1 FOWI CC AW AQAIWWOVIN For Kate Hill PREFACE Any new book appearing on the market usually boasts of new ideas and new format. This book is no different in this respect though it does incorporate all the well-tried recipes of the past. Technically, the flute is the easiest of the woodwind instruments and one which lends itself most readily to being learnt chromatically. It is easier for a beginner to play in different keys, Provided that the learning of each new note is given equal emphasis. The general outline of this book is, therefore, to encourage. {a} enjoyment of flute playing and music making in the broadest sense. (b) familiarity with the lesser-known keys which, in turn, results in easier access to orchestras and ensembles. (c) the formation of a firm low register, the foundation to a good tone throughout the compass of the flute. (d) solo and ensemble playing The 72 numbered pieces (1-42 are in PART |, the rest in PART I!) in this book can mostly be played either: 1) as a solo 2) as a duet 3) as a solo with piano 4) as a duet with piano 5) as a solo or duet with guitar accompaniment. The book of piano accompaniments, in which chord symbols are given, are up to Grade VI (Associated Board) in standard (though many are easier), and is available separately. The book is intended for both individual and group tuition. It can be used without a teacher if circumstances make this necessary though a pupil is strongly advised to consult a good teacher. Many exercises and tunes are by the author. Piano accompaniments by Robert Scott with nine original pieces ‘specially composed by Alan Ridout. Finally, | acknowledge with grateful thanks, the players and teachers who have advised me on the preparation of this book: Lucy Cartledge, Catharine Hill, Malcolm Pollack, Rosemary Rathbone, Alastair Roberts, Lenore Smith, Robin Soldan, Hilary Taggart, Stephanie Tromans, Lindsay Winfield-Chislett and Janet Way. TREVOR WYEBEG2289 » 2 QB. x VeAQ28 ) FAI OQ G2. 222 y Foot joint - Study the pictures: notice the angle of the fl left hands on the flute as in the drawings above. Place your fingers on the flute as in the drawings above. Keep the little finger curved. lute in relation to the body. Place the right and The left hand first finger curves under the flute to support it whilst the fingers curve over the keys. Notice the left hand thumb. Keep the thumb on the right lever." 5 Breathing Put the flute down and take a big breath without raising the shoulders. The stomach should expand followed by the chest. If you have any difficulty doing this, sit in an upright chair ~ and hold onto the seat. Take another breath: this time the stomach should expand. Repeat without the aid of the chair Some don'ts: 1) Don't end the note with the tongue. 2) Don’t push the flute hard against the mouth to stop it slipping down: tuck the left 4 hand first finger a little under the flute. If the flute is slippery, glue some paper on = the place where your first finger should go. Keep the left elbow down. ) 3) Keep the shoulders down when playing and when taking a breath. 4) Don'tallow the flute to be supported on a flat right hand thumb: it causes the fingers to adopt a strained position and straightens the little finger. Keep the little finger bent. (see picture below and on page 3). Don’t practice with your music on a table: if you haven't a music stand, support it using picture hooks and paper clips, or prop it up on the inside of your flute case if necessary. ) ) ) 5) ) <2 Incorrect right hand position Correct right hand position 5 : ® 2 poeies 3 actising Practise every day. The lip muscles, tongue, fingers and breathing all need regular exercise if you are to progress quickly. If possible, try to practise at the same time each day. An athlete would soon pull a muscle if he trained only at weekends! Expression in music also needs regular practice. DL 22222222) ) > 33) 13333 2ZSGIGS ) 0 GViIBV? ) QV CORK 7 'y the exercise below counting four crotchet beats in each length. You will use only one note: B. $i 3S25 Play the next exercise; e Now take up your flute and pla bar. Play the notes for their ful ach minim has two beats. Play the minims for their full length. 1-2 3-4 1-2 3-4 Play the next exercise; the time-signature shows three crotchet beats in each bar. An exercise with a time-signature of % ; two beats in a bar. The following exercises contain note 'es of different values in each bar. Play the notes for their full length. Count carefully. (@) 1-2-3- O) ©)WELSH MELODY ve v Like speech, musicis divided into sentences and phrases. Try to make your breath last until the next breathing place. The music will then sound less broken up. DUET PUPIL TEACHER MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG v v 211 So far, you have played in 4 time: four crotchet beats in a bar. This is sometimes called common time andis marked with a @ instead of 4 . Notice that the first beat of a bar always seems more important: it should, therefore, have a slight stress. ¥ v A 1-234 SAD TUNE ee ALAN RIDOUT * 1- Very slowly softly Introducing quavers or eighth-notes SS ——— There are two to every crotchet or quarter-note. =S—=s= = =—— equals Play the following exercises counting 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and — for the quavers. SNAKES v 1&2e laeeve yall the numbered pieces have a piano accompaniment available separately. ‘The pieces sound better with piano or guitar accompaniment.=) ) 13 DUET H. PURCELL Slowly e PUPIL TEACHER Most of the signs used to show speed in music are writte ttalian. From here onwards, the most common words will be repeated in brackets. For reference, Nn at the start of each piece in given with the English translation there is a list at the back of the book. 2 AIR DE BUFFONS Moderato (ata moderate speed) \- 16th century a v TEACHER v 3 time is three beats in a bar, as used in waltz time. te te = v FINGER EXERCISE aedane frst flutes were made many thousands of years ago out of human bones, the tibia (leg bone) being 8 favourite. Until fairly recent times, tribes in South America would make flutes out of the bones, and drurre ies, upon which to make music both to celebrate their victory and honour their foes. Greek flute players were called Tibiscenes. One of them, Harmonides, in about 440 B.C., Confessed to his teacher that his only motive in becoming a flute player was to gratify pis vanity. His teacher said that the most certain way to acquire fame was to pay little heed to the many who know how to hiss, and to endeavour to gain the approval of the few who know how to judge. His words fell on deaf ears. At his first competition, ~ Harmonides played with so many contortions and played so eagerly and blew so hard in order to gain popularity, that he suddenly fell dead.dys =; When a previously raised note needs to be restored back to its original sound, a natural iS sign (h) is used. Its effect is also cancelled by the barline. It is also sometimes used as a i reminder. Gaatural reminder 4 MADRIGAL Andante v Wa TEACHER SS oS a Work your fingers quickly and firmly on the keys even when playing slowly. Don’t raise the fingers higher than necessary. This will help you develop good finger technique. 2) SS) 8 OLD LACE 3 Moderato v { -( Bor ( Remember to finger all the notes with the right hand little finger on the E flat key. HUNGARIAN FOLKSONG Vivace (tively, quickly)ro io. » g 2.2 WO BIBL 19 A dot under or over a note means it should be played shorter than its written length or staccato. Don't stop the notes with the tongue. STACCATO EXERCISE DANCE Allegretto A SHORT TUNE Lento (slowly) v FINGER EXERCISE x MUFFINS Va Vivace (lively) Tone Development The development of a beautiful tone is most important to your further Progress. In these exercises — andin the exercises which follow — experiment with the ‘speed of the air which You blow into your flute. Does increasing the air speed make a firmer tone? Ifit does, try: — (a) decreasing the size of the hole in your lips through which you blow. Whilst obtaining a clear sound, try to be economical with the quantity of air used. (b) moving the jaw backwards and forwards slightly, note any improvement. Play each note as long as possible. Take big breaths. Avoid turning the flute blow-hole in on your lip. No more than half should be covered. See the front of this book.a 21 THE STOAT v Andante v oe MINUET Moderato v v In the last piece, there was a flat sign in front of every B. In the next piece, there is a B flat at the front of the piece to save writing a flat before every B. When sharps or flats. appear at the beginning of a piece, it is called a key-signature. Play the piece above without the B flats: it sounds ra’ to want to return to F at the end. This. key — one flat you will be playing in other keys. ther odd. Notice how the piece seems it — is called F Major. Later in the book F major MARCH ANONYMOUS Allegro ww We Tone Before starting the next Pieces, play the first note of each piece as a long note to check the quality of your tone. F major NOW THE DAY IS OVER 5. Barinc-couLp Andante v v v F major JINGLE BELLS J.S. PIERPOINT Vivace v23 C major 7 LULLABY Andante ALAN RIDOUT ve Ye vo softly —— =e SUR LE PONT D’AVIGNON F major FRENCH FOLKSONG Allegretto v vz v >_ This is an accent: the note over or under which it is placed is attacked strongly with the breath and tongue. F major ANONYMOUS 8 THE CUCKOO 219th century Allegro > Zany hve x PUPIL | : PUPIL II softer” e. . * Practise your tone first before playing any of the pieces.25 2 This native is whirling a bull-roarer, a primitive sort of flute. It makes a low humming noise. To make one yor need: @ piece of light wood 2%” x 18” (6.5 cm x 45 cm) %” (%6 cm) thick and about two yards of pylon string. Cut it to the shape in the drawing and round off the corners with sandpaper, Dril shale ioe (2 cm) from one end. Paint it, with decoration as shown, in bright emulsion. Tie a knot in the ond ct che String. Thread it through the hole. Whirl it around your head. A tutor who tooted the flute Tried to tutor two tooters to toot Said the two to the tutor Is it easier to toot Or to tutor two tooters to toot?27 First and second time bars Sometimes a repeated phrase has a different ending. Play the first six bars and repeat. On the second time through omit the first-time bar and play the second-time bar instead. = G major al MELODY Lento =f ya repeat softer TEACHER Here is the same piece in another key: F major. F major 12 MELODY Lento Me TEACHER The signs and words to show the style and mood of a piece of music are traditionally written in Italian. Here are some of them: >) forte (shortened to J’): loudly piano (shortened to p ): softly mezzo forte (shortened to mf" ): moderately loudly mezzo piano (shortened to mp ): moderately softly crescendo (also written ——— or cresc.): gradually getting louder diminuendo (also written —— or dim.): gradually getting softer Se rallentando (also shortened to rall.): gradually getting slower ) y Louder and softer: You may have noticed that, when blowing softer, the note is lower in pitch. To pre- © venta note from becoming too flat, raise the air stream, when blowing softly, by -) pushing your jaw forward. Do the reverse when playing loudly. Always listen carefully oy and adjust the pitch if it doesn’t sound right.29 Another name for E flatis D sharp though itis fingered in the same way. Alll the notes have more than one name. For a full explanation see page 54. PART IL same note LOW NOTE EXERCISE A key-signature can indicate both a major and a minor key. Play the two tunes below and notice the different musical flavour. (a) Moderato v @ Even though both tunes have the same key-signature, each one progresses to a different note at the end SCALE EXERCISE IN D MINOR v Va Se ae eee ena aeons Here are two more. Minor-key tunes most often have an accidental. fe) G major Vv (a) E minor31 Introducing C sharp tt ° ° re Be sure to support the flute correctly with the left hand. : See the pictures in the front of this book. ° ° LS +. C sharp v v va The key of E major: F#, CH, GH and Dit. SCALE EXERCISE IN E MAJOR vo E major JINGLE BELLS Allegro J.S. PIERPOINT v v v Siforte)33 The key here is A major with three sharps: Ff, C# and Gt SCALE EXERCISE IN A MAJOR ¥- Se J Sai oe A major FINGER EXERCISE A major 17 A DANCE Allegretto we aw : 5 > 7 : An exercise and piece in the key of F# minor which has three sharps: FH, CH andGt . SCALE EXERCISE IN F# MINOR ve ow @ ———— F# minor CHANT Maestoso (majestically) vIntroducing upper D No little finger on key.37 Rae palassical Chinese flute, the Tse. Our modem flutes are descended from this simple bamboo flute which has been in use in China for several thousand years. ‘No more the wily note is heard from his full flute, The rivin \g air that tames the snake, Decoys the bird worries the she-wolf from her lair’ T. G. Hake (1809) The oars were silver, which to the tune of flutes, kept stroke. SHAKESPEARE (Anthony and Cleopatra)39 Phrasing Notice how the breathing marks divide the music into phrases just as in our speech. The signs described earlier (f’ and p, cresc. etc.) are now going to be used much more in the pieces which you will play. This will help the phrasing. SCALE EXERCISE IN G MINOR G minor 23 SWEDISH FOLK SONG Andante TONE EXERCISE41 F major 26 FOLK TUNE ALAN RIDOUT Con moto (with motion) ic ve t P Sa ae P wt ee So far you have learned the notes from D to D’ covering eight letter names: DEF GAB C and D’. This span of eight notes is called an octave. For the new notes — E and F — in the second octave, use a faster air speed or they will slip down to the lower octave. Raise the air stream slightly by moving the lower jaw forward. Use the same fingering as the lower Introducing upper E and F e = ov : s. e ° The fingering is the same as the lower octave. 4 Use a faster air speea for these notes. H o SCALE EXERCISE IN A MINOR We aesi 43 SCALE EXERCISE IN A MAJOR~~ =o = Sse: et v ae This short line above a note is a tenuto accent: it is a gentle accent and also means that the note is held for its full value. A major 29 LORD HAYE’S MASQUE cANeGn Allegretto - - v Read again the notes on Tone Development on page 19 TONE EXERCISE Very slowly BNEW: v NENG (oma SP S=—p ENN Sp S—»p nes av av SP Ce Sp Sp SP (ela wans NE ects cn Ve t= a ares ON ENV Te fe PN Lia t= iN VN t= t= f= f= t45 F major 32 WITCHES’ DANCE 18th century Moderato va E v nf ——————— oe = rall. 2nd time only y- v 4 The God Pan is playing pan-pipes, another ancient form of the flute. Its invention was thus: Pan fell in love with a beautiful maiden called Syrinx, though she ran away from him and hid in some reeds on a river bank. Pan slashed at the reeds and, not finding her, bound a bunch of canes together to make a flute on which to express his woe. Their love had been uneven, so the length of canes remained uneven: she who was once a beautiful maiden became a musical pipe!Check the tuning of your octaves. ———— =e 2 SCALE EXERCISE IN Bb MAJOR v 34 O LITTLE ONE SWEET Andante 17th century Ee nf~ 49 rall. v 2nd time] 1&4 = ~p >= a v Introducing upper F sharp and G F sharp fe} ° 2 ——. v Check the tuning of your octaves. ve SCALE EXERCISE IN G MAJOR We ) r i}51 SCALE EXERCISE IN C MAJOR ~~ ee C major 39 RIGADOON H. PURCELL - Allegro C major 40 DING DONG! MERRILY ON HIGH 16th century v epee v Allegro nf = v ral. 2nd time3 timeis tour minim beats in a ber, This tine can be played by eight players. If only four players are used, leave out the even numbered entries. CANO Lento NO! TALLIS a vi2) y3) ya 6 7 8 Check your right hand position described in the front of this book. The soft complaining flute In dying note discovers The woes of helpless lovers. DRYDEN 5 This piece of porcelain depicts a pipe-and-tabor player of the 17th century. These pipes — still obtainable today — can play many tunes on just three finger holes. The blowing end of the pipe has ‘@ mouthpiece like a recorder.