Page:The story of the flute (IA storyofflute1914fitz).djvu/198

 . He took part in a performance of Kuhlau's quartett for four flutes at a musical evening in honour of Madame Schumann on the occasion of her visit to that city. He did not keep up his flute-playing in after-life, but doubtless he gained invaluable knowledge of the instrument in those two years. When his first Suite for orchestra was produced in 1879 in Moscow, the conductor complained that a passage for three flutes, playing triplets for twenty-two bars without a break for breathing, and also one in the andante, where the flute and clarinet have triplets in semi-quavers, were too difficult, and went very badly at rehearsal, and even at the concert. To this objection the composer replied that the flute could play such a passage for two hundred and twenty bars: "It would be very innocent to imagine that this must be done in one breath; they could breathe every time. I play the flute a little myself, and I am certain of it" (Letter, January 4th, 1880). None of Tschaïkowsky's flute passages, though often difficult, are unplayable or impossible. He makes most effective use of the instrument, especially in his scherzo movements, and gives it very considerable prominence, often allotting it the melody, accompanied by the other wind (e.g., the Fourth and Sixth Symphonies). On the other hand, he often gives the accompaniment to the flute, whilst the strings play the melody (e.g., finale to Fourth Symphony). In the Sixth Symphony (finale) three flutes play in unison on the low notes, along with the bassoon, as an