On Playing the Flute [Paperback]

Johann Joachim Quantz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1985

Johann Joachim Quantz's On Playing Flute has long been recognized as one of the most significant and in-depth treatises on eighteenth-century musical thought, performance practice, and style. This classic text of Baroque music instruction goes far beyond an introduction to flute methods by offering a comprehensive program of studies that is equally applicable to other instruments and singers.

The work is comprised of three interrelated essays that examine the education of the solo musician, the art of accompaniment, and forms and style. Quantz provides detailed treatment of a wide range of subjects, including phrasing, ornamentation, accent, intensity, tuning, cadenzas, the role of the concertmaster, stage deportment, and techniques for playing dance movements. Of special interest is a table that relates various tempos to the speed of the pulse, which will help today's musicians solve the challenge of playing authentic performance tempos in Baroque music. This edition includes 224 musical examples from Quantz's original text and features a new introduction by translator Edward R. Reilly that considers recent scholarship on Quantz's significant role in eighteenth-century musical activity.

On Playing the Flute vividly conveys the constancy of musical life over time and remains a valuable guide for contemporary musicians.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, German (translation) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Johann Joachim Quantz (1697-1773), son of a blacksmith, enjoyed a long and successful career as a virtuoso soloist and orchestral performer on a variety of instruments. He was also a composer, an exceptional teacher and writer, and a flute maker. Tutor and Royal Prussian Chamber Musician to Frederick the Great, Quantz studied in Dresden and traveled throughout Europe to refine his musical skills and knowledge. Edward R. Reilly is Professor of Music, Emeritus, at Vassar College. He is the author of Quantz and His Versuch: Three Studies. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 412 pages
• Publisher: Wadsworth Pub Co; 2 edition (June 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0028701607
• ISBN-13: 978-0028701608
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,974,500 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential for players of any 18th C music, not only flute, March 29, 2001

By 

Bradley P. Lehman (Dayton, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: On Playing the Flute (Paperback)

Articulation, aesthetics, phrasing, ornamentation, character, tempo, practicing, accompaniment, style, notation, how to give a concert, how to breathe when you're nervous, how to play in an orchestra, ... it's all here. This book from 1752 covers the art of being a musician, not just a flute player.

Quantz' text is for anyone who cares about any music from about 1720 into the time of Mozart and Haydn. And it's essential performance practice material for anyone who would play this music: required reading for any serious student. It gives an indispensable window into German, French, and Italian taste.

Modern flautists, string players, keyboard players, and singers can learn a tremendous amount here. The pages about "good" and "bad" notes and varied articulation/tongueing are worth the whole price of the book. They describe the sound that composers were thinking of, the expressive range, the tremendous variety of effects *within* melodic lines. Take Quantz seriously: he was there, and he was a good player and writer.

What more needs to be said, except to thank the publisher for this edition? The previous issue by Schirmer has been out of print for far too long. This book should NEVER be out of print.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, October 27, 2007

By 

Unicard - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: On Playing the Flute (Paperback)

Great book of interpretation of baroque music. Quantz show us about the thinking of playing the recorder and how to execute the notes in Allegro and Adagios. Very nice.

4.0 out of 5 stars A quaint flute classic which offers some unexpected ageless wisdom & insights still relevant today for flutists or baroque musos, November 9, 2011

By 

Agogo - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: On Playing the Flute (Paperback)

A quaint flute classic written in 18th century germanic verse and convention containing advice on how one should play the transverse flute. It's literally a flute bible - an old Kings James Version equivalent which is harder to read but nevertheless deemed a worthy classic still relevant for today's flutist and baroque musician...a methodical text. Some may prefer the New King James version ie a more contemporary edition as I've found it tedious to read.

Dry text. However - one can expect to glean some tremendous wisdom and insights into the history and culture of the baroque music world within which the author operated and flourished under the patronage of the then King Frederick. Quantz wrote this treatise in dedication to him... one gets a treat of ye olde german royal salutations to 18th century career guidance for the aspirational musician, to more specifically, detailed technical guidance on the intricacies of flute playing, musical approach to baroque, as well as musicianship at large..., one can begin to understand why this book is a classic that has endured through the ages though it is oh so quaint. Books tend to come and go through history, latter issues superceding earlier books, however this one remains a classic simply because it's written by the revered JJ Quantz and is considered pioneering material.

It goes as far as making judgement calls on the extent of success a person can expect to achieve as a professional flutist based on the physiological makeup of the person and proceeds to describe the ideal make up (health, lungs, lips, etc etc!) Perhaps a form of reality check, but I prefer to subscribe to Marcel Moyse's softer ideology that one can expect to achieve a good level of success through intelligent methodical practice - if one already has the interest.

At first, this book would seem to read like a dry text. Takes some effort and perseverance to distill and absorb the contents and putting the knowledge to good use. Personally I'd give it three stars, but out of respect for the maestro and depth of insight, 4.