Articles for Recommended Reading
Think you are injury-safe by playing flute instead of football? Think again . . .
Musicians are susceptible to a wide variety of injuries, including carpal tunnel syndrome, neck strain, and other maladies due to improper playing position or overuse. A good flute teacher seeks to prevent injuries by carefully observing the student's posture and set-up. Read about this serious topic here: click on Orchestral Musician Injury
The Four Stages of Memorization
Occasionally, flute music must be memorized. When this is necessary, it is important to use practice time wisely so that memorization can be at its height of efficiency. This excellent article explores the techniques that produce the best results:
click on: The Four Stages of Memorization
What Does the Conductor Do?
Watch this funny and enlightening video to discover more about an orchestral conductor's job!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXTKi_HmMVc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXTKi_HmMVc
What Makes a Musical Genius?
Grab a mug of hot something and settle in to watch this fascinating documentary that follows the musical path of Marc Yu, 8-year-old piano prodigy. Experts explore the questions of genetic predisposition to musical talent, environmental and nurturing factors and personal effort on the part of amazingly skilled children. Are YOU or is YOUR CHILD specially talented? Watch this!
http://www.wimp.com/childsymphonies/
http://www.wimp.com/childsymphonies/
Music: Crime Cure? An eminent pianist teacher discusses music's relation to one of our greatest social problems
This article contains excerpts from Madame Olga Smaroff-Stokowski's article in THIS WEEK magazine, copyright 1948 by United Newspapers Magazine Corporation
Every thinking human being today is aware of the alarming increase in crime-especially juvenile delinquency--throughout the world. . . but the experts are overlooking one factor which is an important influence in the prevention of crime: music.
The truth of music's power can be proved by statistics. In 1928, the Music School Settlement in New York published some amazing findings: In its 25-year existence, not one of the 30,000 children enrolled in its music studies came before a Juvenile Court for delinquency. I determined to find out what percentage of criminals confined to penal institutions had received a musical education. 87% of the prisons answering my form letter had no professional musicians or musically-educated persons among their prisoners. Out of 11 penal institutions, only 4 had any musically-educated inmates at all. Of these 4 institutions, convicts totaling 12,401, Sing Sing had the highest number of musicians--19 out of 2,408 inmates (less than 1%).
That there seems to be some correlation between music and character is already realized in some prisons. For instance, the bandmaster one prison, after describing how he trained prisoners who had not previous knowledge of music, wrote: "Trained musicians do not commit crimes--and men who receive musical training in penal institutions stay out when released."
In spite of the strong argument attesting to its importance, music in the present scheme of general education holds a place far below its potential value. Despite the good, bad and indifferent music-appreciation classes in our school curriculum, music is regarded only as a special skill or as a diversion.
The physically exciting rhythms of popular music are not what I mean when I speak of beneficial music. In fact I believe that an overdose of this type of stimulation to which our young people are subjected may play a large part in contributing to delinquency. Of course, as a serious musician. . .I sincerely believe great art music exerts an influence for good.
It is important that music--perhaps an hour of it--be included in the daily routine of a child's life. This does not mean he has actually to perform music, . . .but I believe he should have the experience of listening to good music.
. . .To listen intelligently with added enjoyment, a child needs adequate musical guidance. The parents, as well as the teacher of music, share the responsibility of furnishing the inspiring musical experiences that form one of the great character-building influences of youth and persevere through life as a force for good.
Let us give music a chance to use its vast power.
(emphasis mine)
Every thinking human being today is aware of the alarming increase in crime-especially juvenile delinquency--throughout the world. . . but the experts are overlooking one factor which is an important influence in the prevention of crime: music.
The truth of music's power can be proved by statistics. In 1928, the Music School Settlement in New York published some amazing findings: In its 25-year existence, not one of the 30,000 children enrolled in its music studies came before a Juvenile Court for delinquency. I determined to find out what percentage of criminals confined to penal institutions had received a musical education. 87% of the prisons answering my form letter had no professional musicians or musically-educated persons among their prisoners. Out of 11 penal institutions, only 4 had any musically-educated inmates at all. Of these 4 institutions, convicts totaling 12,401, Sing Sing had the highest number of musicians--19 out of 2,408 inmates (less than 1%).
That there seems to be some correlation between music and character is already realized in some prisons. For instance, the bandmaster one prison, after describing how he trained prisoners who had not previous knowledge of music, wrote: "Trained musicians do not commit crimes--and men who receive musical training in penal institutions stay out when released."
In spite of the strong argument attesting to its importance, music in the present scheme of general education holds a place far below its potential value. Despite the good, bad and indifferent music-appreciation classes in our school curriculum, music is regarded only as a special skill or as a diversion.
The physically exciting rhythms of popular music are not what I mean when I speak of beneficial music. In fact I believe that an overdose of this type of stimulation to which our young people are subjected may play a large part in contributing to delinquency. Of course, as a serious musician. . .I sincerely believe great art music exerts an influence for good.
It is important that music--perhaps an hour of it--be included in the daily routine of a child's life. This does not mean he has actually to perform music, . . .but I believe he should have the experience of listening to good music.
. . .To listen intelligently with added enjoyment, a child needs adequate musical guidance. The parents, as well as the teacher of music, share the responsibility of furnishing the inspiring musical experiences that form one of the great character-building influences of youth and persevere through life as a force for good.
Let us give music a chance to use its vast power.
(emphasis mine)
The Importance of Practicing Correctly
by Dr. Guy Yehuda
As a professor of clarinet I’m sometimes baffled by the lack of structured practice routine that some freshmen students have (and sometimes even graduate students). There is no point of just locking oneself in a room and practicing tirelessly for hours with no aim. Practicing for the sake of saying you’ve been practicing for hours doesn’t do much other than give you a sore embouchure. The right way is how to practice SMART.
I always advocate to my students to have a strategy for practicing: a structured plan of what one wants to achieve and how. It is a very important component in practicing – establishing a goal.
A goal for practicing can have a very wide spectrum of meaning: from a broad idea such as simply getting to play the instrument better, to a minute detail such as playing a certain bar correctly. It is imperative that the student knows at any moment of his or her practicing, what they want to achieve. Practicing intelligently means you can actually spend less time achieving better results since the practicing is much more focused and efficient.
One suggestion I often offer to my students in regards to developing a practicing strategy is as follows:
The student should divide his or her practicing time according to a well-defined timing scheme. For example: If a student is practicing 4 hours a day, the practice should be divided to two parts, each part consisting of a well defined goal. The first 2 hours should be dedicated to technique and can be broken down to the following components:
Long tones
Scales
Technical and scale patterns
Technical exercises for each hand
Articulation exercises
Technical etude
Artistic/ musical etude
After a good long break, the second 2-hour part of the practice day should consist of:
Solo pieces
Chamber music
Orchestral excerpts
It goes without saying that the student should plan to take short breaks throughout each practice session, in order not to overtax the embouchure. This is also a good way of avoiding the bad habit of pinching: since our normal response when we get tired while playing a wind instrument is actually to bunch up our embouchure muscles and tense up the lips rather then relax. In the long run a good practice segmented with short rests will help to develop a good stamina over time.
Practicing can be a chore at times, especially for the young student, which is why a smart routine of practicing will make sense to the young students and will help alleviate the "boredom" of investing good time in practicing. Self-determination and patience are unavoidable necessities for our art and practicing routine. Without it, there is absolutely no feasible way to master any instrument, no matter how talented a person is. The importance of practicing correctly and efficiently can greatly save time and accelerate the progress rate of any student.
Now, let's go practice!
I always advocate to my students to have a strategy for practicing: a structured plan of what one wants to achieve and how. It is a very important component in practicing – establishing a goal.
A goal for practicing can have a very wide spectrum of meaning: from a broad idea such as simply getting to play the instrument better, to a minute detail such as playing a certain bar correctly. It is imperative that the student knows at any moment of his or her practicing, what they want to achieve. Practicing intelligently means you can actually spend less time achieving better results since the practicing is much more focused and efficient.
One suggestion I often offer to my students in regards to developing a practicing strategy is as follows:
The student should divide his or her practicing time according to a well-defined timing scheme. For example: If a student is practicing 4 hours a day, the practice should be divided to two parts, each part consisting of a well defined goal. The first 2 hours should be dedicated to technique and can be broken down to the following components:
Long tones
Scales
Technical and scale patterns
Technical exercises for each hand
Articulation exercises
Technical etude
Artistic/ musical etude
After a good long break, the second 2-hour part of the practice day should consist of:
Solo pieces
Chamber music
Orchestral excerpts
It goes without saying that the student should plan to take short breaks throughout each practice session, in order not to overtax the embouchure. This is also a good way of avoiding the bad habit of pinching: since our normal response when we get tired while playing a wind instrument is actually to bunch up our embouchure muscles and tense up the lips rather then relax. In the long run a good practice segmented with short rests will help to develop a good stamina over time.
Practicing can be a chore at times, especially for the young student, which is why a smart routine of practicing will make sense to the young students and will help alleviate the "boredom" of investing good time in practicing. Self-determination and patience are unavoidable necessities for our art and practicing routine. Without it, there is absolutely no feasible way to master any instrument, no matter how talented a person is. The importance of practicing correctly and efficiently can greatly save time and accelerate the progress rate of any student.
Now, let's go practice!
Success vs. Excellence by Christopher Parkening
note: Christopher Parkening, a master of classical guitar studied with Andres Segovia, one of the premier performers and teachers of classical guitar in the 20th century.
I suggest that you pursue a commitment to personal excellence rather than success, based on your own God-given potential. Success and excellence are often competing ideals. Being successful does not necessarily mean you will be excellent, and being excellent does not necessarily mean you will be successful. Success is attaining or achieving cultural goals, which elevates one's importance in the society in which he lives. Excellence is the pursuit of quality in one's work and effort, whether the culture recognizes it or not. I once asked Segovia how many hours a day he practiced. He responded, "Christopher, I practice 2 1/2 hours in the morning and 2 1/2 hours every afternoon." I thought to myself, "If Segovia needs to practice five hours every day, how much more do I need to practice?"
Success seeks status, power, prestige, wealth, and privilege. Excellence is internal--seeking satisfaction in having done your best. Success is external--how you have done in comparison to others. Excellence is how you have done in relation to your own potential. For me, success seeks to please men, but excellence seeks to please God.
Success grants its rewards to a few, but is the dream of the multitudes. Excellence is available to all, but is accepted only by a few. Success engenders a fantasy and a compulsive groping for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Excellence brings us down to reality with a deep gratitude for the promise of joy when we do our best. Excellence cultivates principles, character, and integrity. Success may be cheap, and you can take shortcuts to get there. You will pay the full price for excellence; it is never discounted. Excellence will always cost you everything, but it is the most lasting and rewarding ideal. What drives you--success or excellence?
I suggest that you pursue a commitment to personal excellence rather than success, based on your own God-given potential. Success and excellence are often competing ideals. Being successful does not necessarily mean you will be excellent, and being excellent does not necessarily mean you will be successful. Success is attaining or achieving cultural goals, which elevates one's importance in the society in which he lives. Excellence is the pursuit of quality in one's work and effort, whether the culture recognizes it or not. I once asked Segovia how many hours a day he practiced. He responded, "Christopher, I practice 2 1/2 hours in the morning and 2 1/2 hours every afternoon." I thought to myself, "If Segovia needs to practice five hours every day, how much more do I need to practice?"
Success seeks status, power, prestige, wealth, and privilege. Excellence is internal--seeking satisfaction in having done your best. Success is external--how you have done in comparison to others. Excellence is how you have done in relation to your own potential. For me, success seeks to please men, but excellence seeks to please God.
Success grants its rewards to a few, but is the dream of the multitudes. Excellence is available to all, but is accepted only by a few. Success engenders a fantasy and a compulsive groping for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Excellence brings us down to reality with a deep gratitude for the promise of joy when we do our best. Excellence cultivates principles, character, and integrity. Success may be cheap, and you can take shortcuts to get there. You will pay the full price for excellence; it is never discounted. Excellence will always cost you everything, but it is the most lasting and rewarding ideal. What drives you--success or excellence?
How Many Hours A Day Should You Practice?
How Many Hours a Day Should You Practice? | The Bulletproof Musician
www.bulletproofmusician.com
What is the idea number of hours to practice for a musician? Read what the experts say.
Flute Vibrato
Vibrato is that shimmery variation in pitch that warms up the tone of the flute. It is similar to the effect produced by a violinist's hand as it moves back and forth. As Sir James Galway wrote in his book Flute,
Vibrato is another subject on which experts violently disagree, and all of them are right. If one thing rather than another expresses the individual, it is vibrato. [...] There is no last word on what vibrato should be used, or how it should be varied to suit the musicality and individuality.
Why Vibrato?Vibrato gives life to the sound, allows for intensity, and helps a player to focus. Occasionally the music calls for stillness, and then a note or two or a phrase can be played without vibrato to advantage. But as a rule music without vibrato is a pretty lifeless thing.
On the other hand, if the vibrato never varies, neither does the life of the music, and the result is rather tiresome and tedious. The human body has a range of intensity of life, from sleeping peacefully to running the hundred yards' sprint. Music needs this too; but the intensity should always be intended and under control. Therefore, the ultimate target is to master a whole variety of speeds of vibrato, on every note and at every volume level.
What Exactly is Vibrato?Vibrato is the pulse of the sound brought about by the rapid alteration of more or less forceful pressure of the breath. Where it comes from, that is, what part of the breathing equipment actually operates this alternating pressure, is not agreed upon by all flutists. The received wisdom has it that the muscles of the diaphragm are responsible; others maintain that the throat is responsible, while the diaphragm merely quivers in sympathy. Still another position is that proper vibrato is produced by a combination of pulsations by the diaphragm and throat.
These two extremes are commonly referred to as “stomach vibrato” and “throat vibrato”, and they are the only methods possible for producing a vibrato sound on the flute. Other techniques, like the movement of the jaw sometimes employed by saxophonists, are impossible or impractical for flutists.
It is important to observe that flute vibrato is a more complex phenomenon than the vibrato produced, for instance, by string players. In fact, while a violinist's vibrato mostly consists of a periodic variation in the pitch (frequency) of a note, a flutist's vibrato also introduces large fluctuations in the volume (intensity) of the note.
How Do You Learn Vibrato?In some flutists vibrato occurs naturally as a result of having good breath support. Sometimes, though, vibrato can be a difficult concept for the beginning flutist, because being an internal process it is hard to grasp.
It has been said that vibrato is something a performer should feel, not something to be learned. For those who feel it this may be true; but for the large majority who can't do it and want to know how to do it, it is something that should be studied and correctly learned.
Focused and in-depth study on vibrato can be found in volume 4 (Intonation and Vibrato) of Trevor Wye's Practice Books for the Flute, published by Novello. We highly recommend purchasing this book for serious work on flute technique, but here are some basic exercises to get you started.
First of all, it is absolutely essential to be able to play a perfectly straight note without any bumps or pulses, with the air coming directly from your lungs in an open, relaxed pipeline. It is of primary importance that the air meets no constriction from your lungs to your lip opening, and that you are comfortable with relaxing your throat.
Once you can do that, take a full breath and play a long, controlled note that you like. You should choose a note that is easy to produce, like low A or low G. Now increase the volume of the note in short (but not too short, say one per second) rhythmic bursts, basically saying “ha ha ha...” into the stream. You can make the note as loud and as soft as you want, as long as you keep playing the same note. Be careful not to use your vocal chords, that is, do not produce any sound using your throat. Also make sure you are not moving your cheeks or creating the pulses with your mouth.
After some days of practice you should start working on the same exercise with a metronome. Start slowly, say at 60 BPM, and pulse your long tone once per beat. Just take it easy, and try to do a little every day. Don't overdo it. Although this exercise can be frustrating at the beginning, if you keep at it it will eventually work. Once you have a fair degree of success, you should try to gradually (never, ever, rush through your exercises!) speed the exercise up until you get a smooth “wa-wa-wa” sound. After some time you should be able to start applying the vibrato in a slow étude. When you do this, remember to pay close attention to the dynamics, and feel free to slow the piece down if you think this would help.
Another excellent thing that you can do is to play duets with someone who already does vibrato well, and then imitate them. Listen to recordings of flute players that you like, and keep at your basic exercises. Eventually what you're hearing and what you're doing will start to match up.
One Vibrato, or Many?The three registers of the flute require different amount of physical effort to obtain similar sounding vibratos. What sounds beautiful for an upper-register vibrato may sound awful in the lower register. By varying the speed at which you change your airflow, you can increase and decrease the speed of the vibrato. As we have already said, the goal is flexibility. You want to develop a wide range of vibrato speeds as well as intensities so that you can apply them to different music and situations. Of course, this takes practice and supervision. As always, the wisdom of a seasoned teacher can be invaluable to a beginner.
Vibrato and Tone QualityEveryone has strong ideas based on musical taste regarding optimal flute sound. A student should not sound exactly like his teacher or other professionals; instead, every student should develop all the musical controls necessary to make musical choices.
Too often vibrato is just used as a way to disguise a bad sound. Remember that vibrato can change the character of the tone, but not the heart of it. Thus, in order to become a good player, you will need to constantly check the quality of your tone to make sure you are producing the best possible sound. On the long run, this will work wonders on your tone.
Use of Vibrato in Classical MusicFolk music instrumentalists and singers rarely or never use vibrato. In fact, this technique tends only to be used for the so-called “art music”, or for the performance of transcriptions by musician from a classically-trained background.
Although vibrato is usually thought of as an effect added onto the note itself, in some cases it is so fully a part of the style of the music that it can be very difficult for some performers to play without it. Still, the use of vibrato in classical music is a matter of some dispute. For much of the 20th century it was used almost continuously in the performance of pieces from all eras from the baroque onwards. A drastic change in approach took place with the rise of “historically informed performance” from the 1970s onwards.
For example, an interesting observation is that, occasionally, composers up to the baroque period indicated vibrato with a wavy line in the sheet music, which strongly suggests the effect was not desired for the rest of the piece. However, there is no actual proof that musicians performed without vibrato in the baroque era.
At any rate, vibrato is not a modern invention. It began as an ornament, usually produced by the fingers, and only occasionally by the breath. Vibrato as we know it today — a more or less continuous pulsation or shimmer in the tone — originated in the late nineteenth century in Paris. Paul Taffanel and oboist Fernand Gillet were two of the instigators. This may seem surprising in view of the statement in the famous method by Taffanel & Gaubert:
There should be no vibrato or any form of quaver, an artifice used by inferior instrumentalists and musicians. It is with the tone that the player conveys the music to the listener. Vibrato distorts the natural character of the instrument and spoils the interpretation, fatiguing quickly the sensitive ear. It is a serious error and show unpardonable lack of taste to use these vulgar methods to interpret the great composers.
The advent of vibrato in France, around 1905, was the fuel for a great debate. Because it was new, it was often not done very well and was used indiscriminately, and so it got a bad name. Furthermore, flutists had sought for too long, not without difficulty, to find good tone in all registers that was pure, stable and flexible, not to conceive of this perfection as the height of their art.
Vibrato was later brought to the United States by flutists Georges Barrère and Georges Laurent, and by 1940 it had become an accepted part of American orchestral woodwind performance.
Vibrato is another subject on which experts violently disagree, and all of them are right. If one thing rather than another expresses the individual, it is vibrato. [...] There is no last word on what vibrato should be used, or how it should be varied to suit the musicality and individuality.
Why Vibrato?Vibrato gives life to the sound, allows for intensity, and helps a player to focus. Occasionally the music calls for stillness, and then a note or two or a phrase can be played without vibrato to advantage. But as a rule music without vibrato is a pretty lifeless thing.
On the other hand, if the vibrato never varies, neither does the life of the music, and the result is rather tiresome and tedious. The human body has a range of intensity of life, from sleeping peacefully to running the hundred yards' sprint. Music needs this too; but the intensity should always be intended and under control. Therefore, the ultimate target is to master a whole variety of speeds of vibrato, on every note and at every volume level.
What Exactly is Vibrato?Vibrato is the pulse of the sound brought about by the rapid alteration of more or less forceful pressure of the breath. Where it comes from, that is, what part of the breathing equipment actually operates this alternating pressure, is not agreed upon by all flutists. The received wisdom has it that the muscles of the diaphragm are responsible; others maintain that the throat is responsible, while the diaphragm merely quivers in sympathy. Still another position is that proper vibrato is produced by a combination of pulsations by the diaphragm and throat.
These two extremes are commonly referred to as “stomach vibrato” and “throat vibrato”, and they are the only methods possible for producing a vibrato sound on the flute. Other techniques, like the movement of the jaw sometimes employed by saxophonists, are impossible or impractical for flutists.
It is important to observe that flute vibrato is a more complex phenomenon than the vibrato produced, for instance, by string players. In fact, while a violinist's vibrato mostly consists of a periodic variation in the pitch (frequency) of a note, a flutist's vibrato also introduces large fluctuations in the volume (intensity) of the note.
How Do You Learn Vibrato?In some flutists vibrato occurs naturally as a result of having good breath support. Sometimes, though, vibrato can be a difficult concept for the beginning flutist, because being an internal process it is hard to grasp.
It has been said that vibrato is something a performer should feel, not something to be learned. For those who feel it this may be true; but for the large majority who can't do it and want to know how to do it, it is something that should be studied and correctly learned.
Focused and in-depth study on vibrato can be found in volume 4 (Intonation and Vibrato) of Trevor Wye's Practice Books for the Flute, published by Novello. We highly recommend purchasing this book for serious work on flute technique, but here are some basic exercises to get you started.
First of all, it is absolutely essential to be able to play a perfectly straight note without any bumps or pulses, with the air coming directly from your lungs in an open, relaxed pipeline. It is of primary importance that the air meets no constriction from your lungs to your lip opening, and that you are comfortable with relaxing your throat.
Once you can do that, take a full breath and play a long, controlled note that you like. You should choose a note that is easy to produce, like low A or low G. Now increase the volume of the note in short (but not too short, say one per second) rhythmic bursts, basically saying “ha ha ha...” into the stream. You can make the note as loud and as soft as you want, as long as you keep playing the same note. Be careful not to use your vocal chords, that is, do not produce any sound using your throat. Also make sure you are not moving your cheeks or creating the pulses with your mouth.
After some days of practice you should start working on the same exercise with a metronome. Start slowly, say at 60 BPM, and pulse your long tone once per beat. Just take it easy, and try to do a little every day. Don't overdo it. Although this exercise can be frustrating at the beginning, if you keep at it it will eventually work. Once you have a fair degree of success, you should try to gradually (never, ever, rush through your exercises!) speed the exercise up until you get a smooth “wa-wa-wa” sound. After some time you should be able to start applying the vibrato in a slow étude. When you do this, remember to pay close attention to the dynamics, and feel free to slow the piece down if you think this would help.
Another excellent thing that you can do is to play duets with someone who already does vibrato well, and then imitate them. Listen to recordings of flute players that you like, and keep at your basic exercises. Eventually what you're hearing and what you're doing will start to match up.
One Vibrato, or Many?The three registers of the flute require different amount of physical effort to obtain similar sounding vibratos. What sounds beautiful for an upper-register vibrato may sound awful in the lower register. By varying the speed at which you change your airflow, you can increase and decrease the speed of the vibrato. As we have already said, the goal is flexibility. You want to develop a wide range of vibrato speeds as well as intensities so that you can apply them to different music and situations. Of course, this takes practice and supervision. As always, the wisdom of a seasoned teacher can be invaluable to a beginner.
Vibrato and Tone QualityEveryone has strong ideas based on musical taste regarding optimal flute sound. A student should not sound exactly like his teacher or other professionals; instead, every student should develop all the musical controls necessary to make musical choices.
Too often vibrato is just used as a way to disguise a bad sound. Remember that vibrato can change the character of the tone, but not the heart of it. Thus, in order to become a good player, you will need to constantly check the quality of your tone to make sure you are producing the best possible sound. On the long run, this will work wonders on your tone.
Use of Vibrato in Classical MusicFolk music instrumentalists and singers rarely or never use vibrato. In fact, this technique tends only to be used for the so-called “art music”, or for the performance of transcriptions by musician from a classically-trained background.
Although vibrato is usually thought of as an effect added onto the note itself, in some cases it is so fully a part of the style of the music that it can be very difficult for some performers to play without it. Still, the use of vibrato in classical music is a matter of some dispute. For much of the 20th century it was used almost continuously in the performance of pieces from all eras from the baroque onwards. A drastic change in approach took place with the rise of “historically informed performance” from the 1970s onwards.
For example, an interesting observation is that, occasionally, composers up to the baroque period indicated vibrato with a wavy line in the sheet music, which strongly suggests the effect was not desired for the rest of the piece. However, there is no actual proof that musicians performed without vibrato in the baroque era.
At any rate, vibrato is not a modern invention. It began as an ornament, usually produced by the fingers, and only occasionally by the breath. Vibrato as we know it today — a more or less continuous pulsation or shimmer in the tone — originated in the late nineteenth century in Paris. Paul Taffanel and oboist Fernand Gillet were two of the instigators. This may seem surprising in view of the statement in the famous method by Taffanel & Gaubert:
There should be no vibrato or any form of quaver, an artifice used by inferior instrumentalists and musicians. It is with the tone that the player conveys the music to the listener. Vibrato distorts the natural character of the instrument and spoils the interpretation, fatiguing quickly the sensitive ear. It is a serious error and show unpardonable lack of taste to use these vulgar methods to interpret the great composers.
The advent of vibrato in France, around 1905, was the fuel for a great debate. Because it was new, it was often not done very well and was used indiscriminately, and so it got a bad name. Furthermore, flutists had sought for too long, not without difficulty, to find good tone in all registers that was pure, stable and flexible, not to conceive of this perfection as the height of their art.
Vibrato was later brought to the United States by flutists Georges Barrère and Georges Laurent, and by 1940 it had become an accepted part of American orchestral woodwind performance.