Everything (so far) about Flute Etudes

 

I have learned that the best etudes are the ones that are the most melodiously attractive because we don't play them mechanically, but beautifully. There's also a lot to be said about suiting the level you're actually at and not straining your flute playing too far too fast.

It can get ugly and stressful if you have no air left and the leaps are too large, I know from hundreds of mistakes that I have made. :>) Jen (writing to the emailing flutist).

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It was so interesting helping to locate the emailed mystery etude last week (which turned out to be Kohler's Virtuoso op.75) because it brought to light several features of self-teaching flute players:

- they can lack enough gorgeous etudes that a flutist can really fall in love with in their collection (and be playing off random photocopies with no composer's name nor opus number)

- they can, possibly accidentally, be playing Virtuoso Etudes when there may be more appropriate graded etudes that won't strain the embouchure over long practice sessions like some "work-outs" can (don't forget Andersen injured his tongue trying to out-do his imagined competition and ended his own career).

- they can possibly be just "playing through" a favourite page of an oft repeated etude for fun without making any daily technical improvements. Although we all want to have fun etudes to play, we also want to be improving each time.

So to be fairly sharing all that I know I went through my past blogposts and have linked all the best information about etudes that I've written to date, below. 

Enjoy! Many have links to free etudes.

And comment below if you have favourites to add (comments can take a few hours to appear as they are moderated to avoid spam).

Best and hope this helps get all the info. in one place,

 Jen

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Jen's Articles on Flute Etudes

with links to many free ones and etude books to invest in over time.

Introduction to Flute Etudes

Graded flute exam syllabus that includes quality etudes by name and publisher (in pdf)

How to learn flute etudes

Jen's favourite etudes list (with links)

Beginner/Novice Etudes (a teacher asks)

Kummer op110 Etudes for Intermediates (with practice videos)

Intermediate/Advanced Topics:

Intermediate Etudes Collection from Australia (well worth it!)

Making etudes easier for yourself (de-monstering advanced etudes)

J.S. Bach works used as Etudes

Using Etudes for Sightreading

___________________end list so far 2025

Questions welcome!!!

Mystery Etude

 Do you recognize this etude?

Update next day: Thanks to keen-eyed Elizabeth B, we have solved the mystery in less than 24 hrs!! The Flute Community wins again! 

Answer? It's Kohler's Opus 75 Virtuoso Etudes. Ta DA!!

Thanks again Elizabeth. Fabulouso!!

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I'd originally written:

A travelling adult flute player sent this jpg of a favourite etude and hoped that I would recognize it. She travelled from Australia to the United Kingdom and could not rest until she found her missing page.  

Do you recognize this etude? Please help solve this interesting mystery! 

Email me or comment below.

PS. Comments are moderated so it takes a few hours sometimes for me to approve them as I'm not always at the computer.

 Best, Jen

Goldberg Variations - Bouriakov

 Dear Flutelovers,

Like many classical music lovers born in the early sixties, I was deeply affected by the prevalence of the Glenn Gould recordings of the J.S. Bach Goldberg variations growing up in Canada:

Glenn Gould BWV 988 remastered from 1955 and 1959 (on youtube)

Well what a thrill this week to find that Denis Bouriakov has transcribed several of the Goldberg Variations for flute and has just performed them in concert!

Denis Bouriakov plays J.S. Bach's Goldberg Variations (video)

Denis doesn't yet have the sheetmusic available of his Goldberg arrangement but we look forward to it when there's time in his busy career! (see his other arrangements here (free) and here.)

Comments welcome,

Best, Jen

The magic of the Venezuelan plains

Happy New Year everyone! Here is a new piece for solo flute that caught my ear over the holidays, "Luna con Joropo and viceversa" performed by the Venezuelan Flutist Alexis Angulo. (video)

The composer of this work, flutist Raimundo Pineda writes:

"The performer is Alexis Angulo, a distinguished Venezuelan flutist, whose musical roots lie in the esteemed Venezuelan Orchestral System. He served for many years as the principal flutist of the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela. He is currently the Principal Flutist with the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I have had the privilege of being his teacher during his early years of study, and I am honored to count him as a personal friend. It is with great pleasure that I invite you to experience this remarkable interpretation of my work, brought to life by this exceptional artist.

The enchanting spirit of the Venezuelan plains has always been an integral part of my music. The joropo, our national dance, has presented itself as a rich terrain of rhythmic and melodic challenges, which I have explored to the point of satiety. Composed in 2017, this piece once again evokes that magic, intertwining it with the bittersweet nostalgia of my father's memory. It is entirely original and authentic in its conception. With a high level of difficulty for the performer, Luna con joropo y vice versa promises daring and virtuosic acrobatics, while retaining the sweetness and nostalgia of the tonada.

Thanks for listening,

  Raimundo Pineda  (composer, flutist, conductor)"

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Jen adds:

I went exploring at Raimundo's website to look at the sheetmusic and found a second excellent work for solo piccolo that is of high interest. Here is the composer himself performing it.

Epifania Llanera for solo piccolo  (video)

I just love hearing all the great new music coming out!

Keep me up to date and let me know of any new works that you have come across (use the comment button if you like).

All best for the coming year,

Jen

     

For Unto Us a Child is Born for Two Flutes & Organ

Dear Flutelovers,

Jon Raybould has just arranged this glorious section of Handel's Messiah for two flutes and organ or backing track. How beautiful! I can't wait to hear recordings of it with live flutists to hear the projection! Jon's message about his work is below, best, Jen

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 Hello Flutists, 

I have just arranged "For Unto Us A Child Is Born" from Handel's "The Messiah" - for 2 flutes and organ duet (3 hands). Video:

Purchase the sheet music  ($6) for this piece: Sheetmusic Direct or Sheetmusicplus.

No organ or perhaps no organist? No problem - backing track here: Google Drive Backing Track.

Notes: This is a version for 2 flutes - and organ for 3 hands (ie 2 organists). It's been arranged like this to increase accessibility for performances in church. Basically, organ reductions of the orchestral score are invariably very hard to play - especially the fast semiquaver (16th note) runs in thirds. So I've split the top line to be played by a second organist (primo) sat to the right of the main organist (secondo). The right-hand player plays music just on the treble clef with one hand; therefore this person might be a student or essentially a non-organist.

This is one of my most favourite, uplifting Christmas songs ever!! How incredible that Handel completed this 260-page oratorio in just 24 days during the summer of 1741. Happy holidays! Best wishes to all, Jon Raybould  

Charming!!

Dear Flutelovers,

Sometimes you just need to be charmed!!

I've just discovered this lovely arrangement of a Shostakovich Waltz (from the Ballet Suite No. 1) by flutist Paolo Taballione (video):

It's so great to hear someone do an encore arrangement of this for flute and piano!

 For those not familiar with the work it is The Waltz, "The Music Box" from Shostakovich's Ballet Suite No.1.  (page 19 of this score online).

Here's the original orchestration which is marvellous and unforgettable! (video)

And while we're on the topic of charming piccolo inclusive pieces that we dream of playing, what about the first two miniature movements of this charming piece of music below?

It's called Tveitt's 100 Hardanger Tunes op. 151. Ready to get dreamy with a piccolo?  Take a listen to the piccolo and other woods in the first five minutes; first otherworldly floating for three minutes, and then actual goblins (at 3:40). Fantastic! (video): 

 Do feel free to comment below if you can direct us to more great arrangements of good flutey works. It's so great to hear new arrangements of these done with such colour. Can't wait to hear someone arrange the Tveitt (read more about this composer here)!

Best, and enjoy the eclectic listening!

Jen

Hiccup with paypal

 Dear Flutelovers,

Update: Problem resolved Oct. 24th, 2024 yay!! :>)

If anyone was trying to order Christmas Carols, Wedding Duets, Roger Mather's "Art of Playing the Flute" or Celtic Flute Trios, for a few days the payment company Paypal were holding my Donation button hostage while waiting for me to realize they were doing so. I finally spoke to them in order to get the problem cleared up.

If ever you want to order sheetmusic or books, at anytime, just send a paypal for the amount in Canadian dollars to:

 jen(at)jennifercluff(dot)com 

and that always works. 

(Thanks Efrain for alerting me to this.)

:>)

All fixed now.

Jen