Page:The story of the flute (IA storyofflute1914fitz).djvu/161

 works in all sorts of combinations: sometimes it plays with the bassoons, sometimes with the violins, once with the lyre. Sometimes the piccolo plays the accompaniment along with the second violins, whilst the first violins and bassoon play the melody. In one dance we have a piccolo and two flutes playing together, and ending up with a solo piccolo run and shake. Mozart seems to have been fond of trying curious and unusual combinations: in his Twenty-seventh Symphony we find two flutes combined with the viola in thirds; in several we have passages for two flutes and two horns alone; the Fifth Divertimento is for two flutes (which play the melody), five trumpets, and four drums (in C, G, D, and A) only. This and another similar composition were written by Mozart whilst at Salzburg in 1774, probably for some special occasion.

The flute is again used along with the brass and drums in the finale to Act ii. of The Magic Flute with great effect to portray Tamino (originally acted by a flautist named B. Schack) with his flute overcoming the brute forces of Nature. This weird melody on the solo flute may be compared to the famous solo in Gluck's Orpheo. , Magic Flute Overture.