Franz Doppler was born in 1821 in Lemberg, Poland, and together with his brother Karl were destined to provide us with some of the most useful repertoire for the flute, especially music for two flutes and piano . No flute player contemplating a concert for two flutes could imagine not playing one of the fine Doppler compositions . Franz, born four years before his brother Carl was the leader of the two, and the better player - or so their audiences said! Franz was also the better composer, though they often collaborated in composing and even in writing operas together, and very successfully too!

Franz’ father, although an oboist, was also his first teacher . Franz made rapid progress and at the age of eighteen, became the first flute in the newly opened National Theatre in Budapest which, when his brother joined him, provided the brothers with a great opportunity to work together with the chief conductor who encouraged them to write operas in their native language, Hungarian . The Doppler brothers also helped to found the Philharmonic Society there in 1853 .

As performers, they were best known for the pieces for two flutes and piano which they played so well together that they astonished their audiences . On a visit to London in 1856, it was reported that ‘they caused quite a sensation all over Europe by the manner in which they played the most rapid passages absolutely together . . . and with every delicate nuance of expression . . .’ They must have been quite a sight together . When they played duets, they stood side by side, and some have said that Carl played to the left of his body, but this was not true .

In 1858, Franz left Pest for Vienna, Austria where he became the first flute and assistant conductor of the ballet at the Court Opera . In 1865, he was appointed professor of the flute in the Conservatoire of Vienna .

Franz died in 1883 and his brother in 1900 . The best of their duet pieces with the piano, and the favourite of performers, is the Andante and Rondo, but the Fantasie on ‘Rigoletto’ and Valse di Bravura are also good fun to play . The best known of all the Doppler pieces is the Hungarian Pastorale Fantasy for flute and piano . Every flute player the world over has played this fine piece at one time or another and I am sure you will too, one day!

Original artwork by Amalie Termannsen

Trevor Wye spends his time giving concerts and master classes the world over including his well known presentation, The Carnival of Venice, for 60 flutes and piano. Besides travelling widely, he teaches at his Flute Studio in Kent and is Programme Director of the 2010 British Flute Society Convention and General Editor of The Flute Ark – the new flute encyclopedia:
www.fluteark.com
www.trevorwye.com