A Piccolish Procrastinator’s Practice Guide

The Flute with Breanne C.

#5 / Ian Clarke - Orange Dawn

This piece I’ve never actually played myself, but it’s absolutely gorgeous. Ian Clarke is one of my favourite composers for flute. He’s actually a flute player himself so he always seems to know the best thing to write in order for the flute to sound its best. Knowing the flute the way he does, he’s also able to incorporate a lot of extended technique into his pieces which is really enjoyable for both the player as well as the listener. Not many composers really know what the flute is capable of and don’t ever write for all its capabilities. This piece is really beautiful because you can hear the ebb and flow of the sky as it brightens into day. 

Thank you for your attention! 

The Flute with Breanne C.

#4 / Friedgund Gottsche Niessner - Walpurgis 

This is actually an Alto flute piece. Walpurgis is a reference to the German holiday, Walpurgis Night. At a time it was believed that witches met up on this night to do magic and cause evil. The townsfolk would often burn fires to keep the witches and their evil away. The piece has a rather spooky vibe in the beginning, and rather low as if the witches are dancing around their fire or cauldron. What’s especially interesting is the extended technique included in the piece. There’s an interesting thing where you have to blow and then push your tongue through the embouchure in order to stop the air and it creates a pitched percussive sound. It adds a really interesting twist to the piece. There are also a few variations where some players actually add some beatboxing on the end.

The Flute with Breanne C.

#3 / César Franck - Flute Sonata in A major

This is one of my absolute favourite pieces. The melodies are absolutely stunning and the piano part really compliments the melodies. The fourth movement is definitely my favourite, because it’s just filled with so much angst and emotion. It’s also empowering to play, with the piano rising behind you as the notes climb higher and higher, it’s absolutely beautiful. 

The Flute with Breanne C.

#2 / Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Flute Concerto No. 1 in G major

This Mozart Concerto is an important staple of flute repertoire. Most, if not all flautists have played or will have to play this piece at some point in their career, it’s used for auditions everywhere. I myself have played it every other year for university auditions and it isn’t my favourite piece, but it is fun to play. There are a lot of passages in this piece that are great for working on technique. I use it to warm up on often, to get the fingers moving and ready to go. 

The Flute with Breanne C.

#1 / Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 1

Tchaikovsky’s first symphony is really interesting because this is his first go at a bigger work but you can still hear little snippets and quotes from his later works. I absolutely love this piece, but the first and second movements are my favourite, and also happen to have the most opportunities to showcase the potential beauty of the flute. The first movement Dreams of a Winter Journey has hints of the Nutcracker ballet. All the shimmery sounds and the light dance- like quality really take to the flute’s natural timbre. The second movement Land of Desolation, Land of Mists is slower and more drawn out. The chords in the strings at the beginning of this movement are so calming and yet so somber. The duo of the flute and oboe is absolutely stunning. This movement has the feeling of the Swan Lake ballet. Overall I absolutely love this piece, it’s incredibly beautiful and heartfelt. It’s also interesting to hear Tchaikovsky’s growth as composer as this symphony isn’t often performed, which really is a shame.

Not a single soul:

Orchestra memes about violas:

Trumpet: not much body movement but eyebrows. Up down up down 24/7

French horn: a respectable amount, a bit of arm swelling if soloing

Trombone: I mean, out of the brass they are the only ones who have to move but if things get a bit jazzy you’ll see it, guilty of eyebrows too

Baritone/euph: eengh, barely, probably the least of any brass other than tuba

Tuba: can y’all even move???? Like, other than to breathe???? Please tell me

Flute: up down, side to side, circles, any which way. Except concert band flutes y’all are always on the move, plus eyebrows. x1000 for piccolos

Clarinet/oboe: like flute but more circular, especially when soloing, best facial expressions of the bunch

Bassoon: nope, nada, non, completely still

Bass clarinet: the face moves, the body does not. Either looks dead inside or like they’re having a moderately good time

Violin: do they ever stop???? Constant source of entertainment, what will the violins do next? How many times will the soloist squat during the passionate parts?? Nobody knows

Viola: a watered down violin, like don’t get me wrong, they’re swayin’ but not nearly as much

Cello: a bit here and there along with the bow movement, but not too crazy unless they’re soloing, always looks very intensely focused

Bass: not much of note, probably on autopilot