flute

Jules Demersseman (Jan. 9, 1833 - Dec. 1, 1866) isn't the most common name to come out of classical repertoire, but his contribution has been significant, particularly for the flute. Demersseman was born in France, near the Begian border, and was a flute student at the Paris Conservatory, winning first prize there at the age of 12. He was considered a virtuoso, and went on to write many works for the flute. His Solo de Concert No. 6 is one of his most well known. Continue reading →

This week, we take a look at a very simple work with a more unique structure. Paul Wetzger was an accomplished flautist who lived from 1870-1937. While mostly known for his work as a performer, Wetzger did write a few pieces that survive, mostly for flute as one would expect. His work Avant et Retour (Forward and Backwards) is a very simple work that can be played by a duet of treble instruments, be it flutes, oboes, clarinets or violins. Continue reading →

While many of Johann Sebastian Bach's works were forgotten shortly after his death (until "re-discovery" of the works in the 19th century), his influence on music was carried on through his students and admirers. Amongst those, we can count Johann Kirnberger, a composer and theorist who was a great admirer of Bach's, and rumored to have been a student of Bach. Today we look at his Flute Sonata in G Major. Continue reading →

This week, we take a look at a work by Gustav Holst with a unique instrumentation, his Terzetto for Flute, Oboe, & Viola. While known for his massive orchestral work The Planets, Holst's style for his other works is less the massive movie music sounds of the plants, and more daring in tonality. Continue reading →