According to the 18th century German composer and music theorist Johann Mattheson, "joy is the expansion of our soul and thus could best be expressed by large and expanded intervals. Sadness is a contraction of the subtle parts of our body, so the small and smallest intervals are most suitable for this passion." (not quoted word-for-word)
I find the concepts of "expansion of the soul" and the "contraction of the subtle parts of the body" really interesting, and as I'm preparing for my Andersen Etudes workshops, the etude in A minor comes to mind, exactly with the pointed contrasts between large and small intervals. You'll find some poignant places in piano and using more neighboring notes, and the large leaps in forte or part of a crescendo. For me, learning about rhetoric and affect in earlier music made me appreciate later music so much more. I learned to notice details as well as the physical and emotional connections with the notes on the page. The "expansion of the soul" speaks volumes than merely "big interval" or "crescendo". It's not enough just to do something in music, it needs to be internalized and FELT. Thus, it is the joy of flute-playing to physically FEEL those expansions and contractions as our air moves through those intervals. This internal sensation really allows us to experience that feeling of affect and rhetoric on an intense level! 🩷What's a sensation YOU love when playing the flute?
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In my recent talk together with Amanda Markwick, we delve into the question of what makes the music of J.S. Bach so challenging.
For me, it's definitely the amount of stamina needed, mentally and physically. Playing Bach's music can feel like a test of how well we can coordinate all of our techniques to function together. We first need to have a concept about the music, then arrange all what needs to happen physically: breath work and management – how we regulate our air to produce sound, just like singers do. In addition, Bach's music is notorious for us flutists because we're struggling to find good places to breathe! The question is - where and how to breathe? Articulation – Having our articulation contribute to the affect of the passage. Knowing early articulation methods is a key to that. Navigating difficult keys – Navigating through difficult keys is related to our breath, our embouchure, and coordination with the fingers. Bach wrote some of his greatest works for the flute in the worst keys for us. Think about “Zerfließe mein Herze” from his St. John Passion, or the E major flute sonata. (we don't even get a break in between - no comfort in C# minor!) So all these physical elements need to function together, at the same time, on command to carry out our interpretation. That's a tall order! It IS a challenge but I also see it as motivation. Flute-playing is a physical activity and the practice of it (whether 'practicing' or performing) makes me feel strong and builds confidence in my body. I do enjoy feeling that physical aspect of the challenge and the reward it brings. Another challenge I see with Bach's music is simply finding those important clues which help us in our interpretation. It's like solving a jigsaw puzzle. Because of the common practice back then, things like dynamics and phrasing were mostly not given by the composer (unlike in later music). But that's Bach's trust in us that we're able to nevertheless understand his intentions. Or perhaps we can think of it like a game we play with Bach – he gives us some clues, can we get what he's talking about? Here's a recent post I did on Facebook, reaching out to those who appreciate Rudolf Tutz and Wilbert Hazelzet. It all began with some photos I did with my fancy socks, which people seemed to appreciate. You'll see the connections more clearly though once you read on:
Still no Christmas socks, but I've got two walruses enjoying a starry sky. When I began my historical flute studies in The Hague, I met the renowned Austrian traverso maker Rudolf Tutz for the first time.❤️ I mean this in complete and absolute endearment, and that is, his immense stature and unmistakable moustache reminded me exactly of a walrus 😅....The 415 flute I mostly play on is from him and it has taken me through thick and thin in life. It has a very hard-to-repair crack and I hope I'll never jinx my luck with it.🤞 ✨As the 2nd Advent approaches, I'm reminded of the second movement of JS Bach's B minor sonata for flute and obbligato harpsichord. As Wilbert Hazelzet once so eloquently put it, it's a piece about enlightenment and I think that's such a beautiful concept. Maybe that's what the "Largo e dolce" means - large in our phrasing, in our vision of the music, with a sweet and heartfelt expression. Here's to Bach, the stars, the universe.🌟 You can find me on Facebook under Teddie Hwang Music and Photography. Please like and follow! One of the barriers that people might find in using historical sources is the notation. Things like different clefs as well as simply the style of notation can throw people off. It is definitely something to get used to and your skill will only get better by actually doing it.
One major perk I see playing from original prints is that it can sometimes convey a better sense of the musical expression. Compare these two prints of Hotteterre's G minor prelude. Notice how the slurs are notated differently - we get a better sense of the motion of the notes in the original print (top) instead of a slur that just stays "neutrally" above. Also look at how some notes are barred together - they give us, I feel, a better visual indication of voicing (lower vs. higher), and those curvy bars just reflect a little nicer the fluidity and elegance of the music compared to the straight ones. There are advantages to using both, especially when modern editions sometimes come with some background information which can be really helpful. In any case, always take your time with the music and enjoy your own discoveries in every piece, in every musical landscape. In preparing for my upcoming lectures and workshops, I’ve been thinking a lot about ornamentation in baroque music and most importantly, the affect of ornamentation. What often goes missing in the general conversation is what to do when. Ornaments definitely contribute to an expression and should not be applied arbitrarily. And then depending on how you play an ornament, you can achieve so many varied nuances which can truly enhance the overall enjoyment of a piece, for the audience as well as for us performers.
Take a mordent for example, which can usually be characterized as a joyous, brilliant gesture. To play a mordent (pincé) instead of where a port de voix (appoggiatura) should go could change the affect completely and go against the music. A case in point is the lovely "Le Rossignol en amour" by François Couperin, who indicated that this piece can be played on the flute(originally for harpsichord), if played well. You see in the opening gesture the first mordent (1), but Couperin continues the phrase subsequently with adding a port de voix and a mordent (2). Couperin didn't write this small differentiation based on his whims, but it was a deliberate choice in this stepwise part of the melody, because it's the appropriate place to introduce the charming sentiment which prevails the piece. Try swapping out the port de voix and just simply play the mordent at (2). You'll find that all of a sudden the music has a very different character. Perhaps proud, or stately, but certainly not tender and endearing, which is what we want to experience in this piece. Try continuing even further with only mordents - at (3) it feels ungraceful and would definitely not belong there. Not all baroque composers wrote down the little graces so carefully and consistently as Couperin did. So by observing and understanding which ornaments go where and why, we can then also learn how to ornament on our own, more in style and according to the taste of the music! |
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. TOPICS:
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