DICTIONARY OF MUSIC - El Atril

68 FLUTE FLUTE-WORK
Oratorios, awards it the same prominence. The
Trio for three Flutes in the ' Creation ' may be
named as an illustration.
Handel usually specilies the ' German
' Flute,
and often indicates its importance hy the words
' with the accompaniment of a German Flute.'
It is difficult to understand how the players of
his day were able to make themselves heard
with the few ilutes then allotted to the Orcliestra
against the large numbers of Oboesand Bassoons.
In the Handel Commemoration in Westminster
Abbey in 1784, there were si.K Flutes against
twenty-six Oboes and twenty-six Bassoons,
besides twelve Trumpets and the same number
of Horns. Handel proiluces, however, a magnirtcent
elfect in the Dead March in ' Saul ' by the
simple employment of two Flutes moving in
thirds against the reiterated bass of the kettledrum.
Mozart, except in some of his Symphonies,
which were obviously written for a small band,
freely scores for this instrument. The opera
of the ' Zauberfliite ' derives its name from it.
There are also two Concertos for solo Flute and
Orchestra in G and D, and one for Flute and
Harp among his works (Kijchel, 313, 314,
299).
Beethoven, Mendelssohn, and all later writers,
give it the leading part of the wind in all their
compositions. The solo shortly after the trumpet
flourishes in the Overture to ' Leonora No. 3 ' will
not bo forgotten, or the lovely part for two flutes
in thesecond moveraentof the Italian Symphony.
Schumann also has introduced a prominent cadenza
for it in the Finale to his B flat Symphony.
The difficult accompaniment to the Ranz des
Vaches, played by the Oboe, in Rossini's Over-
ture to ' William Tell ' affords a good illustration
of the mechanical complexities which this flexible
and agile instrument is com})etent, and consequently
is expected, to surmount. In a dramatic
sense it is used by Mendelssohn in the sacrificial
chorus '0 be gracious' in 'St. Paul,' and by
Gretry in ' Andromaque,
' in which the part of
Andromache is always accompanied by three
flutes.
The most voluminous writer for the Flute was
probably Quantz, who composed 200 solos and
300 concertos for Frederick the Great alone.
But the instrument had a distinguished writer,
Kuhlau, as the special exponent of its powers
and beauty. Thiseminentcontrapuntistdevoted
nearly the whole of his short life to Flute compositions.
This singular fact has been accounted
for by the statement that an amateur flute player
of position employed him constantly and liberally
in writing them. Kuhlau has been termed the
' Beethoven of the Flute.' It will be seen from
the list given below that Solos, Duets, Trios,
and even Quartets for Flutes, are among his voluminous
works. Indeed, but for a fire which
destroyed the composer's manuscripts, their
number would be at least threefold. Such as
are extant afford inestimable models of construc-
tion and originality.
Flute Music.
Mozart.—Grand duo in G, op. 76 ;
Andante
in C, Concerto in G, Hondo in D, op. 86.
Spohr.—Concerto in modo di Scena Gantante,
op. 47.
Weber.—Romanza Siciliana in G minor, with
Orchestra ; Trio for Flute, Violoncello, and
Pianoforte, op. 63.
Beethoven.—Serenade for Flute, Violin, and
Alto, op. 25.
Haydn.—Two Trios for two Flutes and Violon-
cello.
Kuhlau. — Three grand Trios for three Flutes,
op. 13 ; Do. do., op. 86 ; One
do., op. 90 ;
Three Quintets for Flute and String Quartet in
Grand