Drawing from his highly praised French work, Une simple flute, distinguished flutist and teacher Michel Debost has compiled a useful and imaginative introduction to playing the flute. This alphabetically arranged compendium of advice and insight covers essential topics such as breathing, articulation, and tone, but also explores "jawboning," "finger phrasing," "the little devils," and other quirky and vexing aspects of flute playing. Full of practical advice on technique and axioms that lend moral support during tough practice sessions, The Simple Flute will be a welcome addition to any serious or novice flutist's library. In addition, the book includes original exercises such as "Debost's Scale Game," making it an excellent resource for flute teachers. Debost concludes each essay with "In a nutshell" and "Please refer to" boxes that make the book easy to browse, dog-ear, and return to again and again. Offering concise, common-sense solutions for flutists of all levels, this book is an ideal reference guide on flute performance.
The Simple Flute: From A to Z
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"Finally, after too long a wait we have the English version of Une Simple Flute....I urge every flute player, every flute student, and every library to get this book, devour it, relish its practicality and freshness, and savor its savoir faire." --The Flute Network
"Debost's writing style is refreshingly candid and reaches flutists of all levels. His quotes and footnotes reflect an inquiring mind, broad knowledge, and a superb intellect, all of which are inspiring to encounter. His wisdom is shared simply and directly. Other points are made with great humor or with thought-provoking metaphor, or poetic simile." --Leone Buyse, Professor of Flute and Chamber Music at Rice University and former acting principal flute of the Boston Symphony
"It should be required reading for every student of the flute. Debost has excellent ideas and expresses them clearly and interestingly. Certainly a must have on the book shelf." --Patricia George
"Michel Debost used to tell us in his classes at the Conservatorie de Paris that his methods were not the Bible, but rather a 'gospel according to Saint Michel'....This is a new kind of reference, resting on more than fifty years of experience, full of sensitivity and good sense, with little dogmatism and lots of intelligence....The curious student as well as the established teacher will plunge into the book, and raise their head three minutes later having learned something new that they will want to put to the test immediately. The book is a delight to read, handling language with ease and pertinence, capable of surprising us with each turn of phrase." --Emmanuel Pahud, solo flutist with Berliner Philharmonicker
"Debost's writing style is refreshingly candid and reaches flutists of all levels. His quotes and footnotes reflect an inquiring mind, broad knowledge, and a superb intellect, all of which are inspiring to encounter. His wisdom is shared simply and directly. Other points are made with great humor or with thought-provoking metaphor, or poetic simile." --Leone Buyse, Professor of Flute and Chamber Music at Rice University and former acting principal flute of the Boston Symphony
"It should be required reading for every student of the flute. Debost has excellent ideas and expresses them clearly and interestingly. Certainly a must have on the book shelf." --Patricia George
"Michel Debost used to tell us in his classes at the Conservatorie de Paris that his methods were not the Bible, but rather a 'gospel according to Saint Michel'....This is a new kind of reference, resting on more than fifty years of experience, full of sensitivity and good sense, with little dogmatism and lots of intelligence....The curious student as well as the established teacher will plunge into the book, and raise their head three minutes later having learned something new that they will want to put to the test immediately. The book is a delight to read, handling language with ease and pertinence, capable of surprising us with each turn of phrase." --Emmanuel Pahud, solo flutist with Berliner Philharmonicker
About the Author
Michel Debost is Professor of Flute at the Oberlin Conservatory. He succeeded Jean-Pierre Rampal at the Paris Conservatoire National and served as principal of the Orchestre de Paris under music directors Munch, Karajan, Solti, and Barenboim.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simply the Best Flute Book!,
By Danica Wells "DanWe" (New York) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Simple Flute: From A to Z (Hardcover)
I have gone through about 20 flute books in my quest for inspiration and tips about this wonderful instrument. This one is the best by far because Debost LOVES FLUTES, and he loves to play the flute. He refers to the sound that comes out of the instrument (when played well) as a "sensual pleasure" for the player (and listeners). He thinks "No pain, no gain" is unrealistic, and that more comfort equals more pleasure. Good point! When it comes to the rules of fingering, he maintains that if it isn't the "correct" fingering but doesn't hurt the music, and feels better or makes it easier, one should go ahead and do it. The idea that sticks out most is that playing the flute should be fun and richly rewarding. The A-Z layout of the book is totally reader-friendly. One can look at the list of topics and easily find exactly what is desired. I love this book. :)
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing! Inspiring!!!,
By Yrael Durer "Gio" (Alexandria, VA USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Simple Flute: From A to Z (Hardcover)
This is a must for any flutist who trully cares for his craft! This book is trully a work of art! It explains everything from the reality of a sustained note to finger phrasing. It isn't one of those old texts that has absolutely no revalence to music. If you wish to play music it is one of the books you must read. With plenty of new ideas to try as you turn each page. It is trully mind-opening!!!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Without Which Document Your Flute Training is Incomplete,
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This review is from: The Simple Flute: From A to Z (Hardcover)
DeBost offers a humane, common-sense approach to mastering the flute. His The Simple Flute will become the Flute Bible for generations of flutists to come.
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
Middle breath: Something less than a full inhalation. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
facilitating fingerings, circular blowing, good instrumental playing, sneeze point, trilling finger, flute repertoire, embouchure plate, middle breath, exercices journaliers, cough point, finger twisters, key closest, embouchure hole, right pinky, lip plate, abdominal belt, silent keys, flutter tongue, octave key, air management, tone holes, harmonic tension, left pinky, finger speed, circular breathing Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Scale Game, New York, Alphonse Leduc, Paris Conservatoire, Hands Figure, Interpretation Example, Stepping-stones Example, Freedom Example, Jawboning Example, Marcel Moyse, Tempo Example, Tonguing Example, Accompaniment Example, Allo Music, Attacks Example, Mozart Concerto, Rubato Example, Albert Cooper, Appoggiatura Example, Bach Sonata, Beginners Figure, Culver City, Flute Player's Notebook, Flute Talk, Henry Altès New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Middle breath: Something less than a full inhalation. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
facilitating fingerings, circular blowing, good instrumental playing, sneeze point, trilling finger, flute repertoire, embouchure plate, middle breath, exercices journaliers, cough point, finger twisters, key closest, embouchure hole, right pinky, lip plate, abdominal belt, silent keys, flutter tongue, octave key, air management, tone holes, harmonic tension, left pinky, finger speed, circular breathing Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Scale Game, New York, Alphonse Leduc, Paris Conservatoire, Hands Figure, Interpretation Example, Stepping-stones Example, Freedom Example, Jawboning Example, Marcel Moyse, Tempo Example, Tonguing Example, Accompaniment Example, Allo Music, Attacks Example, Mozart Concerto, Rubato Example, Albert Cooper, Appoggiatura Example, Bach Sonata, Beginners Figure, Culver City, Flute Player's Notebook, Flute Talk, Henry Altès New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 22
books:
See all 22 books this book cites
- Dance of the Blessed Spirits: From Orfeo Ed Euridice by Christoph Willibald Gluck on 4 pages
- The Flute and Flute-Playing in Acoustical, Technical, and Artistic Aspects by Dayton C. Miller on page 89, page 144, and Back Matter
- The Tempo Indications of Mozart by Jean-Pierre Marty on page 243, and Back Matter
- The Development of the Modern Flute by Nancy E. Toff in Back Matter
- Violin Concerto (Penguin music scores) by Felix Mendelssohn on page 182
See all 22 books this book cites
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