a wide...

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Foundation Tools Vocalisations

Foundation Tools: VocalisationsBy Eileen Gilligan These are the Harmonics tools for the foundation of flute playing. We will add to them over time but start with the following:  The links at the bottom of the page take you to additional pages focused on the Core...

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