Fluteland.com Flute Message Board

Hello all:

I am very excited to say that I have my first flute student (squee!) and am working with her on her audition piece for district this year, Allegretto. I have played this piece multiple times, but I want her to hear more than just my interpretation of it. Do you all know of any good recordings/performances of this piece that I can share with her? Or do you have any general tips for her? I want to show her that one piece can be played several different ways depending on the interpretation (no one ever told me this when I was younger, and as a result I played everything pretty 'square' until I got into more advanced pieces).

Thanks!!

Congratulations on your first student!
Have you found a way to explain the diversity of interpretation?

Thanks!

I have found a few recordings of Allegretto that we are listening to, as well as other songs she knows but isn't performing. I was conflicted at first about asking her to listen to the piece she has been assigned because I don't want her to get an impression of how it's "supposed" to sound from one or the other, but I feel like it will help her with the phrasing and rhythms to listen to a recording. I chose another, very elementary piece for her to listen to that she is not performing to help her better understand what I'm talking about when I say musicality (specifically, three different versions of Jingle Bells).

If you have any other advice I am open to it!

Yeah, I think its a big help to hear the music as well as read it
There may be an element of personality involved as well.
My 11 yr old son for example has been taking violin lessons for 2 years and playing in the school orchestra. He is very concerned with playing "correctly" as the teacher expects him to...
Me, on the other hand, when I heard music for the first time was likely to think that I really like that but I don't want to play it that way. Now of course, I wish I had the skill to play the way I heard some of those pcs.

I don't know if you've found this one, or if yo9u even need it anymore, but Sharon Bezaly recorded the Godard Allegretto in her album "French Delights."

I don't usually like this piece but her interpretation has started to make me warm up to it a bit and I'm considering learning the suite now, just to add to my repertoire in case I need it one day.