T & G exercises

[Iolaus]

Well, this thread has been an interesting and entertaining read.

When I was a younger flutist (with seven or eight years of private lessons), I practiced exercises as little as possible (read "almost never"), and spent all my time on pieces - both lesson material and band material. Now that I've returned to playing seriously after a looooong hiatus, I have a different attitude; scales and exercises are the focus - sometimes to the total exclusion of the pieces my teacher has given me.

Since I've started lessons, I spend at least an hour and a half, or more depending on my mood, on a variety of scales, thirds, and arpeggios; T&G; Moyse; and another book I rarely see referenced - Maquarre. I've been playing again for almost two years in the college band, with concentration and private lessons for about the last six months, and I gotta say, the emphasis on exercises has improved my playing by leaps and bounds beyond any gains during the previous year and a half. (and extending all my scales and exercises up to the fourth D has made the normal high-end stuff a piece of cake!)

You all keep arguing about Trevor Wye and T&G, but until my latest incarnation as a player, I'd never heard of either. My teacher pulled out the Maquarre "Daily Exercises" book thirty years ago, and gave it to me almost like a sacred text, saying "take good care of this; they're not easy to come by." Whenever he wanted me to work out a passage in a piece, he'd pull out that book and have me run over this or that, showing how it related to what we were doing at the time. (It may have have been rare then, but I just easily ordered a new one online a few months ago )

Anyway, my question to the knowledgeable is: where does the Maquarre really fall in the hierarchy of exercise manuals? Was it another major school of teaching, or just a useful book for some? Is it likely that my teacher was using it as a stepping stone towards T&G or is it possible that, to him, it was like the T&G is to some here - the bible of flute exercises?

[ick27]

Maquarre was one of many French flutists who came to America in the early 20th century. It was common (and still is to some extent) for famous flutists to produce exercise or method books. There are many other such books, such as those by Boehm, Tolou, Reichert, Altes, Kincaid, Gilbert, Kujala, Baker, etc. They are all collections of scale/arpeggio exercises and there is no need to study all of them. You should try to find exercises that you enjoy playing--it's hard to get much out of practice otherwise. The popularity of Taffanel's and Moyse's books is a testament to the lasting influence as flute teachers but does not make other exercise books any less good. Nearly every today flutist can trace their "lineage" back to to Taffanel, and often teachers pass on the exercises they learned as a student.

[Phineas]

Here is my .02 USD on this.

I have many many excercise books that a challenging including the ones mentioned. Here is the problem. What is the use in practicing something that you will not use. A person could argue there are more diffucult pieces that require certain skills, however you could always practice the piece itself.

As far a performance is concern, the person that knows the piece/song/tune and practices the piece/song/tunetis going to perform it the best. Has nothing to do with that excercise books per se. I could have a great technique, and still not perform a piece well.

When I was playing in Hollywood, there were many times I did not make an audition because I did not know the tunes, even though technically I was the best player.

Anyhow, knowing your theory and practicing on the basics is really all you will ever need. A reasonable practice of Scales, arpeggios, intervals, rhythms, and tones. These basic things will get you through almost any piece/song/tune.

Just a thought

Phineas