Page:The story of the flute (IA storyofflute1914fitz).djvu/122

 Another trick much used in old times, when the holes of the flute were directly covered by the fingers, was entitled the "glide," a kind of sigh created by sliding the fingers slowly off the holes and thus producing quarter-tones, as in strings. Nicholson and Richardson were much addicted to this trick, which, according to an old writer, "is used to express great tenderness or pity, or anguish or despair." It is now happily impossible on modern flutes with solid metal "touches." The vibrato effect can also be produced on the flute, and is sometimes extremely effective if introduced sparingly.

Turns and graces of all kinds, especially trills and shakes, are perhaps more effective on the flute than on any other instrument. Prolonged shakes have been frequently introduced by the great composers. Auber in his Bronze Horse has one twenty bars long. They are highly effective also on the piccolo. Wagner often introduces them; in Siegfried two piccolos have one for twenty bars, and in the Walküre's ride the flutes shake on the topmost notes of their compass. Strauss in Til Eulenspiegel has a long piccolo shake.

Two flutes playing in thirds or sixths (if not too high up on their compass) are peculiarly effective, as has been noticed by all the leading composers since the era of Bach and even before it; but tremolo passages in thirds, etc., although occasionally used, are not so effective on the flute as on strings, and are sometimes very difficult, especially if on the top register.