If you're a subscriber to my blog you receive every blog post as a new email with the subject: "The Lastest from Jennifer Cluff" in your inbox. This was a service offered using "Feedburner" which google is retiring at the end of June. Solution?
I will migrate my blog subscriber list automatically to a free service called "follow.it" and then you won't have to subscribe again when the widget changes on this page. Do nothing and you'll still automatically get emails every time I update my blog. Currently there are 667 subscribers to this flute blog, (as well as 200 more who subscribed but never saw the confirmation email, because it got lost in a spam folder, or for whatever reason). Just to let you know that email updates might look a little different, and they will tack on a postscript that says "if you enjoyed this you might also enjoy reading that"; Which we can all ignore if it's off-topic.
The "subscribe to Jen's blog" widget will look a little different too, and anyone NEW who wants to subscribe will have an easy way to just "click to subscribe" using "follow.it" and just confirm it with a follow-it email confirmation.
I'm not moving the URL of the blog, of course. Everything still the same place. (someone misread and thought I was moving the URL links. No worries! :>)
Got one vaccine so far and am looking forward to September and an autumn of Flutey-Return this year after pandemic-o'mania!
And Jennifer Sturgeon is featured in an Irish Flute Band film at age 13 too. (video)
Northern Irish Flute Ensemble Documentary; Jennifer's background to winning that BBC competition: (set to start at minute 28 at Jennifer's segment, but all interesting.)
I was also fascinated to hear what the Galways are doing in lockdown:
As March indeed marches toward Spring ( which is feeling so springy!) here are three things of interest: a flute performance that is stunningly beautiful, then something informative for beginner and novice flutists about hand position, and finally something wise and real for the experienced flutist...a mystery solved. Enjoy!
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1. Interesting and Beautiful!
Jen says: I mean...why tie yourself in knots about breathing, when you are making such meaningful music?
Emily Beynon, flute & Emil Holmström, piano
Debussy: Prelude for the Afternoon of a Faun for flute and piano (video)
(the performance video will start at the Debussy flute/piano duo at end of recital)
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2. Photos for Flute Novices and Beginners
A picture is worth a thousand words; hand position on the flute: Flutetalk article with photos!
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3. Wise words from what is true, for the experienced Flutist:
Comments welcome! (they take a few minutes/hrs. to appear as they are read by me first, before appearing here.) All the best for a happily relieved Spring!! :>)
This month there are some more great free articles to read from Flutetalk Magazine! I've chosen three, below.
This Magazine is continuing to offer free flutey reading during lockdown, and there is an article of interest to every level of flutist in the past 10 months of publication: See all free flute articles from Flutetalk here, and click on any issue from March 2020 to February 2021.
February Issue 2021:
Firstly, this is a great, simple way to look at finger co-ordination and balance: article 1.
And I absolutely LOVED this article that explains so much about how air-pressure and amount of air used are figured out when you're working alone, without a teacher, and using a recording machine to listen back to one feature at a time: article 2.
"Tone Development develops a desire in students to play with artistry. Those who regularly and consistently play these melodies as beautifully as they can will reach for all the subtleties and emotions they can summon from all the music they play.
Students who have not heard the operas performed will benefit from working with the book, but only with knowledge of the text, plot, and accompanying harmonies can they fully benefit from these melodies. After many years of working with the book I decided to listen to every opera in it. If recordings were available I taped each melody, summarized the story of each scene, and copied the relevant section of the libretto. This was the only way I could fully explore the emotional shades expressed in each excerpt, and I think this study brought my playing to a new level. Students should at least find a few recordings with full libretti. Perhaps some enterprising person will write a companion volume to Tone Development and include piano reductions and a C.D." (end quote)
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Gosh, I really hope someone takes up this idea and creates piano reductions on a CD/mp3 for these hundred or more short excerpts from the Opera repertoire. That would be amazing!!
Here is a link to Moyse recordings on youtube (if you've never heard them before....get ready and prepare your ears for recording techniques from 1910!! doh!).
And to inspire those who wish to make their flute sound like singers, let this performance inspire you; it gave me goosebumps! (video)
Bellini's Norma - Aria sung with incredible control of the airstream.
Here's the flute and piano version of the opening (click on jpg to enlarge):
Arranged by Cottignes as theme & variations
Enjoy these free articles, and this Opera insight. It's a true exploration of our musical history and language! And do check out the first and second articles linked above for great explanations of basic skills as you develop your flute playing to a whole new level. We have the time, we just need the insights!
