So, I think this is probably the right forum … despite the ‘Irish Flute’ bit … I mean, the instrument’s the same at any rate …
I’ve been working on some Baroque pieces. Absolutely loving it, and, of course, it takes you into territories far from D & G. C minor, for instance. I’ve also been experimenting a bit with what I fondly imagine to be Baroque flute techniques. The most obvious, I suppose, would be ‘flattement’, the technique of wobbling your fingers to produce a species of vibrato, used in the Baroque and also by Irish fluters. I’ve also tried wobbling the whole flute to produce vibrato. The first of those (flattement) produces a lovely sound, but, although it does produce vibrato, the ‘wobbling the whole flute’ thing doesn’t sound good at all. I think I read about that on Rick Wilson’s site …
I’m wondering if I could maybe use finger slides - sliding up to the note - in Baroque music. Rick’s site seems to suggest that I can. And are there other techniques that cross, either between Baroque music and ITM or the other way round?
You should have borrowed that Rachel Brown book I waved at you, and then there’s Quantz. Yes, I can lend you that too…
So far as I recall, portamento slides (“glides”) weren’t much used in mainstream Baroque technique, but Nicholson and the Romantics luurved 'em.
Hi,
I grew up learning the baroque recorder. I never used slides the same way as in ITM. Also, roles (nothing like ITM flute roles) start from above, and are made by one finger bouncing up and down. Unlike ITM, you hear the note below when you do a role. Try play A G A G A…, starting slowly and accelerating quickly (without using your tongue). The duration of the role depends on the note, although they are usually played on long notes.
The main difference, however, is tonguing. Unless specified otherwise in the notes, all notes are to be tongued. In quick pieces, one would have to use double tonging techniques, like “tah kah, tah kah” or “duh guh, duh guh” or “dee dl, dee dl” used mainly in 4/4, or “duh ruh tuh” used in 6/8 (My baroque teacher did that when she played Irish jigs!)… To develop good tonguing technique is essential for playing baroque music.
Interesting, Sigmund. I hadn’t actually thought of the tonguing aspect of it all. Even though it seems like it should have been obvious … Mind, didn’t old fluters (Nicholson, but maybe not previous players, eg in the Baroque period proper) talk about using all sorts of different ‘syllables’ to carry out different types of ‘tonguing’. Some of these may, I think, be used by Irish trad fluters today. One of the top players recently told me that he may occasionally use a ‘kah’ syllable. He didn’t consider that to be tonguing, but I think Nicholson may have done. But I don’t know any of this stuff, so still looking for more expert help …
The ‘rolls’ you are describing seem to me like archetypal baroque style mordents. But there are actual rolls as well, aren’t there? Ones with the lower note in as well? I would tend to play them more at the cadences.
Yes, there were all sorts of tongued articulations and guidance on when to use what - cf Brown, Quantz, etc. Yes, there were turns with the same note pattern as an ITM roll and they (and other ornament types) were expected to be used in certain types of context even if not indicated by the composer, as were the articulations. Hence my reason for having at times drawn parallels between Baroque music/performance practice and ITM. I think Sigmund is describing a trill or shake, not a roll or turn. Of course shakes were often ended with a full turn and there were contexts where a turn alone was expected.
I’m a little bit like Rob (in fact Robert is my first name) in that my flute technique is so Baroque that I can’t mention it in this polite company. However, there is music school a few miles south of where I live that offers a PhD. degree in the subject, which I can recommend to you. There is a music Guru that I know who spent a lot of time (and money) there.
