Page:The story of the flute (IA storyofflute1914fitz).djvu/148

 , the transverse flute playing the lower partand in Tamerlane (iii. 5) two flutes-à-bec and two transverse flutes, one of each kind playing together in unison. Occasionally parts are marked for "flauto ou traverso," to be played on either kind of flute.

The famous obligato to "Oh, ruddier than the Cherry," in Acis and Galatea, has a rather interesting history. In the first Italian version of the Serenata (1708) the flute-à-bec only is used, but this song does not occur in it, being first introduced in the English version published about 1720, where it is marked "flauto"i.e., flute-à-bec. In the second Italian version (1732) we find the transverse flute used throughout, , Acis and Galatea, "Oh, ruddier than the Cherry." but again this song is omitted. When Mozart re-scored the work, he gave this obligato to a transverse flute, adding some beautiful and characteristic passages, whilst Mendelssohn allotted it to two flutes. At the Ancient Concerts (London) it used to be performed on a flageolet, but nowadays it is usually played on a piccolo; possibly by way of a joking reply to the monster Polyphemus' demand for a pipe for his