Page:The story of the flute (IA storyofflute1914fitz).djvu/225

 these pieces together. Furstenau's tone was pure, but somewhat thin as compared with Nicholson's, and he abounded in light and shade; his execution was also brilliant. He objected to double-tongueing. He frequently practised before a looking-glass. In later life he toured through Europe with his son Moritz (1824-89), a very precocious flautist, who performed at a public concert in Dresden at the age of eight. The King presented the child with a gold watch for his performance at a Court concert when nine years old. Moritz Furstenau was one of the first German flautists to adopt the Böhm flute, but he was forcedowing to the prejudice of the directors of the Saxon Court Band, of which he was a memberto return to the old flute in 1852.

About 1850 the brothers Doppler appeared. The manner in which they played the most rapid passages (on two flutes) absolutely together, with every delicate nuance of expression, caused quite a sensation all over Europe. They visited London in 1856, playing their own compositions: the "Hungarian Concertante" at the Philharmonic concert. The elder brother, Franz (1821-83), born in Lemberg, learned the flute from his father, who was an oboist in Warsaw. He settled in Buda Pesth as principal flautist in the theatre. In 1858 he was appointed conductor at Vienna, and subsequently became professor at the Conservatoire in that city. He composed not only many works of high merit for one or two flutes, but also several overtures, ballets, and operas; one, called Ersébeth, composed by the two Dopplers along with