[SimonJazzSax]

Covid practice sessions. I'm a huge a flute nerd and study classical flute pretty constantly.

This is an excerpt from the Bach Partita in A minor. A very challenging piece, not just musically but also from a technical standpoint with all the intervallic motion.

Baroque music is the best. I have chosen to interpret this more like Pahud and less like someone like Marten Root.

Recording is just a cell phone. Nothing fancy yet.

Have fun and play more flute

https://soundcloud.com/simonjazzsax%2Fpart-of-a-partita
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[rzzzzz]

nice.

(many moons ago i worked where one of the clients had the sheet music for Beethoven's variations of the love theme from Mozart's Don Giovanni. another client covered the 2nd instrument and i brought in my flute. the three of us worked through it right regular for a couple of weeks. my only exposure to classical music performance.)

 

[SimonJazzSax]

nice.

(many moons ago i worked where one of the clients had the sheet music for Beethoven's variations of the love theme from Mozart's Don Giovanni. another client covered the 2nd instrument and i brought in my flute. the three of us worked through it right regular for a couple of weeks. my only exposure to classical music performance.)

"Classical" music was my first love, long before I became a jazz saxophone player. I have always been enamored by the Baroque and Romantic eras of music. The actual classical era is great as well, but the body of work never quite grabbed me as strong as the others.

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[dha]

I just learnt Handel's piano suite in D minor hwv 428 Allemande on piano. I have no trouble memorizing classical pieces on piano and I find it easier to just sit down at the piano with a cup of tea or coffee and play for hours. Much easier than setting up the tenor to practice. I can play jazz standards on piano but I prefer classical. When I hear a recording that I really like, I find the music and get down to work. Even though I have limited chops on the keyboard, I find it a very rewarding endeavour.

 

[adamk]

Many years ago I worked on that piece, all the movements. No place to breath. Had use ritards and catch breaths. Better standing than sitting. Staccato is hard. Sounds good.

 

[Taragot]

Hi SimonJazzSax,

very, very nice! I'm practicing this for more than 30 years every now and then. For me, it's the hardest piece on flute, because every decision I make (where to breath, how to phrase and articulate etc.) is feeling like a compromise which comes at a cost of other essential aspects of this piece. I tried to play it with circular breathing and could do it more or less but it was very hard. So - I like it a lot how you play it - and I'm motivated to give it another try later. Thank you for that!
Meanwhile another Bach I multitrackrecorded for easter with flute, sopranosax and bassoon:
hearthis.at/taragot/ichfolgedirgleichfallsjohannespassionflssax-bsn/

 

[Lambros]

Covid practice sessions. I'm a huge a flute nerd and study classical flute pretty constantly.

This is an excerpt from the Bach Partita in A minor. A very challenging piece, not just musically but also from a technical standpoint with all the intervallic motion.

Baroque music is the best. I have chosen to interpret this more like Pahud and less like someone like Marten Root.

Recording is just a cell phone. Nothing fancy yet.

Have fun and play more flute

https://soundcloud.com/simonjazzsax%2Fpart-of-a-partita
Sent from my HD1925 using Tapatalk

Beautifully done and your strong and even phrasing is really evident.

 

[SimonJazzSax]

Hi SimonJazzSax,

very, very nice! I'm practicing this for more than 30 years every now and then. For me, it's the hardest piece on flute, because every decision I make (where to breath, how to phrase and articulate etc.) is feeling like a compromise which comes at a cost of other essential aspects of this piece. I tried to play it with circular breathing and could do it more or less but it was very hard. So - I like it a lot how you play it - and I'm motivated to give it another try later. Thank you for that!
Meanwhile another Bach I multitrackrecorded for easter with flute, sopranosax and bassoon:
hearthis.at/taragot/ichfolgedirgleichfallsjohannespassionflssax-bsn/

Sounds great! Bassoon is hard! I can't play bassoon or oboe very well. I mostly just focus on flute.

You are right that the Partita, specifically the Allemande, is one of the most demanding flute pieces out there. The phrasing, intervals and structure is very advanced. I'd recommend grouping harmonic structures and breathing at the end of each, like I attempt to do

Keep playing the classical music

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[SimonJazzSax]

Beautifully done and your strong and even phrasing is really evident.

Thanks. Much appreciation for you listening. Phrasing is everything in Bach and Bop! Something I've been working on heavily.

Have a good week and stay safe!

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[SimonJazzSax]

Many years ago I worked on that piece, all the movements. No place to breath. Had use ritards and catch breaths. Better standing than sitting. Staccato is hard. Sounds good.

Ya, it's cool because you are playing the melody and the bass line on the same instrument with this piece.

Notation and rhythm from this time period were quite different than it is written as we see it, so it lends itself to more of "grouping" harmonic structures. At least that's how I've interpreted it from listening to more traditional style recordings.

I approached it more modern than most Baroque purists would like, but I did preserve the harmonic groupings to the best of my ability.

Have fun, stay safe and keep fluting!

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[Lambros]

Ya, it's cool because you are playing the melody and the bass line on the same instrument with this piece.

Notation and rhythm from this time period were quite different than it is written as we see it, so it lends itself to more of "grouping" harmonic structures. At least that's how I've interpreted it from listening to more traditional style recordings.

I approached it more modern than most Baroque purists would like, but I did preserve the harmonic groupings to the best of my ability.

Have fun, stay safe and keep fluting!

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Thanks! You as well. I think the hardest thing to do in baroque is play evenly and consistently without sounding emotionless or overly emotional. You struck a nice balance.

 

[Keith Ridenhour]

Great job Simon. K

 

[Taragot]

Very inspiring, Simon! I find, that the first part is enough! Playing the whole is piece is killing me in a way.
I practiced it a bit this evening and made a recording on alto flute.

https://hearthis.at/taragot/bachpartitaallemandealtflote/

I thought about trying different approaches as long as covid19 shutdown lasts: straight/flexible timing, double tonguing/legato, different approaches where to breath, different instruments and recording settings and hit the recording button now and then.
Would be fun if some more people would do the same and upload their practice here (at least for me!)

 

[Dr G]

Very inspiring, Simon! I find, that the first part is enough! Playing the whole is piece is killing me in a way.
I practiced it a bit this evening and made a recording on alto flute.

https://hearthis.at/taragot/bachpartitaallemandealtflote/

Love it. Wow, instant flashback to the '70s, when I first heard Hubert Law's "Afro Classic".

I've been working on "Concerto for Flautino in C Major" by Antonio Vivaldi. I'll have to give it a go on my alto flute.

Thank you for the impetus.

 

[Taragot]

I've been working on "Concerto for Flautino in C Major" by Antonio Vivaldi. I'll have to give it a go on my alto flute.

Dr. G, do that in every case! The slow movement is so beautiful and would be even more on alto flute. I play alto on a more or less regular base (when the shutdown took place) after I discovered that I can read Bb charts as bass clef and play bossas like that. Before that, my alto was mostly resting in the case: Beautiful sound but no opportunities ......

I recorded another version of the first part of the Allemande in a more sportive way: Every tone tongued and with a faster and straighter tempo. I discovered, that I have to emphasize mostly the 2 and 4, but that changes for some phrases (the music starts on the 2nd 1/16). This is the hardest thing for me - staying in a clear flow in between all these possibilities to phrase and the necessity to breathe (beside the technical challenge of course).

https://hearthis.at/taragot/partita-274/

Anyone with a little bach, vivaldi, haendel etc?

 

[Dr G]

Thanks for sharing that. It is clear that these guys did not play flute. What's up with the continuo? Harpsichord, organ, sure, but a person needs to BREATHE! <pant, pant>

If I coaching a musician playing guitar or keyboards, I would say "Imagine you are a wind player, and create phrases that allow you to take a breath every once in a while."

Dr. G, do that in every case! The slow movement is so beautiful and would be even more on alto flute. I play alto on a more or less regular base (when the shutdown took place) after I discovered that I can read Bb charts as bass clef and play bossas like that. Before that, my alto was mostly resting in the case: Beautiful sound but no opportunities ......

I recorded another version of the first part of the Allemande in a more sportive way: Every tone tongued and with a faster and straighter tempo. I discovered, that I have to emphasize mostly the 2 and 4, but that changes for some phrases (the music starts on the 2nd 1/16). This is the hardest thing for me - staying in a clear flow in between all these possibilities to phrase and the necessity to breathe (beside the technical challenge of course).

https://hearthis.at/taragot/partita-274/

Anyone with a little bach, vivaldi, haendel etc?

 

[Taragot]

Thanks for sharing that. It is clear that these guys did not play flute. What's up with the continuo? Harpsichord, organ, sure, but a person needs to BREATHE! <pant, pant>

If I coaching a musician playing guitar or keyboards, I would say "Imagine you are a wind player, and create phrases that allow you to take a breath every once in a while."

Yes, breathing is one of the main problems of this piece (and some more of Bach). I think the original composition is for violin, harpsichord or so and Bach transcribed it without grace.
I know some flute player who do this with circular breathing and I tried it, too (I could do it more or less but it's super hard). Here is a wonderfull example of Sharon Betsaly playing the second movement "corrente" with circ.br.:

I have a CD with a bassoon player, who does not take one breath - even between the repetitions! But that is circus, not music.

Breathing is only one thing - grooving, phrasing, working out the inherent voices etc. are others and you never get "the one" interpretation imo.

I have chosen to interpret this more like Pahud and less like someone like Marten Root.

Only out of interest, simon - what do you mean with that?

 

[Lambros]

Yes, breathing is one of the main problems of this piece (and some more of Bach). I think the original composition is for violin, harpsichord or so and Bach transcribed it without grace.
I know some flute player who do this with circular breathing and I tried it, too (I could do it more or less but it's super hard). Here is a wonderfull example of Sharon Betsaly playing the second movement "corrente" with circ.br.:

I have a CD with a bassoon player, who does not take one breath - even between the repetitions! But that is circus, not music.

Breathing is only one thing - grooving, phrasing, working out the inherent voices etc. are others and you never get "the one" interpretation imo.

Only out of interest, simon - what do you mean with that?

I don't know what he meant either but a discussion about baroque flute playing would be incomplete without this. BTW, Sharon's playing of this Partita is beautiful and the ambient recording really punctuates the pedal point bass notes especially; thanks for sharing this!

 

[vries1]

The Dutch recorder maestro Walter van Hauwe wrote: "Bach didn't compose for didgeridoo." Indeed, and I don't think circular breathing adds musical value to these pieces.

As a reference for BWV 1013, I like interpretations in the Dutch/Belgian school of playing baroque music. For example, there is a nice recording by the late Frans Brüggen (on Sony Classical) and a more recent one by Barthold Kuijken, the traverso player, brother of Sigiswald Kuijken (La Petite Bande). Your taste may differ, but these recordings can give you some alternative ideas for phrasing, articulation, and breathing.

 

[vries1]

Found the links on youtube...

Frans Brüggen:

Barthold Kuijken: