Joaquim Quantz - On Playing Flute (Historically Informed Performance)

What could be nicer than finding what you want is available free online?  So, here's another for our historically informed performance students. You may not be able to read the whole of Quantz's flute treatise in English online, but you can read Chapter 13, on ornamentation.  

It must be a good source, if it's also picked up by the blog, Technology for the Classical Singer!

And yes, we've saved the link on our RCS Library portal too.

Early Scottish, Irish and Welsh tunes for flute (or fiddle)

Karen's rather excited about this new acquisition for the library.  Published around 1730, the original book has been brought out in a new modern edition with great contextual notes by the editor, Andreas Habert.

Unaccompanied tunes - raw material for you to play however you think most fitting!

Aria di Camera

Find it in the Whittaker Library at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland - here.

When a Music Librarian goes all Musical

Some months ago, I rashly decided to arrange a suite of Hebridean folksongs from Alexander Campbell's song-collection, Albyn's Anthology.  I arranged them for flute, viola and cello.  Rather virtuoso flute, viola and cello, to be honest.  Campbell's early 19th century collection was praised for the tunes and slammed for the settings, so I doubt if I can have done much harm by my extravagant flights of fancy.

Just one problem.  I need a trio! I don't really think Allegro Finale through computer speakers really did them justice.  Now what?!  Could there remotely possibly be a flute, viola and cello trio out there in the Scottish central belt?

'Whittaker' has his fingers crossed.

RSAMD Alumnus K. James Peace

Always interested to hear what our alumni are doing, 'Whittaker' has just been advised that K. James Peace (now in Wiesbaden), has posted a flute piece on YouTube:-

The Waterfall, op.3 (click here to view)

This piece was written whilst the composer was a student at RSAMD, in the old Athenaeum building at Nelson Mandela Place, Glasgow.  Our thanks to Mr Peace for keeping in touch!

Musical limericks no.1

The Flautist

A student who tootled the flute

Confessed to adoring the lute

But she got her wires crossed

When her music was lost

And could not tell Mudarra from Poot 

The Oboist

The oboist played somewhat loud

Because he was working the crowd

When the reed gave a squawk

They were all set to talk

But the fella just stood there and bowed.

 

 The Clarinettist

A girl bought a gold clarinet

But it led to her drowning in debt,

So the kind soul who taught her

Drew cash out and bought her

A soup and a sandwich at Pret.

Musical Limericks no.1 (flute, oboe, clarinet)

Musical Limericks no.2 (bassoon)

Musical Limericks no.3 (trumpet, horn)

Musical Limericks no.4 (Piper, by James Beaton)

Musical Limericks no.5 (tuba, trombone)

Musical Limericks no.6 (saxophone)

Musical Limericks no.7 (violin, viola)

Musical Limericks no.8 (cello, double bass, timpani)

Historic Musical Instruments

'Whittaker' was trying to identify an instrument the other day. He still hasn't sourced what's in his mind's eye, although it appears to be some kind of wooden whistle, in C.

However, he does now know what a mid-19th century flageolet looks like. And what a weird beast it is!

Music Treasures on Verizon.net

Where can you see historic instruments?

• North of the Border, why not visit Edinburgh University's Collection of Historic Musical Instruments?
• In London, the Victoria and Albert Musical Instruments Collection is now closed – find out how you can gain access to these instruments for study purposes.
• If you can't just walk into the V and A, at least you still have their list of online links to other collections! (Smithsonian National Museum of American History; Smithsonian Global Sound; Royal Academy of Music; Horniman Museum Musical Instruments Collections; Royal College of Music)
• Doctoral student Elizabeth Ford at the University of Glasgow has suggested the Dayton Miller Collection at the Library of Congress is a worthy addition to this list. Reported to be the the largest collection of flutes in the world.
• Do you know of other collections that should be in this list?