Page:The story of the flute (IA storyofflute1914fitz).djvu/80

 This was practically Böhm's last experiment in connection with the instrument, but he continued to manufacture flutes along with Mendler. Böhm published several pamphlets on the instrument. One, entitled Ueher den Flötenhau, appeared in 1847; an abbreviated edition in English was published in 1882 under the title "An Essay on the Construction of Flutes." Another, on Die Flöte und das Flötenspiel, written in 1868, has recently been translated and published in English. These works show how deeply he had studied the scientific as well as the mechanical side of the subject.

As a player Böhm attained great celebrity in Germany, where he was considered the best flautist of his time, and Fetis speaks of his brilliant execution of difficult passages and of his fine performance of slow movements. The London press spoke highly of his tone and style: "he strives to touch the heart rather than to astonish," said The Harmonicon. His compositions (the first, a concerto, dates from 1822) consist chiefly of airs varicées; those on The Swiss Boy (op. 20) and ''Du! Du! liegst mir am Herzen'' (op. 22) are still occasionally heard at concerts. The latter piece is said to have been composed by Böhm as an answer to critics, who asserted that his flute could only play in the key of C. Several were written specially to exhibit the merits of his improved system, and are well-nigh impossible on the old eight-keyed flute. He also wrote some original pieces of merit—such as his Andante in B major (op. 33) and Caprices (op. 26)—