Mozart and the Flute - Jane Bowers
Citation: Bowers, Jane, Mozart and the Flute. Early Music, Feb. 1992, Vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 31-42.
Article Title: Mozart and the Flute
Author: Jane Bowers
Magazine or Journal Title: Early Music
Summary:
Article Title: Mozart and the Flute
Author: Jane Bowers
Magazine or Journal Title: Early Music
Summary:
- Styles of Playing
- Throughout history, composers, musicians, and many others have discussed methods of playing the flute.
- Expressive vs. virtuosic
- How to adjust tuning of flat/sharp notes
- Mozart’s Considerations
- Mozart wrote for the flute at an early age
- Often wrote the parts for oboes who doubled on flute
- Often occurs in the slower sections
- Was influenced by great flautists from all over Europe
- Helped him expand his range of writing
- Numerous concerti were written for specific players and commissions
- Solo and chamber flute works were also popular genres
- Performance Practice
- When performing Mozart’s works today, should we consider the flutes of the time?
- Many flutes existed and were being developed, so this becomes a difficult question to answer.
- Regardless of instrument, one should always consider the style in which Mozart was composing and transfer that into the flute performance.
- Some adjustments may have to be made for register issues and awkward passages that were easy to play on historical instruments.
- Many only had one key.
- This also influence Mozart’s style of writing for the flute.
- He had to consider the instruments that existed and their capabilities.
Bach and the Flute: The Players, the Instruments, the Music - Ardal Powell and David Lasocki
Citation: Powell, Ardal and David Lasocki, Bach and the Flute: The Players, the Instruments, the Music. Early Music, Feb. 1995, Vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 9-10, 13-14, 17-29.
Article Title: Bach and the Flute: The Players, the Instruments, the Music
Author: Ardal Powell and David Lasocki
Magazine or Journal Title: Early Music
Summary:
Article Title: Bach and the Flute: The Players, the Instruments, the Music
Author: Ardal Powell and David Lasocki
Magazine or Journal Title: Early Music
Summary:
- Bach and the Flute
- Many believe Bach did not understand the flute or the characteristic writing it required.
- It’s possible he wrote with specific virtuosos in mind.
- Another issue is that there was no standard flute at this time.
- It varied by region and year.
- Performance Practice
- Given the difficulties surrounding Bach’s flute music, careful consideration must be given to the performance of his works.
- One must approach his music with the Baroque style mind.
- Consideration of the types of flutes available during his life must also be made.
- Should a flautist adapt Bach’s music for the modern flute or attempt to play it with historical accuracy?
- This is a debate that must be determined by the musician.
- As long as an informed decision can be made and supported, the musician is free to do what he or she needs to in order to perform the music.