Practice historically informed
In her technique book for transverse flute, Anja Thomann has expanded historical sources into series of exercises that take all the important aspects of playing into account.
In the tone and technique book for transverse flute Back to basics the transverse flutist Anja Thomann has compiled specific exercises on articulation, finger technique, intonation and tone shaping. Most of the exercises are based on historical sources, each of which is preceded by a facsimile of the original. The author has used methodical works by Michel Corette, Charles de Lusse and Johann Joachim Quantz as sources. Excerpts from these are expanded into complete methodical exercises so that the book can be used to practise basic tonal and technical exercises "historically informed".
Chapter one begins with short preludes in all keys, followed in the second chapter by introductory exercises which are extended from the duole to triplets and groups of four. The articulations common in the Baroque period, such as tidi and diri, are included right from the start. Scales and arpeggios follow in chapters three and four. In chapter five, typical baroque figures such as alternating notes are practiced in a sequential manner and chains of thirds and fourths are also taken into account. This is followed in the sixth chapter by exercises for developing the tone, which include intervals, chromaticism and exercises for shaping long tones using swells. The author devotes the entire seventh chapter to the articulation did'll and expands it with her own practice ideas through singing and playing. In the eighth chapter, ornaments and trills based on a scale are sequenced. The book ends with a detailed fingering chart and a trill chart, which are supplemented with helpful tips on intonation.
When studying these valuable and advanced exercises by Quantz, de Lusse and Corette, some will realize that their structure anticipates what Marcel Moyse or Paul Taffanael later produced in their methodical booklets for the Boehm flute. This clearly laid out publication is a great enrichment for a basic structure of tone, technique and articulation on the transverse flute, as the essential aspects are summarized in one booklet.
Anja Thomann: Back to basics. A technique book for the transverse flute, EW 982, € 19.80, Edition Walhall, Magdeburg 2016
