 What you see is NOT what you get in music!
A common situation we have in Baroque music is these kinds of continuous rhythmic patterns. For me, the notes look like wall paper, but just because they look like that doesn't mean we should play them that way! We'll always need to take time to phrase. Don't be afraid to breathe, make your breaths musical, make it a part of the expression. Amidst all these notes, there are wonderful shapes, emotions, & details that are waiting to be discovered. Don't be afraid to break things apart and really look into the corners. For me this discovery aspect is really the fun and joy in music!
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 An anticipation anticipates the next note. At a cadence, no matter how much ritardando occurs, the anticipation must have the intention of MOVING TOWARDS the next note. They belong together. You can do a great ritardando, stretch out on the trill and really elongate the anticipation, but the resolution must follow organically afterwards and not feel separated from the anticipation.
Use the tongue strokes T-D or T-R, ease up on the air (diminuendo), and think the word "A-MOUR" - which is 1 word with 2 syllables, just like anticipation + resolution is ONE entity with TWO parts. A suggestion from Bart Kuijken - you may also think of the phrase "merci beaucoup" - "merci" is the trill, and "beaucoup" is the anticipation plus resolution. You'd also never separate the syllables "beau....coup", but rather the word falls and follows naturally after "merci"!  Here's the moment in my last chat with the inimitable Eva Legêne talking about the expressivity of rhythm in Telemann's G minor Fantasy. While it's good to know what affect certain rhythmic patterns may imply, we still have to bring them to life in actual playing, and what we see is not what we get in music!
So for example, the opening "anapest" rhythm (short-short-long, 2 eighths + 1 quarter) suggests action, something lively, maybe even violent. In this particular case, it's effective to *very slightly* rush the 8th notes and be sure to use the tongue stroke t-d'-t, which will give an energetic swing to the motif. The slight stopping of the tongue on the second 8th note (notice apostrophe in t-d'-t) before the quarter helps to give a rhythmic anchor and thus reinforcing the rustic sound of this movement. If we play this rhythmically correct and "straight", we won't arrive at the spirit of this music. The "trochee" in the major section (long-short, dotted quarter + eighth) represents something gentler. In this case, be sure to lighten up in the air pressure at the end of the slur, slightly over dot the quarter and make the 8th note almost inaudible. This will give a sweeter expression compared to the boxy and spirited first section. Again compare this with playing it as written, I guarantee you'll never want to go back to that way. Eva and I are so looking forward to NOV. 8TH to share with you the fun in connecting knowledge with artistry! Registration info: https://www.eventbrite.de/e/the-affect-in-rhythm-tickets-1450312366329  Any combination involving the 4th finger is always a bit tricky, as it's the weakest and least independent of all fingers. Here's a visualization I like to do - I think of "extending my 4th finger", imagining they're longer than they actually are, as a way to give attention. When they're tense, the fingers curl up and "become short", this is where I find myself GRABBING the flute, which is not desired. Imagining them "LONG" helps me to relax and also helps to accommodate that big stretch between the finger holes. So the next time you have a thorny passage coming up with G#s, Fnaturals etc., make that 4th finger LOOONG👌
 Especially in lyrical pieces, the metronome can be a really helpful tool for learning how to play flexibly but still with structured phrasing. A common problem is that as we get emotional with the music(a good thing!), we easily get bogged down by some small details. We slow down and the music loses coherence. Try practicing with a metronome and focus on doing rubato BETWEEN the beats without losing the main pulse. It's actually most wonderful if you're sometimes off but then manage to be in sync again with the original pulse. That's the dancing!
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ABOUT THE BLOG:I got inspired to document my own observations in flute-playing and music-making. Also, I thought it's important to pass on the teachings of the great Wilbert Hazelzet, as well as many other mentors who have influenced my artistic visions one way or the other. Enjoy this potpourri of tips, inspirations, and musings. ✨CONTRIBUTE!✨Yes I love the writing that I do! If you love them as well, how about consider showing your appreciation with a personal contribution? 
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