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 ample scope for the display of tone, of phrasing, of expression, and happily these are now more highly valued than mere virtuosity and digital dexterity. The flute is daily becoming more and more used to convey the ideas of modern composers of note. The days of what Mr. Collard terms, "ear-tickling fantasias," with their jog-trot accompaniment, are numbered: flute-players now "tune their pipe to loftier strains."

The flute and harp is a very happy combination, the sustained notes of the flute contrasting well with the pizzicato of the harp. Mozart wrote a concerto for these instruments, and several modern French composers have adopted it. Haydn wrote a trio for flute, harp, and bass. At one time quite a number of pieces were written for flute and guitar, many of which were performed by Pratten, whose wife was an accomplished guitarist. But the combination is never heard in England now, probably owing to the dearth of guitar-players.

The flute was formerly much used in obligatos, not only in operas, oratorios and cantatas, but also in songs. But nowadays it is only on rare occasions that a flute obligato is heard on the concert-platform; when it is, it is nearly always the mad scena from Lucia de Lammermoor or Bishop's song, ''Lo! hear the Gentle Lark''. It is remarkable that modern song-composers have not paid more attention to the possibilities of flute obligatos. The instrument is admiraby adapted,