On Playing the Flute

Description

Music master to Frederick the Great, Quantz was one of the great flute virtuosos of all time. He was also a thorough musician, a fine teacher and an excellent writer. This classic book is ostensibly a flute method, but it goes far beyond that, presenting a complete and detailed picture of musical taste and performance practice in the 18th century. Of special significance is a table relating various tempos to the speed of the pulse, helping modern musicians to solve the difficult question of authentic performance tempos of Baroque music. This reissued edition includes all Quantz's music examples together with an introduction and explanatory notes by the translator, Edward R. Reilly.

Johann Joachim Quantz (1697-1773), son of a blacksmith, enjoyed a long and successful career as a flautist, virtuoso soloist, orchestral performer, composer, teacher, writer, flute maker, and tutor and Royal Prussian Chamber Musician to Frederick the Great.