#marcel moyse

[sarahtheflutist]

Does anyone have pages 16 and 17 of De La Sonorite they can send me? They're missing from the score on IMSLP

[kerloaz]

Marcel Moyse, French flûtiste.

[ephphatha]

Should I spend $20 on a flute method book?

I kinda want De La Sonorite, but the cheapest I can find is $18. I know I'll probably use it for years, but I also never want to spend money.

[diaryofamusician10]

Flutists that you should know them: Trevor Wye

Information collected by Ivelis Peralta

He is United Kingdom

Period: Comtemporary

Born: June 6, 1935

His teacher: Marcel Moyse and Geoffrey Gilbert

Worked in: Ghildhall School of Music, London; Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester

Brief info.: He is the author of famous practice books for flute. Most recently he wrote a biography of Marcel Moyse, published in English and in four other languages; Marcel Moyse, an Extraordinary Man: A Musical Biography

Now you can listen on Youtube!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwriLcg9c4U

Carrot Flute: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyAI3EHULRs (You need to watch all this video for understand)

Sources: trevorwye.com; www.wikipedia.en; larrykrantz.com; www.amazon.com

[diaryofamusician10]

Flutists that you should know them: Marcel Moyse

Information collected by Ivelis Peralta

He was French

Period: Impressionism

Born:  May 17, 1889 - Died: November 1st, 1984 

His teacher: Philippe Gaubert; Adolphe Hennebains; Claude-Paul Taffanel

Studied in: Paris Conservatoire

Worked as: teacher on Geneva and Paris Conservatoire and worked as flute soloist with most of Europe's important orchestras

His pupil: James Galway; William Bennett; Paula Robison; Michel Debost; Trevor Wye; Carol Wincenc; Bernald Z. Goldberg; Robert Aitken; Julia Bogorad

Brief info.: 

He founded Marlboro Music

He was one of the first famous flutist in XX's century

One of his most famous works are "De la Sonorite" and "Tone Development though Interpretation". He edit a lot of studies for his students.

Now you can listening by Youtube!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjaR2zIYaIc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTGcGN2fr6Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nw1ro2S2x8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwCLgXWFOlY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2ZE6VN_ZG0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnF74WiL7nA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnKqdNAs1wE

Sources: http://www.moysesociety.org/about.asp; flutefocus.com; marlboromusic.org; 

[jykimflute-blog]

The way flutists play with vibrato has puzzled me for some time. I've heard so many differing opinions on the topic, that it is difficult to know what everyone wants! Is there a "correct" way to use vibrato in flute playing?

Here is a sound clip of Marcel Moyse playing the Carmen Entr'acte by Bizet:

http://www.robertbigio.com/moyse.htm

After listening to this recording, some would say that Moyse used vibrato pretty consistently throughout the entirety of the solo. However, we must understand that Moyse did not think of vibrato as we do today. As Peter Lloyd explains, Moyse used two terms, "vibrato" and "expression", to explain two very different concepts. A flutist's overall sound must always have some sort of expression, whereas vibrato is a whole another component to sound. When Moyse asked a student to play a melody line without vibrato, the student played with a straight tone. To this, Moyse exclaimed, "No! You are stupid! I said wizout vibrato--not wizout expression!" Lloyd further explains that vibrato is something that one consciously adds, rather than part of one's permanent sound: "It [continual wobble] starts at 7:30 at the beginning of their concert and it ends at 9:30 when they've finished their last piece. And nothing happens in between. And that has nothing to do with music."

The start of using vibrato on the flute, as Lloyd speculates, didn't start until the 1920's when Moyse was in the opera and was inspired by how the singers used vibrato as a means for expression rather than to enliven one's tone. And that's when the evolution of vibrato began-- just as singers' styles change, so does the characteristics of vibrato on the flute. I wonder then, how does a flutist use vibrato in a tasteful manner? I think this delves into a question of aesthetics as well as a question of informed performance practice and stylistic decisions. What is pleasant to listen to as well as what serves the musical style of the certain composer one is playing (as specific vibrato may be appropriate for a Mozart Concerto, but not the Dutilleux Sonatine).

And here is a video clip of Emmanuel Pahud playing the Entr'acte.

I wouldn't say that either one of these two recordings is less expressive than the other, but I can hear that the concept of vibrato has definitely evolved. (Or perhaps it hasn't evolved, but has rather been explored in different ways by every flutist.) The most important part of playing though, in both of these recordings, is that both are tremendously expressive and it's not due to the vibrato. The vibrato may add to the expressive quality of the playing, but is not the reason for it. The expression comes from the depth and clarity of tone and how they both carry that quality of sound throughout the line to let it sing.

[jykimflute-blog]

The year before Marcel Moyse died, at age 93, Trevor Wye asked him if he still practiced. MM: Of course I still practise. TW: What do you practise? MM: I practise an A. TW: Which A? MM: (shrugs then smiles) That's the trouble. I never know which octave will come out!

[jykimflute-blog]

Thoughts on Practicing

One of the aspects of being a musician that appeals to me is the room for constant improvement. There is no point at which I will be finished and satisfied with my playing, so I continue to practice. This entry discusses various thoughts and habits Geoffrey Gilbert and Marcel Moyse have on practicing.

Gilbert has many suggestions on how to practice as documented in The Gilbert Legacy, written by Angeleita Floyd. I will list the ones that I found to be most insightful and important.

Use a metronome! We've all heard this countless number of times, but I think it bears repeating. On the matter, he said, "Don't practice too fast. Things that are slightly doubtful in rehearsal will only get worse in performance." William Bennett commented on Gilbert's teaching that "He didn't mind if you came to the lesson playing something really very, very slowly as long as it was one-hundred percent under control. You could come along playing a Boehm study, which was marked at 120 to the quarter and play it at 60 equaling the quarter--completely under control, and he was happy, and you would have achieved your objective." Gilbert also suggested that when working on a difficult passage, repeating the passage four times perfectly, then three, then two, then finally as written. The point is that playing the passage only once will seem much easier and manageable!

Concentrate on one concept at a time for 10-15 minutes (hand position, vibrato, tone colors, etc.) It is helpful to set a time period for focusing on just one aspect. Often, I find myself focusing on something like hand position for a few measures then get distracted by the music and forget about my hand position.

"To progress, practice regularly at least three hours a day with no goal except to improve." This is a very manageable goal, I think. Instead of setting more specific goals, such as "I am going to play this and that passage perfectly today!", I think the healthy goal of improving as a musician in regular practice sessions is more encouraging and beneficial to one's practice. This Gilbert quote reminds me of what Marianne Gedigian once said about practicing. She said that everyday, as we open our flute cases, is a new day for exciting possibilities.

Marcel Moyse is known to have practiced until he passed away. Trying to improve his flute-playing was never finished for him. Later in his career when he was busy teaching lessons and masterclasses during the summer, he would have to catch up on practicing in the fall: his son, Louis Moyse said, "For two months every year there was no flute except for lessons given to foreign students who followed him to St. Amour during the summer time. Around the middle of September he would put himself in shape again by playing for five or six hours daily and going through his repertoire which was more than 100 pieces known by heart."

Similar to what Gilbert said about practicing to improve, I've been told that one should be happy as long as something was achieved in a practice session. Did you learn how to play a high A pianissimo? Did you learn how to manage the air on the Mendelssohn Scherzo? Did you succeed in portraying the opening of the Copland Duo in a more interesting and musical way? It can be anything. Having broad (but still very effective and meaningful) goals make practicing less daunting and more interesting to me. Reading about various methods of practicing reminds me that practicing should be a time to experiment and play in a disciplined manner instead of a militaristic chore.