Excerpts
Excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker
There is a really strong chance that if you play the flute, you will play part or all of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker at some point in your career. Tunes from this two-act ballet have become synonymous with Christmas, and chances are during December, there is a performance happening in a theatre near you! The Nutcracker is based on Alexandre Dumas’…
Read MoreBach: “Aus Liebe will mein Heiland sterben!” from St. Matthew Passion – Orchestral Excerpts Series
Johann Sebastian Bach’s ambitious oratorio, St. Matthew Passion, is considered to be one of the greatest masterpieces of sacred music of all time. The work sets the story of Jesus’s trial and crucifixion to music utilizing three source texts – Matthew chapters 26 and 27 from the Bible, German chorales that Bach’s congregation would have known, and…
Read MoreDebussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune – Flute Orchestral Excerpts Series
The flute excerpt from Debussy’s tone poem Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun) is one of the most popular excerpts and is called for on nearly every audition. As such, even if you’re not actively seeking to take auditions, I highly recommend learning this excerpt and keeping it under your fingers……
Read MoreDvořák 8 – Flute Orchestral Excerpts Series
It’s been a crazy few months, but I’m happy to finally have some time to return to blogging! We’ll pick up right where we left off in the series on orchestral excerpts, starting with the flute solo in the fourth movement of Antonín Dvořák’s (1841-1904) Symphony no. 8 in G Major, Op. 88, B. 163. Background Information…
Read MoreHindemith’s Symphonic Metamorphosis – Flute Orchestral Excerpts Series
I am excited to release the background information and performance considerations on the flute excerpt from Hindemith’s Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes of Carl Maria von Weber as the fifth installment of the orchestral excerpt series! *One quick note before we start: Hindemith’s Symphonic Metamorphosis is not yet within the public domain, so I will not be sharing any images of…
Read MoreBrahms 4 – Flute Orchestral Excerpts Series
I figured it would be fun to have the fourth installment in the orchestral excerpts series be the solo from the fourth movement of Johannes Brahms’ fourth symphony! Like the other three blogs on orchestral excerpts, this one will start out with background information and the context of the solo. Though Brahms wrote his fourth and final symphony in 1884 and…
Read MoreMendelssohn’s Scherzo from A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Flute Orchestral Excerpts Series
One of our most popular excerpts is the Scherzo from Felix Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It is commonly featured on audition lists because it showcases a flutist’s breath control, understanding of phrasing, and ability to tongue cleanly, lightly, and with a clear tone. If you’ve read the last two blogs on orchestral excerpts, you know…
Read MoreRavel’s Bolero – Flute Orchestral Excerpts Series
Next up in the orchestral excerpts series is Maurice Ravel’s Bolero! We actually have this excerpt for both flute and piccolo (granted the piccolo’s excerpt is not as exposed as the first flute’s), and the second flute also plays a major role at the beginning of the piece. As stated in the first blog of this…
Read MoreRossini’s Barber of Seville – Flute Orchestral Excerpts Series
I’m excited to launch a series of performance tips and background information on orchestral excerpts for the flute! My intention is to hit all of the major excerpts (and then some) over the course of the next couple of years. I decided to start with the excerpt from Rossini’s Barber of Seville for no particular reason, other…
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