 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!
Remember that only setting boundaries will allow you to discover freedom.
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 Here's a screenshot from my last workshop where I was explaining one of my favorite passages in the Corelli Allegro. The key here is not to gloss over the 16th notes with a fast tempo, but take the moment to have fun with sculpting the notes with varied articulation.
In this particular passage, we see two different types of passages. In the first line last bar and ongoing, the 16ths indicate a passage where we're moving by harmony and not by melody. In this case, we'll want to use a gentle "tu-ru" and not clipping the notes too short. This is to create an acoustical effect which imitates the arpeggiation on a violin and is most suitable here. We want to refrain from focusing on individual notes, but rather on the movement in harmony which requires focusing on groups of notes. In the last two bars of the second line, I show how the pattern suddenly breaks up with the leap up to G2 and then something new starts. Here, we can create a sense of swing in this gesture by clipping the G2 short, almost dotting it before going on to the rest. In the last bar, try to accentuate slightly on the little off-beat notes to further create a cheeky, playful gesture. (g C# d / F# e / D c# / E d). Here, you'll want to clip the last note of each group. With practice, it is possible to create this space and expression even within a fast tempo. However, our intention needs to be discovering and creating these fun gestures and not aiming for speed. Speed is only one of many tools in the service of expression! In this way, it makes playing fun for YOU as the player. Many players starting out often feel overwhelmed by the myriad of traverso models available, not knowing how to invest in one's first or next instrument. There are so many great makers making all different models of flutes now, and that is truly a wonderful thing! Resin or composite materials aside, if you're thinking about investing in a wooden traverso, here are some of my thoughts on the choice of models and wood types:
- Since flute makers back then made instruments according to the time that they lived in, the instruments will always reflect the current musical fashion and tastes of its time. Combining that also with personal preferences and playing technique, there will be hardly an instrument that's "perfect". This is most challenging for people starting out, and I get it. I usually advise people that, if you're not especially in a hurry, to just try as many different flutes by different makers as you can. Often times early music festivals are a great place for that with their instrument exhibitions. Many traverso makers exhibit at places like Utrecht, London, Boston, or also smaller festivals like Bad Kissingen or Regensburg (EVEN at the National Flute Association's Convention, plus for sure many others which I just can't think of right now!), and it's just a great way to try flutes back to back to get good comparisons. Also, makers will often have flutes directly for sale at the exhibition, so you'd be sure to get the instrument that you tried. Make a trip out of it, enjoy all the exciting concerts and programs, and hopefully pick up your next dream flute that way! - Irrespective of your playing level, you'll get a sense of two things when trying out instruments - how the flute sounds and how it feels to play it. You have to like BOTH OF THESE criteria in order for the flute to be a truly good fit for you. I understand it might be difficult, but try to set aside any pre-notions such as the popularity of a model or what you hear other people say. The flute has to work for YOU. - Most people hope to, understandably, have an instrument which can play a wide range of repertoire. If you're looking for a baroque flute, keep in mind that flutes from the earlier part of the 18th century will tend to favor the lower and middle register, whereas later flutes will have a stronger, "easier" upper register. However, an earlier flute should still allow you to play solidly up to E3, and the few notes above that may require a bit of technical finesse and know-how. I see that as actually a GOOD THING for our technical development, and often times this slight trade-off is really worth it because you'll have a flute which is truly representative of its time, and there's tremendous satisfaction to be gained from that. Realistically speaking, those few upper notes will hardly be encountered in much of the repertoire, and we will only deepen our flute-playing skills by learning from these instruments. - A related aspect is, of course, what's the purpose of acquiring a traverso. There are so many possible reasons, think about what's realistic in your case and which flute will serve that purpose best. - A personal suggestion I'd like to offer is, say if you want to have that mellow warmness of an earlier flute but still have a certain brilliancy, inquire whether the model can be made with ebony or grenadilla. Most of these earlier flutes exist originally in boxwood, but there are some which also exist in other woods, or that the maker offers to make it as such. However, be aware that ebony tends to crack, and we seem to be in a time where it's very difficult to find good-quality ebony these days. BUT ABOVE ALL, it's IMPORTANT THAT YOU TRY THE FLUTE YOURSELF FIRST and make your own judgement! These heavier woods will have more resistance compared to boxwood and not everyone likes that either. For low-pitch flutes like a Hotteterre and others, I actually find that boxwood again is more suitable (for me!) to counter balance the low pitch (392 or 400 etc.) with flexibility and ease of play.  In my recent interview with Eva Legêne, we mentioned the drawings of Charles Le Brun illustrating the "passions of the soul".
This is a great way to understand the concept of affect in music, baroque or otherwise. When we play music according to an affect or emotion, every interpretive decision will be based on delivering just that, whether in terms of articulation, dynamics, sound color etc. And this is just like in drawing or painting, every stroke of the brush/pen/pencil will be in service of showing that particular expression. Notice the shadows, the lines of the face muscles, the eyes....nothing is just random! For those interested in seeing more of those highly expressive drawings, you can view them HERE. (leads to the scan of Le Brun's book "Méthode pour apprendre à dessiner les passions", hosted by the Digital Library of Munich, MDZ. Follow link to view or download).
If only Gustav Leonhardt had recorded the other movements of the Bach Partita! There's so much depth in this rendition, whether in terms of sound quality, understanding, and internalization of the music that I feel like you really get a glimpse of the universe.✨
While we can't play more notes than physically possible on the traverso, we can create some acoustical effects with the means that we DO have to expand our sound and expression. That means, understanding our instrument by experimenting with: ✅Slowing down the airspeed, reducing air pressure so that we get a pure tone with minimal noise around the sound. ✅Dropping the lower jaw and opening the nose to create more space and depth in the sound. ✅Training the lips to be flexible and knowing exactly how to move between registers. For example, the lips need to be a bit forward for the higher register, along with just a slightly higher air pressure. However, these are absolutely micro maneuvers which need to be internalized like a string player knowing exactly where to place the finger on the fingerboard. This feeling of security also requires great physical strength, which can only be built over time. Practicing with harmonics can be a good approach for this. Make sure you still create the best sound possible for the harmonic tones. ✅At the end, it's like a singer who knows where each note is coming from in their body. You can test this by going over the piece of music inside you without your instrument, perhaps also fingering along. Can you recreate that sensation of playing, can you feel how the air would move inside you, how the embouchure would feel, how and where each note would resonate in your body? I thought to use Bart Kuijken's recording of the Mozart C Major Flute Quartet as an example. Start from around 7:42 and listen especially to these phrases that involve only a few "simple" notes (the simpler the more difficult!). You'll hear that Bart's sound is completely calm, "straight" without the modern concept of vibrato, yet supple and flexible. It embodies musical tension which draws one's attention and leads you along note after note, phrase after phrase. Especially from the middle to higher register on the flute, we actually need an incredible amount of physical strength and support (strength in the embouchure and strength to manage the breath) so that it sounds elegant and deeply meaningful. It is the way for us to bring out the essence of the expression AND to experience maximum joy and connection with this music. This is the way to create what I like to call a 3-dimensional sound. As they say in German, "Strength lies in tranquility" (In der Ruhe liegt die Kraft)! |
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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