 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"!
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 I got a question regarding whether I can give any tips regarding awkward trills and trill fingerings. My thoughts:
- If you look up some baroque flute trill fingerings and wonder why some of them sound wide, it's because they were meant to be that way. They sound out of tune to our present-day ears, but for the players and listeners back then, this was an expressive aesthetic. A classic example is the F#-E trill, where you finger F# (xxx xoo o) and then trill with the right index finger and with the key closed (so finger off): xxx Txo x - There are a few more trills that are meant to be played this way. Keep in mind that things were a bit less standardized than today - musical tastes change and there were always some varied opinions about whether the key should be on or off for a fingering. Coming from the modern flute, I do tend to put my finger on the key as long as it doesn't really affect intonation greatly. E (1st and 2nd octave) is no key for me, but I do use the key for notes like G or A for better balance between the hands. - The comprehensive book by Margaret Neuhaus "The Baroque Flute Fingering Book" is unfortunately no longer in print. This is an amazing side-by-side compilation of 18th-century fingering and trill charts. You may try to find it used, or there are various websites or resources out there that give similar information. - Always shape trills, the diminuendo or backing off with the air is especially important. This will also take some edge off of the wide trills. Whether in a brilliant or sweet passage, trills should always sound effortless and letting go of the air is what will make the biggest difference. Don't feel like you need to fill the entire note value with as many notes as you can possibly squeeze in. Often in practice, two "twiddles" are enough. If it's a trill over a relatively long note, it's always good to incorporate a so-called messa di voce, which is a swelling and diminuendo in sound. You may also want to start the trill slower and then accelerate. With some practice in this way, trills will sound more refined, even the wide ones. They should be light, ornamental, but nevertheless highly expressive. In my last workshop "24 Tips & Techniques for Playing Couperin's Second Concert Royaux", I talked about where are good passages to do the flattement / finger vibrato. Most players may know that flattements can be done on long(-ish) notes. However, I specifically suggest looking out for places where the melody moves downward to further enhance a kind of tender expression. Here's my latest video about this subject which includes clips from the workshop:
I recorded the air "C'est bien a tort" by Bacilly as demonstration material for a learner of mine. In the recording, I caught myself in a passage which I think would be interesting to talk about. And in case you're wondering, the upper line is in soprano clef, which is like reading G clef a third lower. So where the red asterisk is, we have a trill on a C (also marked with x), and the note before the trill is a D. We have here a situation where the note before a trill is the same as the appoggiatura of the trill. This often creates a bit of confusion and we easily lose clarity between the notes (in this case two D's). The goal is to still have a distinction between these notes, however subtle that distinction should be. The trill falls on the "ssens" of the word "ressens" and we'd want to reflect that fine nuance of the "ss". We can achieve this by gently ending the sound of the first D with the tongue, and then making sure to start the trill with the appoggiatura. Bring the tongue back up to the roof of the mouth, right about behind the front teeth. This will make the tongue end the first D and also be ready to start the appoggiatura D. You should feel a slight resistance on the tip of the tongue right before you start the next note. This refined coordination also needs a fraction of time to make sure the D appoggiatura really sounds and doesn't get swallowed, otherwise the trill would then become like a mordent or something. That's what happened in my initial recording, and when you're familiar with the style and expression, it sounds a bit out of place. I want to point out that this is not just a dogmatic following of the principle that we should start trills on the upper note, but there are musical reasons for doing so. With a quick and light appoggiatura, the trill here should sound like a slight tremble in the voice, or simply a flutter in the air. The two D's also make the line very smooth, which makes sense here for the expression. In addition, immediately retract the breath after the appoggiatura to further enhance that wistful affect. Compare if you'd play something like C-D-C on the C as the ornament (so omitting the appoggiatura) - I find it takes away from the "leaning" effect of the appoggiatura, which then also reduces the tender, yearnful expression here. Don't forget that, beyond vocal airs, we can make the same observations in numerous instrumental music. In fact, French flutists were first playing these airs de cour before specific flute music came into existence, as well as the common ideal for any instrumentalist was the human voice. So certainly in lyrical pieces, their playing would reflect a strong vocal tradition. The expression of ornamentation is also one of the hallmarks of baroque music. The very fine details convey expression and thus require a specific way of execution. There are usually a good number of clues in the music to help us decide on our interpretation, and what we know as "rules" have certainly musical reasons, not just theoretical ones. Below is my demonstration video:  Here's a question from one of my readers which perhaps others may find helpful.
The question is - What's up with the pluses and squiggles?😅 (Boismortier Op. 8) The signs suggest different types of trills. The pluses tend to happen on longer note values and the squiggly lines on shorter ones. So I would interpret the squiggly lines as a shorter, quicker trill (4 notes), very superficial and played absolutely lightly (using hardly any air at all, in diminuendo). It should just sound like something fluttering in the air. For the pluses, there will be more room for a slightly longer appoggiatura (but with varying lengths depending on the instance), starting perhaps a bit slower and then getting faster as time permits, and overall a longer trill. Lentement does mean slowly, but it is still indicated in 4 (the C) so we want to feel 4 big beats. If you're having trouble with this rhythmically, try to see if you can feel both the big pulse as well as the 8th at the same time. The longer trills will benefit from that inner subdivision. |
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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