Course Syllabus

Introduction

Containing one of the most hauntingly beautiful themes in the flute repertoire, the Introduction to this Introduction and Variations by Schubert is a masterclass in writing for the flute. In this lesson you will learn how to play this melody with depth of emotion and beauty of sound.

Theme

The theme from which the variations are derived come from Schubert’s song Trockne Blumen, from his cycle ‘Die Schöne Müllerin’. This song explores the themes of love, loss and longing, and in this lesson you will learn how to convey these vocal ideas on the flute.

Variation no. 1

The first variation in this piece is a technical and musical challenge. This lesson focuses on allowing the emotion and beauty of the music to shine through the many technical challenges that Schubert throws the performer’s way.

Variation no. 2

The second variation, although more straightforward for the flute, is extremely challenging for the piano. This lesson explores how the flute’s interjections to the flurry of notes from the piano can be used to enhance and extend the musical ideas found in both parts.

Variation no. 3

This third variation is the emotional centrepiece of the whole work. Featuring none of the fireworks found in the other variations, this movement requires instead tenderness of tone and beauty of sound. In this lesson Julien focuses on exploring this aspect of flute playing, and provides many tips into how to improve your sound and to draw the audience in with your playing.

Variation no. 4

The fourth variation is once more a showcase of pianistic brilliance, however the fast chromatic scales in the flute part ensure that the challenges are shared equally between the two players. This lesson focuses on turning these technical challenges into musical sentences, and once again provides tips on ensuring that the audience hears the music instead of chain of notes.

Variation no. 5

The fifth variation is a moment where the flute really shines. The strings of notes flying at the player almost too fast to be read, however, in this lesson Julien breaks down these challenges and provides a method in which it can be played in a way that is both technically impressive and musically tasteful.

Variation no. 6

The sixth variation is again a moment where the skill of the pianist is on show, this being said the interjections of the flute are by no means easy. In this lesson Julien explores how to fit the comments and counter comments found the flute part into the piece as a whole, thereby creating a conversation between the two voices.

Variation no. 7

The seventh and final variation is another pearl in the flute repertoire. Featuring lightning fast articulated scales, and dazzling moments of passagework, it shines a spotlight on many of the aspects of playing that are suited most to the flute. These moments are however quite the challenge, and in this final lesson Julian takes you through how to prepare these for performance, and how to make them sound as gorgeous as possible.