Page:The story of the flute (IA storyofflute1914fitz).djvu/210

 CHAPTER XIII.

I.Foreign playersQuantzFrederick the GreatRoyal flautistsEarly French playersHugotBerbiguierTulouDrouetFurstenauDopplerDorusDemerssemauCiardiBriccialdiRibasTerschakAltesTaffanel.

II.British playersEarly performersAsheCharles NicholsonRichardsonClintonPrattenB. WellsHenry NicholsonSvendsenPrincipal living flautists.

A once begged Scarlatti to listen to a flute-player. "My son" (replied the composer), "you know I detest wind instruments; they are never in tune." He did, however, at length consent to listen, and was forced to confess that he did not think the instrument was capable of playing so well in tune or producing such sweet sounds, and he subsequently composed two solos for the performer in question: Johann Joachim Quantz, the first European flautist of whom we have any full details. Born in Oberscheden, near Gottingen, in Hanover, on the 30th of January 1697, the son of the village blacksmith, young Quantz was for a time apprenticed to that trade. His father disliked music, but both his parents died