Page:The story of the flute (IA storyofflute1914fitz).djvu/118

 especially that of a boy. There is something particularly fascinating about the soft, velvety, so to speak, "glassy" tone of the flute, which "falls upon the ear like flakes of snow." Though passionate, it is quite devoid of the rough, tearing tone of the reed instruments. Many orchestral players produce a hard, mechanical tone like a clarinet or oboe; others strive apparently to rival the cornet or trombone, but this is not the true flute tone. The old flute had undoubtedly more of this characteristic mellifluous sound than the modern Böhm. The cause of this peculiar tone-quality is not known with certainty, but it probably arises from the absence of a mouthpiece of any kind. Flute tone requires gentle treatment, is limited in power or quantity, and is unsuited for large concert halls; but is capable of the most delicate effects in skilfulskillful [sic] hands, when the player becomes, as it were, united sympathetically to his flute. Too many play forte throughout. Goethe says, "To blow is not to play upon the flute; you must move the fingers"; he might have added, "and vary the strength and manner of your blowing." Its real character is too often sacrificed to rapid execution, calculated to show off the technique of the player rather than the beauty of the instrument.

The tone varies very considerably in the various registers. The characteristic notes of the lowest octave (especially if played piano and in a minor key) are invaluable in soft, mournful, elegaic passages, expressing, as Berlioz says, "an accent of desolation, but of