The best flute players for your event. The best flutists. Methods of playing complex technical techniques when performing a piece for flute Russian flutists

A large number of accidental signs - sharps and flats - in the musical text cannot be taken into account, considering that this can create technical difficulties when performing an artistic piece of music on a Boehm system flute.
You should know and take into account that keys containing flat accidental marks most favorably correspond to the characteristics of the flute fingering.
The technique of playing complex technical techniques when performing a piece for the flute, taking into account the design features of this instrument, allows performing jumps between the first and second octaves with maximum tempo speed.
Also, using the technology of overblowing, that is, a stronger supply of air into the instrument, with the slight help of valves, perform leaps, reproducing the melodic line in the second octave and softly, imperceptibly, in terms of the timbre coloring of the sound of the flute, proceed to the performance of the melody in the fourth octave. For this technique, you need to learn how to adjust the tension of the lips corresponding to this jump. At the same time, you should know that playing sounds of the fourth octave has a more complex fingering, which requires slightly opening the holes located above or below the one required to extract the sound. That is, it is necessary to use such insignificant opening of the holes as additional octave valves.
This technology for extracting sound on a transverse flute is similar to extracting sound on stringed instruments using the harmonic method, that is, lightly touching a string that is in a state of vibration.
For the most accurate example, it is necessary to clarify that the main number of notes in the fourth octave, on the flute, is extracted by pressing the dis valve (D-sharp) with the little finger of the right hand.
The technology of performance in the upper register provides a method for reproducing fluent passages sounding above the sound d (re) - the third octave. In this case, difficulties arise that are not present when playing in the first and second octaves. However, thanks to the valve mechanism of the Boehm system flute, these difficulties can be ignored. The flute mechanics of this system have additional valves, the use of which provides for a whole range of fingering combinations, thanks to which you can find a way to implement melodic sequences that, at first glance, seem impossible to perform. However, if you focus Special attention Given these performance difficulties, during independent flute lessons, thanks to the student’s perseverance, the problem will be eliminated on its own, by increasing the level of the musician’s performing technique.
The technique of playing the flute, in the upper register of the instrument, involves quite a long work on mastering the technique of performing in the upper register of the instrument, as well as acquiring the ability to carry out octave leaps and jumps from one register of the instrument to another by changing the tension of the lips with the correct use of auxiliary fingerings.
These recommendations should help the beginning transverse flute player correctly draw up a work plan in his daily practice on the instrument. A young musician must determine for himself which professional aspects he should first of all pay special attention to. This is important for a young flutist to quickly master the technique of playing complex technical techniques when performing a piece for the flute.

When copying or reprinting material or part of it, an active hyperlink at the beginning and end of the article to the site is required

Musical instrument: Flute

This amazingly virtuoso instrument, with a light, airy, seemingly “fluttering” sound, reminiscent of birdsong, belongs to the group of woodwinds. According to ancient Greek myths, its invention was credited to the son of Hephaestus, Ardal. Perhaps no other instrument has undergone such transformations and improvements. Initially there were two varieties - transverse and longitudinal, but later, the first version replaced the longitudinal one and took its rightful place in the orchestra. These two types are very different from each other not only in appearance, but also in the method of sound production.

The history of the flute and many interesting facts Read about this musical instrument on our page.

Sound

The sound of the flute is reminiscent of magic. Amazingly beautiful sounds are born in the middle register - unusually clear, pure and transparent. It is not without reason that the flute occupies a special place in the folklore and fairy tales of many peoples; it is often endowed with mystical properties. The melodic sound of a flute in the hands of an experienced musician can not only give aesthetic pleasure, but also simply enchant us with its expressive and piercing music, which seems to go straight to our hearts. The soft and melodic sound of a flute can sweeten our ears, soften our hearts, and evoke the kindest and brightest feelings.

A flute or a simple pipe, as a rule, becomes one of the very first musical instruments, which children may encounter, and are even able to make it themselves from available items of a suitable shape.

It is worth saying a few words about the peculiarities of the sound of the flute.

The lower register is slightly dull, but one cannot help but notice its softness, warmth and spiritual penetration, and the upper row of notes sounds piercing, with a sharp whistle.

The peculiarity of the flute's acoustics is that when playing the piano, the pitch of the sound decreases slightly, while playing the forte raises the sound.

The nature of the pitch of sounds can be changed by adjusting the strength of the air stream as you exhale, and of course, using the valve mechanism that closes the holes on the instrument.

Flute range occupies the interval from the note “C” of the first to the note “C” of the fourth octave.

Photo

Interesting Facts

• An example of the largest transverse flute is an instrument created by Indian master Bharat Sin in Jamnagar in 2014. The length of this flute was 3.62 m. The national anthem was performed with its participation.
• Flutes are made from more than a hundred different materials, including bone, wood, metal, glass, crystal, plastic, and others. There is even a chocolate flute that can be used to play music.
• The title of the most expensive flute according to the Forbes rating belongs to an instrument created by Powell in 1939. This platinum flute is now valued at $600,000.

• The most a large number of flutists in an ensemble of 3,742 members gathered in Japan on July 31, 2011, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Hirosaki Castle.
• The longest continuous performance by a flautist lasted 25 hours 48 minutes and was achieved by Catherine Brookes in Bedworth, UK, on ​​17-18 February 2012. Catherine repeated the 6-hour program several times, containing 92 different works, from classical to contemporary music styles.
• The flute is the only orchestral instrument on which air is blown across the holes. And you should know that a flutist’s air consumption is much greater than that of any other wind instrument, including such a large one as a tuba.
• The oldest flute was discovered in Ljubljana, Slovenia, in 1998. The musical instrument, made from the bones of a cave bear, contains four holes. Paleontologists believe that this flute is 43,000 - 82,000 years old.
• There are 30 varieties of flutes, which are produced in almost fifty countries around the world.
• Outstanding personalities played the flute. Leonardo Da Vinci, John II, Martin Luther, Emperor Nicholas I, Enrico Caruso, Woody Allen, M. Glinka, and many others.
• It is known that at the court of the English king Henry the Eighth V, a whole collection of flutes was collected - 72 pieces.
• US President S. Cleveland greatly valued his crystal flute with gold elements.
• In Vietnam, in the mountainous district of Yen The, during the rebel peasant movement, the flute was used not only as a musical instrument, but also as a bladed weapon. They were given alarm signals and killed their enemies at the same time.
• According to researchers, practicing the flute has a positive effect on the intellectual development of children, immunity, and has a preventive effect against respiratory diseases.
• The main deity of Hinduism, Krishna, is depicted with a bamboo flute. It was said that Krishna created the world through the beautiful sound of the flute, which also preaches love and freedom.

Design

The transverse flute is an oblong cylindrical tube with a system of valves that close 16 holes. One end of it is closed, there is a hole on it where the lips are applied to blow air. Modern types of flutes include a three-part structure: head, body and knee. Unlike other wind instruments, the sound of a flute is formed by directed air flow towards the edge of the lip plate. A huge role in the correct playing technique belongs to the shape of the lips or “embouchure”. You can subtly change the sound of the instrument by changing the degree of tension and shape of the lips.

The overall pitch of the sound is changed by extending the head from the body of the instrument; the more the head is extended, the lower the sound will be.

Average flute weight – 600 grams.

Modern concert large flute makes up 67 cm long, and the length of the piccolo is only about 32 cm.

Varieties of flute

In addition to the main large concert flute, the transverse flute has three main varieties: piccolo flute, alto and bass.

The piccolo flute is the most sounding instrument among wind instruments. The structure is the same as that of a large flute, the difference lies in the size - it is half as long as an ordinary one and sounds an octave higher. The harsh tone of the piccolo flute easily drowns out the sound of an entire orchestra. In Rimsky-Korsakov's operatic production of The Tale of Tsar Saltan, she is given the theme of a squirrel crunching nuts. In Act 1 of Bizet's Carmen, a pair of piccolos joined a chorus of boys boldly marching behind the ranks of soldiers.

Alto flute. They resemble an ordinary concert flute, but are slightly larger in size and with a different structure of the valve system. The range is from “G” of the small octave to “D” of the third octave.

Bass flute - in the range from “B” of the major octave to “F” of the second octave

It is worth mentioning much more rarely used samples - d "Amour, double bass, octobass and hyperbass.

Popular works:

I. Bach - Scherzo (Joke) from Suite for Flute and String Orchestra No. 2 (listen)

V.A. Mozart - Concerto for flute and orchestra in G major (listen)

J. Ibert - Concerto for flute and orchestra Allegro scherzando (listen)

Application and repertoire

The expressive sound of the flute attracted the attention of the greatest composers.

A. Vivaldi wrote 13 concertos for flute and orchestra. I.S. Bach, who knows well technical capabilities, composed a huge number of works with the participation of the flute, his sonatas are especially beautiful, and the sparkling “Joke” and the unusually touching “Siciliana” do not leave music lovers around the world indifferent to this day. Masterpieces of the flute repertoire include works G.F. Handel, K.V. Gluck, I. Haydn, W.A. Mozart, L.V. Beethoven. The charming “Melody” is the most popular solo in the opera “ Orpheus and Eurydice” demonstrated the sensually expressive aspect of flutes. The flute received a significant place as a solo instrument in the works of V.A. Mozart. A real understanding of timbre and virtuoso capabilities was revealed by L. Beethoven, who in his own way introduced it into the symphony orchestra; an example is the overture to the opera “Leonora”.

The age of romanticism was also marked by the development of performing skills on the flute. During this period, the repertoire of flutists was enriched with masterpieces by such masters as K.M. Weber, F. Schubert, D. Rossini, G. Berlioz, C. Saint-Saens.

IN jazz Drummer and jazz bandleader Chick Webb was one of the first to use flutes in the late 1930s. Frank Wess was among the first notable jazz flutists in the 1940s.

Jethro Tull is probably the best known rock band to regularly use the flute, played by band leader Ian Anderson. The alto flute can be heard in the Beatles song, "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away", played by John Scott. Also in the composition "Penny Lane".

Game techniques

There are a variety of techniques used when playing the flute. Often, musicians use double and triple staccato and the very effective frulato technique, which was first used in the symphony-poem “Don Quixote” by R. Strauss. Subsequently, the ingenuity of the flutist performers had no limits:

Multiphonics - two or more sounds are produced simultaneously.
Whistle tones - soft whistle.
Tangram - sounds similar to clapping hands.
Jet whistle - jet whistle.

Knocking of valves, playing with a spike without sound, sounds produced at the same time as singing, and a variety of other techniques.

The flute, for all its apparent simplicity, not only has a rich and glorious history, but also has a uniquely wide range of uses. This is perhaps due to the fact that it is one of the most ancient, if not the most ancient, instruments with which our primitive ancestors tried to create music tens of thousands of years ago. Since the Stone Age, the flute begins to win the hearts of people, enchanting us with its soulful and exciting sound, which reverberates not only in the heart, but also in the most deeply hidden genes inherited from our distant ancestors. A modest wooden or bone flute, lovingly carved by a master, can create a whole unique universe filled with continuous amazing sound that you want to listen to endlessly.

Video: listen to the flute

The noise and hubbub subsides in the hall when an ensemble with a flute in the main roles appears at the festival. In company with a harp or cello, a playful violin or solo, this instrument instantly puts guests in a romantic mood. The arsenal of musicians presented in our catalog includes both classical works and folk compositions that will enliven the event with notes of ethnicity originally from Ireland.

Flute players at the festival: how to choose?

The flute is far from the simplest musical instrument, although it seems that the sounds that are extracted from it are light and pleasant to the ear. To play the flute, it is not enough to have only musical talent. Have you ever thought that this instrument is difficult to play even physically? And this is so. Those who know this always look with respect at the fragile performers who blow real musical masterpieces out of this insidious “pipe.”

To select a solo flutist or flute ensemble for your event, check out their profiles on this page. In the photographs you can see what costumes the performers wear. Some people prefer classic evening dresses, while for others, national Irish sundresses are appropriate. You can watch the musicians play directly in the “Video” section, where videos from performances are collected. Assess how complex the performers' works are and how appropriate they will be at your event.

The first flute is like the first love - the impressions from it will leave an imprint on all subsequent relationships with instruments. Fortunately, we can approach the choice of a flute (here and below we will talk about transverse flutes) consciously, even if we have never held one in our hands until now.

Where to begin?

It’s worth mentioning right away that buying an instrument should not be the first step in mastering the flute. It is better to start getting acquainted with the musical world by choosing a teacher. His advice will greatly facilitate your search and save time. The ideal option is to take the teacher with you to the store so that he can evaluate the selected model on the spot and demonstrate its advantages and disadvantages in comparison with other tools.

Budget

A common belief is that the first tool should not be expensive, not best guide in choosing a flute. Cheap copies come to us from China. Unfortunately, their quality is quite consistent with the price. Due to the peculiarities of the assembly, such an instrument is difficult to handle: it is not easy to extract sounds from it, which can affect not only the desire to practice, but also the health of the student (especially if we are talking about a child).

Chinese flutes have a short lifespan. As a rule, they live no longer than a year. It is not profitable to repair such an instrument, and it is unlikely that you will be able to sell it even for half the original price. The only advantage of the Chinese flute is its low cost, but its disadvantages minimize this advantage.

Flutes from Japanese, American and European manufacturers are more expensive (a middle-class student instrument costs 30-40 thousand rubles), but they serve regularly for 4-5 years. A used instrument can be sold at a profit (sometimes even for 60% of the original cost). But the main thing is that it is easier to learn on a good flute: it does not resist the musician, but becomes his continuation due to the mechanics worked out to the smallest detail, the composition of the metal alloy, and the silver coating, which has been verified over the years.

By the way, about metal

Most student flute models are made from nickel silver - nickel, copper and zinc. The entire instrument or its individual elements are plated with silver. Nickel silver is highly resistant to aggressive influences: it is not susceptible to corrosion, durable and elastic - and is considered an excellent material for a student flute.

The lip plate or jaws (the part of the flute head that directly contacts the performer's lips) are often made from a more expensive metal. The same can be said about the riser (or solder) - the ring connecting the jaws to the flute head. As a rule, metal with higher acoustic characteristics is used for its manufacture: if the jaws are made of nickel silver, the riser can be silver, if the jaws are made of silver, the riser can be gold.

Cheaper instruments are made from brass with a thin silver plating.

All-silver flutes are more an option for the “advanced user”, since they are more expensive, and the nuances of the sound will be difficult to discern at the initial stages.

The best manufacturers

The musical instrument market is saturated with offers. It is necessary to pay attention to products from well-known companies that have proven themselves. In addition to reviews and history, one of important characteristics similar companies - manufacturing flutes of various classes, from student to professional, from cheap to expensive.

Only a specialist can recommend a specific brand. The market situation is changing rapidly. Until recently, the products of the Japanese company Yamaha were universally respected, but today flutists note a decline in the quality of this company's instruments. The American brand Di Zhao and the Austrian Tomasi are now popular. It is difficult to predict what the price-quality ratio of these companies will be in a year, so it is always worth asking a teacher for a recommendation.

Used or new?

It is better to purchase your first instrument in person rather than online, and ideally go to the seller together with a teacher or a flutist you know. The latter is especially important if you are purchasing a used flute. A professional will be able to assess the degree of its “shabbyness” and the correspondence between price and quality. It is important to remember that you cannot buy Chinese instruments secondhand - they are guaranteed to be in poor condition.

Used flutes from well-known manufacturers, with good care and careful attitude of the previous owners, will last for more than a year. Such a tool can be a good start if you don’t have enough money for a “fresh” copy.

Of course, it is preferable to buy a new flute. As already mentioned, its service life is about 5 years - the same amount of time that initial education at a music school lasts.

Structural features

Transverse flutes with a curved head: U-shaped or drop-shaped were created especially for teaching children. Both design options make the instrument more compact, which makes it easy to play them for young musicians whose arms are not yet long enough to handle a straight flute.

Another design feature often recommended for beginners is the placement of the flute valves out of line. On such instruments, two valves (the salt and the one closest to it on the right) are offset relative to the location of the others. This design is recommended for all beginning musicians without exception, especially if the flute is equipped with valves with resonators (see below). Offsetting the two valves makes it easier to play the G note and is therefore popular with flutists, although placing the valves in a line is considered a more elegant solution.

Among student flutes you can find instruments with closed valves (solid valves, without resonators). It's easier to learn them in the first couples. Some teachers, however, recommend immediately buying a flute with resonators, but complete with special plugs. If necessary, the valves can be closed, but from the first lessons the student will get used to the correct placement of his hands.

What else can you pay attention to?

When choosing the first tool, you should rely on the opinion of a specialist. The teacher will tell you what other design nuances should be taken into account. So, on some flutes, when you press the “E” valve, one of the “G” valves simultaneously comes into action. This design feature is called “E-mechanics” (mechanics is the part of the flute on which the valves and other mechanical elements are located), it makes it easier to extract the “E” of the third octave and is most often installed on flutes with valves out of line.

Playing the E note of the third octave is also made easier by “Neo-Mechanics” - a system in which the size of the second “G” valve is slightly reduced. This design is usually installed on flutes with valves in line.

Another mechanical option is The Brögger System - a system that does not use flat springs, which contribute to faster wear of the flute body and are used in the manufacture of most flutes.

When choosing a tool, you may encounter such marks as “French system” or “German system”. They differ in two parameters:

• The position of the foot is G-sharp (pressed or not pressed). The most common system today is the French one: the G-sharp foot is not pressed, the flute has an additional valve that opens when it is pressed.
• The location of the “B” and “B-flat” valves. In the French system, the “B flat” valve comes first, then the “B”, in the German system it is the other way around.

Choose your own good tool pretty hard. When purchasing, you should seek help from a professional - a teacher or a familiar flutist. A low-quality flute can discourage you from playing music and even have a negative impact on your health, so there is no need to chase a low price.