The Flute Virtuosity: Johann George Tromlitz Essay -- The Gewandhaus Or

Accounts written of the late Johann George Tromlitz paint him as a bitter man; he was easily upset when writers neglected to mention his influential work on the flute. He reacts to these sentiments in the forward of one of his treatises, The Virtuoso Flute-Player (1791). Tromlitz wanted to be known as a master of the flute; he believed that his ideals were vital to the flute’s development and performance. He wrote several treatises where he speaks of the correct construction and performance of the flute, the core of his ideal. Although disputed, Tromlitz’s long-lasting impact on the flute community is absolutely indispensable: his treatises guide performers to a great extent, his compositions provide standard and well-written repertoire for the flute, and his flutes themselves mark the improvements that have been essential to the development of the modern flute. Tromlitz was born in 1725 in the small district of Reinsdorf in northern Germany. He completed his studies at the University at Leipzig in 1750, and soon after he received his degree in law, he started to build his own new set of flutes that were intended to dramatically change the construction process of flutes. He assumed the principal chair of the Große Concerte (now the Gewandhaus Orchestra) in 1754 until 1776. The Gewandhaus Orchestra was named after the concert hall in Leipzig where its main performances were and still are held. Tromlitz left the orchestra to dedicate his time to the creation of his new instruments, the teaching of new students, and the compositions he was writing for the flute repertoire. By leaving the orchestra, Tromlitz began to discover the true worth of improving the flute. The flute was being used in the orchestra on a more freque... ...r.org (accessed Jan. 24, 2014). Grove Music Online, S.v. â€Å"Tromlitz, Johann George,† by Ardal Powell. http://www. oxfordmusiconline.com (accessed Jan. 25, 2014). Powell, Ardal. The Flute. China: Yale University Press, 2002. Reilly, Edward R. â€Å"Quantz and the Transverse Flute: Some Aspects of His Practice and Thought Regarding the Instrument.† Early Music 24, no. 3 (Aug. 1997), http://www. jstor.org (accessed Jan. 24, 2014). Toff, Nancy. The Flute Book: A Complete Guide for Students and Performers. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1985. Tromlitz, Johann George. Sonata fà ¼r Flà ¶te und Cembalo in Ut majeur. Mainz, Germany: Schott Musik International, 2000. Tromlitz, Johann George, Ardal Powell, trans. The Keyed Flute. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996. ———, ———, trans. The Virtuoso Flute-Player. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1991.