Klarinet Archive - Posting 000235.txt from 1999/02

From: "Steven J Goldman, MD" <gpsc@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Flutes & Stuff
Date: Fri, 5 Feb 1999 21:50:55 -0500

An interesting change has occurred with the flute. During the last half of
the 18 C the flute was very much a male instrument. It was a favorite of the
aristocracy and all who aped them (this was given a boost by the flute
playing Frederick II - the Great - of Prussia of whom volumes have been
written about his sexuality). In any event the most popular type of sonata
for two instruments for amateurs was for keyboard with flute (violin)
accompaniment. You may have heard some of these by John Christian Bach or
the early Mozart sonatas. The meaty part is in the keyboard, the flute part
being very simple. One of the suggested reasons for this was that while
music education was considered important for any well bread aristocrat, the
men also were expected to get a general ,fine arts if you will, education,
and had only so much time to put in to music. The women, on the other hand,
really had nothing else to do, all educational opportunities being closed to
them. They therefore spent a good deal of time practicing on and becoming
quite proficient on their instrument (keeping many a starving composer alive
with their fees). Female instruments were keyboard and harp (notice that the
paintings of the time usually have a female keyboard player). Music meant
for home use had to take into consideration the abilities of the players,
rudimentary for the male (flute or violin), intermediate or advanced for the
female (keyboard).

Steven Goldman
Glenview, IL

sjgoldman@-----.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Kevin Fay (LCA) [mailto:kevinfay@-----.com]
Subject: [kl] Flutes & Stuff

Bill Hausmann noted:

<<<Male flute players might as well wear pink dresses to school, the
artistry of Jean-Pierre Rampal and James Galway notwithstanding.>>>

My best friend in high school--the best man at my first wedding--played
flute. He endured constant taunting from various and sundry brass holes
about his sexuality, given his instrument......

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