Publisher Description

While written works of nineteenth and early twentieth century flute virtuosos remain a foundation of modern flute study, and despite a recent proliferation of historical recordings reissued on CD, much less is known about their recorded legacy. The recordings, now more accessible, allow increased awareness of these musicians, their repertoire, and their performance styles. The availability of these compact discs and their importance shows the need for a thorough discography of the flute. The Flute on Record: The 78 rpm Era serves as a comprehensive and practical guide to the wealth of flute recordings made between 1889 and 1954. The discography lists commercial, private, and unpublished recordings, on cylinders and 78 rpm discs, for over two hundred national and international flutists. Recordings are logged in meticulous detail, including dates and locations, matrix numbers, domestic and foreign catalog numbers, and corresponding long-playing reissues. Solo works, chamber music, and vocal and orchestral works that feature flute passages are addressed in the citations, and in complete appendixes of anonymous recordings. Details about broadcast transcriptions, live performance transcriptions, and films are also included. Notes and bibliographies offer background information on additional recordings and repertory, and provide a link between modern study and historical evidence. With a list of record labels and numerical series, as well as indexes for composers and additional musicians, this important resource is accessible to researchers, collectors, and general users alike. The various components combine to create a fuller understanding of the importance of these classic recordings.

Author Biography

Susan Nelson is a flutist and flute instructor. She is the author of several journal and encyclopedia articles on flutists and historical woodwind recordings, and has published discographies of Georges Barrère, Marcel Moyse, and John Wummer.

Table of Contents

Part 1 Preface Part 2 Acknowledgments Part 3 Introduction Part 4 Guide to Using the Discography Part 5 Abbreviations Part 6 Record Labels and Numerical Series Part 7 Discography Part 8 Appendixes Chapter 9 A. Selected Anonymous Solo and Ensemble Recordings Chapter 10 B. Selected Anonymous Orchestral Recordings Chapter 11 C. Selected Anonymous Obbligati Chapter 12 D. Anonymous Studio Ensembles Part 13 Selected Bibliography Part 14 Index of Composers and Works Part 15 Title Concordance to the Index of Composers and Works Part 16 Index of Additional Performers Part 17 About the Author

Review

This volume will most certainly become an indispensable reference tool....Essential. * CHOICE, October 2006 *
Now, thanks to the meticulous labor of love by Susan Nelson, the flute and discographic community has a tremendous resource to discover the whos, wheres, and whens of the flute masters of these old gems....Nelson's introduction to this book is a witty and concise synopsis of the history of music recording as it relates to the flute, providing useful insight into the life of the professional musician living in the Industrial Age. The Flute on Record is an amazing achievement. * ARSC Journal, Fall 2006 (Vol. 37, No. 2) *
This meticulously detailed guide to recordings made between 1889 and 1954 is an incredible resource for the flute world for which we owe Susan Nelson a huge debt. * The Flutist Quarterly, Winter 2007 *
...a monumental work... * Fluit *

Long Description

While written works of nineteenth and early twentieth century flute virtuosos remain a foundation of modern flute study, and despite a recent proliferation of historical recordings reissued on CD, much less is known about their recorded legacy. The recordings, now more accessible, allow increased awareness of these musicians, their repertoire, and their performance styles. The availability of these compact discs and their importance shows the need for a thorough discography of the flute. The Flute on Record: The 78 rpm Era serves as a comprehensive and practical guide to the wealth of flute recordings made between 1889 and 1954. The discography lists commercial, private, and unpublished recordings, on cylinders and 78 rpm discs, for over two hundred national and international flutists. Recordings are logged in meticulous detail, including dates and locations, matrix numbers, domestic and foreign catalog numbers, and corresponding long-playing reissues. Solo works, chamber music, and vocal and orchestral works that feature flute passages are addressed in the citations, and in complete appendixes of anonymous recordings. Details about broadcast transcriptions, live performance transcriptions, and films are also included. Notes and bibliographies offer background information on additional recordings and repertory, and provide a link between modern study and historical evidence. With a list of record labels and numerical series, as well as indexes for composers and additional musicians, this important resource is accessible to researchers, collectors, and general users alike. The various components combine to create a fuller understanding of the importance of these classic recordings.

Review Quote

This volume will most certainly become an indispensable reference tool....Essential.

Details