The Singing Flute

What is a “good” tone in flute playing? Surely it must be more than just “clean” (ie not producing many unwanted sounds), “colourful” (with adequate timbre), “flexible” (able to produce dynamic adjustments) or just a really big tone.

The well-known Swiss flautist P.-L. Graf is concerned that the production of tone should not be seen as an aesthetic end in itself, but chiefly as a living means of expression and as a “musical” event. In this practice volume he has picked 3x7 examples from the flute and operatic repertoire in order to work through three sets of themes: 1.) cantabile playing at a piano dynamic, 2.) dynamic flexibility and variation of tone colour, 3.) fullness and intensity of sound. This offers concentrated training for all flautists, from student through to professional player.