Description
Book SynopsisPaul Taffanel (1844 - 1908) is essentially the father of modern flute playing. Drawing on previously unavailable material from a provate archive in Paris, Blakeman describes and evaluates Taffanel's life, career, and works, with particular reference to his influence as founder of the modern French School of flute playing.
Trade Review...a book that will appeal to the aficionado as well as the proletariat, a highly readable documentation that balances the composer's achievements against the cultural institutions of the Belle Epoque. * Mark Tanner, Musical Opinion *
...a good read, but the book will also prove invaluable as a reference tool...fascinating...[an] important book * Richard Langham Smith, Open University *
Edward Blakeman...lucidly tells the story of this fascinating, important, and kindly man who influenced flute playing indelibly over the later decades of the nineteenth century and into the early twentieth. This makes for a good read... [An] important book. * Richard Langham Smith, Music and Letters, Volume 88, Number 4 *
Table of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgments Introduction 1: Early Life 2: The Conservatoire and After 3: Advances and Retreats 4: New Beginnings 5: Composing for the Flute 6: The Wind Society 7: The Magic Flute 8: From Russia to the Paris Exhibition 9: Toward a New Career 10: Wielding the Baton 11: Teaching the Flute 12: Last Words on the Flute Conclusion Appendixes 1: Papiers Paul Taffanel 2: Paul Taffanel Works List 3: Music Dedicated to Paul Taffanel 4: Société classique 5: Société de musique de chambre pour instruments à vent 6: Paris Conservatoire Flute Class Notes/Bibliography Index
