Re: flute vibrato

[AGREENBA <AGREENBA...>]

I'm wondering if we all should be even separating the techniques of key 
vibrato vs. hole vibrato. Sure, the open hole achieves less distinction between 
the 
two notes, especially if you are using a hole at least one removed from a 
trill hole, so to speak. But the two techniques, in my ear, are meant to both 
sound less than an actual trill, something to shimmer the sound. I HAVE heard 
Merlin use finger vibrato and it may even have spurred my original 
thinking/leaning towards embracing this old technique that I do in Baroque 
music on the 
1-keyed flute. 

As mentioned by Paul about Barrere's comment   -   and _I_ studied with one 
of HIS students from Juillard days!:-) -   on the "natural" approach I've 
always found fault with that comment (said by MANY others, my first teacher, + 
other flutists and non) since ANY vibrato on a wind instrument is truly not 
"natural." It doesn't happen naturally through blowing as it does with a 
singer. If 
a singer approaches singing in a certain way, the vibrato - be it slow or 
fast, depending upon the singing technique - will be put in motion. Sure, we 
try 
for a natural sounding vibrato so we don't sound like we're forcing the issue, 
as they did in the early 20th century, but natural is not really "in nature" 
since we have to literally DO something to get it going. I don't exactly know 
when the change occured to get us flutists to slow things down. We all learned 
about the "nanny goat" vibrato of early days but when you think about it, 
maybe this faster vibrato was a way to achieve closer to the speed of finger 
vibrato! What about THAT?! Whoa!    And yes, many flutists have found they have 
a 
vibrato sort of by accident but this isn't anything they can call upon or 
change either; very much the down side of vibrato that just sort of "happens." 

Back to klezmer. It sounds at least like we're onto some support fot the 
concept here of finger vibrato, be it shaking a key or using an open hole. On 
the 
ring keys of the clarinet it will be close to our ring key Boehm flute but of 
course not the simple system flutes. I think one way to really get at this is 
to log the use of what one thinks is finger vibrato in a given piece, put down 
which notes and then make sure you notate all notes that are straight, 
totally straight. The examples are out there; I just haven't takent the time. 
Brandwein's Firn is surely only one example, albeit VERY clear.
Let's go! :-) Let's look at historical paths, what could have still been in 
place, what was the goal? Imitate what? Who? Other 19th century techniques? 
Violinists. The works. But it's very easily done by logging which notes as 
clearly there are many notes for which finger vibrato would be an 
impossibility. of 
course knowing which system clarinet or flute makes a big difference in 
knowing what notes are possible.

Adrianne

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Adrianne Greenbaum
Associate Professor of Flute, Mount Holyoke College
Klezmer flutist: “FleytMuzik” and “Family Portrait”
Classical: "Sounds of America"
fluteworld or cdbaby