Tell us something.: I am an Irish flute player and whistler. I have been a member since 2007? This has been one of the most informative sites on Irish flute I have found.
keithsandra wrote:The poll was necessarily narrow so here's my own list:
Zamfir (pan pipes), Galway, Pavarotti, Lesley Garrett (soprano), Andrea Bocelli,
Russell Watson (tenor), Matt Malloy, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Puccini, Beethoven,
Massenet, Schumann, Hoagy Carmichael, Michael Flatley, Chris Norman, Rieu,
(violinist, conductor, Strauss expert), Dvorak, Franck, Ennio Morricone, Bach,
to name a few ...
Tell us something.: I'm a fiddler and, latterly, a fluter. I love the flute. I wish I'd always played it. I love the whistle as well. I'm blessed in having really lovely instruments for all of my musical interests.
Location: Unimportant island off the great mainland of Europe
When I hear music I like, I find the notes and learn it. I don't particularly associate the music with the composers, lyricists, musicians or singers concerned. To get an idea how to start a piece I listen to the singer mostly and the player if I have to ...
I do play Mozart's Fur Elise when the sheet music for it catches my eye. Otherwise there can't be much of Mozart that I've heard that I like enough to play, despite the fact he seems to have written quite a lot for flute. His work's got a reputation for being very difficult for pianists, apparently. But thanks for the note, Akiba because it made me look him up and his music does sound like my cup of tea and well worth a study.
Would those who have been influenced by his work on flute advise me to make an effort to listen to more of his stuff? Someone must like him.
By the way, I play a lot of Irish slow tunes and love 'em. But most of the time there's no provenance to them so I couldn't put anyone's name on my list of influences, though they've definitely influenced me.
Tell us something.: I am an Irish flute player and whistler. I have been a member since 2007? This has been one of the most informative sites on Irish flute I have found.
Two good points Akiba. I actually saw Fur Elise attributed to Mozart in a Google search I did, and took it for granted without checking that it must be true! Ouch.
Your second point that Mozart of all the classical composers might have more in common with Irish music will definitely make me look into my Mozart omission. I need something new to get my breath into ...
I lived in Syracuse for many years while John Oberbrunner was the principal flute of the Syracuse Symphony. John is an extraordinary musician who can coax a vast palette of tone colors from the flute. He really opened my eyes to how versatile and expressive the flute can be. Among Irish flutists, the player who consistently makes me say, "I sure wish I could play like that," is Marcas O'Murchu.
I'm asking you because you're an educated sort of swine. John LeCarre
Tell us something.: I am an Irish flute player and whistler. I have been a member since 2007? This has been one of the most informative sites on Irish flute I have found.