The Classical and Early Romantic Flute: A Theoretical and Practical Guide

In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, the flute was the most commonly played wind instrument by both amateurs and virtuosos. Thanks to the flute’s popularity, countless instruments, flute compositions, and flute methods were produced, many of which are still preserved today. The flute itself underwent a great evolution during this time; flute players and makers adapted it to the steadily changing prevailing musical taste. Along with the instrument, its performance practice changed as well. Musical rules were established and adapted, some of them visible in the scores, others applied by the musicians. These changes are reflected in around 150 flute methods published between 1760 and 1850.

In The Classical and Early Romantic Flute, flutist Anne Pustlauk sheds light on the complex world of the flute and its performance practice in the Classical and Early Romantic periods. Drawing on primary sources such as instruments, printed and manuscript scores, methods, concert reviews, and other written documents, she provides the reader with all of the information needed to perform the repertoire of the time in a historically informed and inspired way. The book gives theoretical information and practical guidelines illustrated by numerous musical examples. It also includes the history of each of the most common keys of the simple system flute, from a theoretical and practical perspective. To complete the picture, artist biographies of selected flute players and makers bring to life some of the main figures of the flute-playing world of this era.

Anne Pustlauk is a flutist, instructor, and researcher within the field of historically informed performance practice. In particular, the simple system flutes of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries have piqued her interest. A research fellow at the Royal Conservatoire Antwerp, she teaches artistic research and historical performance practice.