This issue: October 2006 (Issue 8)

Unraveling the mysteries of Bach's flute allemande


Betty Bang Mather

Part 1: Is it really an allemande? If so, how so and how not so?
The first movement of J. S. Bach's Partita in A minor for unaccompanied flute, BWV 1013, has long perplexed flutists. Is it really an allemande? Was it composed originally for the transverse flute? And, if truly a flute allemande, what accounts for its striking peculiarities? Subscribe to read the full article

Performing Baroque Music on a Modern Flute


Trevor Wye

Before taking a look at this problem, it would be sensible to know precisely what music, instrument and period we are referring to and fruitless to pursue this topic without some understanding of the style and common practices of that time…

…Baroque music is about the principle of conflict - the creation of tension and its release found both in the harmony, and by the use of the appoggiatura, the ‘most important ornament in 18th century music’ (CPE Bach). Many of the signs and symbols written before 1800 require interpretation though they were clear to the 18th century performer as a common agreement between composer and player. Sure, ornaments are important, but what matters most is whether the performance moves us in some way. Written ornaments are not all they seem to our modern eye, and even a slur or a dot over a note can indicate something other than slurring or staccato. Subscribe to read the full article

Stage Presence and Communication


Pandora Bryce, Ph.D.

What is stage presence? How do you get it? Can you feel it yourself when you are performing? What makes a performance feel like genuine communication with the audience? These are questions that are often left unasked, due to an assumption that stage presence is a rare, mysterious and magical gift bestowed on a few lucky souls. I don’t believe so, and have spent a number of years exploring stage presence and audience communication through interviews with experienced performers and adjudicators. With their help, and additional information from the fields of psychology and actor training, I will offer practice ideas that will help you develop stage presence and effective audience communication. Subscribe to read the full article

Thoughts About Vibrato and the Piccolo


Rosamund Plummer

It is sometimes the case that flute players do not think about, or develop their vibrato enough, and this leads to lack of confidence when using it on the piccolo. I enjoy asking the non-flautists in young woodwind sectional rehearsal what their thoughts are about flute vibrato. Usually a lot of groans, sour faces and rude remarks follow!

If we use our vibrato properly, no-one should even notice it’s there. By this I mean with correct production and with tasteful application with regard to the intensity, in appropriate repertoire. I am still recovering from the humiliation of being mimicked by an opera conductor, when he rightly accused me of using too much vibrato in a Mozart opera. It certainly gave me cause for thought.

I think vibrato on piccolo sounds lovely and too many of us are shy with it’s use. I think this is for one reason….fear! Fear of many things. Of being mocked for overdoing it, of being too loud, of making the tuning worse, of drawing attention to ourselves, and , the strangest of all , fear of being too musical , as if the instrument itself isn’t worthy of beauty.

Other features & columns


Interest articles:
A Great Ries-son to play Beethoven' by Alisa Willis
The Powerhouse Museum Column by Danielle Eden and Michael Lea
Anthony Ritchies Flute Concerto – How to Play the First Movement by Alexa Still

Columns:
Teaching notes - Helen M Colthart
Jim on Jazz - Jim Langabeer
Irish flute - Brendyn Montgomery
Maori Flutes - Richard Nunns
Dear Ingrid - Ingrid Culliford
Piccolo notes - Rosamund Plummer
Warm Ups - James Kortum

Recent CD & Book reviews
Happenings in the World
Junior section

And more....

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