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A Legendary collaboration by Lois Bliss Herbine C 'entrai in the Philadelphia Orchestra under the baton of Leopold Stokowski in the 1930s and 1940s sat 'William Kincaid, the pre-eminent principal flutist, and Marcel Tahuteau, the much-respected principal oboist. They, along with the other principal wind players in the orchestra, played in a style as directed by Stokowski—colorful, expressive, and imaginatively musical. This was the golden era of the Philadelphia Orchestra, considered one of the finest orchestras in the world. All of these players were the founding teachers of their respective instruments at the Curtis Institute of Music, which opened its doors in 1924. They are considered the founders of the "American School of Woodwinds," revolu- tionizing the playing and instruction of their instruments. They set standards by which orchestra players are still judged. The methodology of Kincaid and Tiihuteau in particular also influenced the performances of other woodwind players, as well as string, brass, and piano players. John Krell studied flute with Kincaid at Curtis and attended wind ensemble classes led by Tabuteau from 1933 to 1941. His book, Kincaidiana, is a compilation of notes taken by him during his years at Curtis. An eventual colleague in the orchestra, he was a member of Kincaid's flute section and would look to both Kincaid and Tabuteau for advice. He became a famous player in his own right as piccoloist for the Philadelphia Orchestra from 1952 to 1981. "Kincaid and Tabuteau were sort of the centerpiece of the orchestra. The musical ideas of these two men overlapped and supplemented each other to a remarkable degree." —John Krell The Flutist Quarterly Winlcr 2006 Krell passed on his knowledge of the methodology of Kincaid and Tahuteau through his book, his performance, and his teachings. 'I'his article introduces and explains the key concepts in Krell's book with the use of a graded system developed by the author, a former student of Krell's. Musical Lines Kincaid noted three basic concepts inherent in the formation of a musical line: first. Music is made up of musical ideas, called phrases, that can stand on their own or in comhinalion with others. Second, each phrase has direction to a peak or high point dictated by rhythm and hy harmony. Third, as the name implies, music is on a line, which has direction and is always in motion. To create a musical line one must first have an under- standing of the underlying chord progressions. The most basic is the dominant to tonic chord progression (V to 1). The dominant resolves to the tonic; therefore the V chord is considered the lifting chord and the I chord is the resolution. Just as things in nature are cyclic—day into night into day, the ebb and flow of the tide—so must music have lift and resolution. This was a key element in 'lahuteau's teaching example of "up and down impulses," also known as "arsis- thesis" or the "lifting and lowering of the foot." Ex.1. "Hot Cross Buns"

A Legendary Collaboration

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Page 1: A Legendary Collaboration

A Legendary collaborationby Lois Bliss Herbine

C'entrai in the Philadelphia Orchestra under the batonof Leopold Stokowski in the 1930s and 1940s sat

'William Kincaid, the pre-eminent principal flutist,and Marcel Tahuteau, the much-respected principal oboist.They, along with the other principal wind players in theorchestra, played in a style as directed by Stokowski—colorful,expressive, and imaginatively musical. This was the goldenera of the Philadelphia Orchestra, considered one of thefinest orchestras in the world.

All of these players were the founding teachers of theirrespective instruments at the Curtis Institute of Music,which opened its doors in 1924. They are considered thefounders of the "American School of Woodwinds," revolu-tionizing the playing and instruction of their instruments.They set standards by which orchestra players are still judged.The methodology of Kincaid and Tiihuteau in particular alsoinfluenced the performances of other woodwind players, aswell as string, brass, and piano players.

John Krell studied flute with Kincaid at Curtis and attendedwind ensemble classes led by Tabuteau from 1933 to 1941.His book, Kincaidiana, is a compilation of notes taken byhim during his years at Curtis. An eventual colleague in theorchestra, he was a member of Kincaid's flute section andwould look to both Kincaid and Tabuteau for advice. Hebecame a famous player in his own right as piccoloist for thePhiladelphia Orchestra from 1952 to 1981.

"Kincaid and Tabuteau weresort of the centerpiece of theorchestra. The musical ideas ofthese two men overlapped andsupplemented each other to aremarkable degree."—John Krell

The Flutist Quarterly Winlcr 2006

Krell passed on his knowledge of the methodology ofKincaid and Tahuteau through his book, his performance,and his teachings. 'I'his article introduces and explains thekey concepts in Krell's book with the use of a graded systemdeveloped by the author, a former student of Krell's.

Musical LinesKincaid noted three basic concepts inherent in the formationof a musical line: first. Music is made up of musical ideas,called phrases, that can stand on their own or in comhinalionwith others. Second, each phrase has direction to a peak orhigh point dictated by rhythm and hy harmony. Third, as thename implies, music is on a line, which has direction and isalways in motion.

To create a musical line one must first have an under-standing of the underlying chord progressions. The mostbasic is the dominant to tonic chord progression (V to 1).The dominant resolves to the tonic; therefore the V chord isconsidered the lifting chord and the I chord is the resolution.

Just as things in nature are cyclic—day into night into day,the ebb and flow of the tide—so must music have lift andresolution. This was a key element in 'lahuteau's teachingexample of "up and down impulses," also known as "arsis-thesis" or the "lifting and lowering of the foot."

Ex.1. "Hot Cross Buns"

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In the simple tune, "Hot Cross Buns," the phrase in measureseight and nine has a V~I progression, which harmonicallyimplifs that ihe resolution should be on the word "hot."Ihcretore, musical impetus through the direction of the airmoves to this point in the phrase. So if the word "hot" is onthe resolving tonic chord, then, for continuity, we shouldphrase the entire example in the same manner.

"Happily, there is no one definitivesolution to a phrasing problem; ratherthere are several definitive solutionswith the validity of each dependingupon the personal frame of referenceand the conviction with which it isexecuted."—Kincaidinna

Ex. 2. "Hot Cross Buns"

Ex. 3. Simple Gifts

The second example is another optional way to phrase thistune. Notice there are two V-I progressions. There is oneprogression that resolves to "hot" and there is one thatresolves on "buns." We can use the second V-I progressionand the words to help find a new direction. A linguist wouldsay that "hot" and "cross" are adjectives that describe thenoun "buns." Therefore the musical impetus could follow thetext. Since there is not necessarily one definitive interpretationeven for a simple eight measure tune, imagine the difficulty ofparsing a line of a Bach s

"Normally, the harmonic changesoccur on the strong beats of themeasure, but there are melodic andrhythmic sequences which move tothe beat."—Kincaid'tana

lMÉm-pl«,tltaMgift iobcfi<B.TIiibaglfl lo «M« dorn

^ 5 É S ^ • J / ^ ^whMc you ougbl lo ta Aad «faan •« b d on - H I W I ta Ifea

feg-h-^place JoM ritfK. twin be

The traditional Shaker melody "Simple Gifts" is a good exam-ple of the melodic and rhythmic sequences moving to thestrong beats of the measure. The pickup notes "Tis the" are the"up impulse" on the V chord, and the word "gift" is the resolu-tion on the I chord, which is also the strongest beat of themeasure "Tis the...gift." The consistent motion toward thedownbeat of each measure continues throughout the selection.

'The metrical rhythms of music (basi-cally two and three) are frequentlyemphasized in performance by placingdynamic accents on the primary beats.William Kincaid, on the other hand,considered these beat notes as points ofarrival, as the result of what happenedbefore the beat was reached/'—Kincaidiana

Note GroupingsAndre Maquarrc's Daily Exercise #1 is an excellent way todemonstrate Kincaid's now famous view on note groupings.As noted in Kincaiiliana. the visual blocking of notes into beatgroups works against the flow ol the musical line. Using thebrackets, Kincaid would pull the phrase over the downbeat,therefore making the beat notes "ilnishing notes," meaning thestrong beats are terminations rather than beginnings of thephrase. There is an inflection at the beginning of each group-ing to show the direction and imply the resolution.

Ex. 4. Maquarre's Daily Exercise #1

This example has the right flow. Init ignoix.s tlic underlyingp crescendo. The number system is best used to demonstratethis principle.

Winlcr 2006 The Flutisl Quarterly

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WILLIAM KINCAID AND MARCEL TABUTEAU: A LFCENDARY_COLLABORATION

''... (Marcel Tabuteau) used illustra-tions for his students ranging from themovement involved in our normalbreathing... to that of the motion of theearth around the sun—but always therepeated refrain was 'motion/... Thiswas driven home to us not only byconstantly fresh and vivid imaginativeillustrations, but also by the elaboratesystem of numbers which Tabuteau hadworked out and which he applied toranges of intensity, continuity of rhythm,and patterns of phrasing.... Once havingmastered the particular number patternTabuteau gave, an inexperienced studentcould produce a soaring and beautifullybalanced musical line."

—Laila Storch, oboist

Ex. 5. Maquarre's Daily Exercise #1

1 1 2 Î 4 4 Î 2 2 Z 3 4 5 5 4 Î 3 3 4 5 6 6 ^ 4 4 4

Taking the same Maquarre example, here is an illustration of anumber system similar to what Tabuteau might have used todemonstrate to his students. Although Tabuteau is famous for hisnumber system, it is not something that was used in the sameway or for the same purpose each time. His students might havebeen given different ranges and different number values on thesame excerpt, but it was the same principle that was achieved.The number system made an aesthetic conception concrete forhis students. Krell demonstrated the start of this particular exam-ple to the author at a lessoti and had her cotiiplete it on her own.This, then, is both Krell's and the author's interpretation of aTabuteau concept.

In this exercise, 1 stands for p and 10 for f. The range used isnot important. It can be from 1 to 5 or 1 to 8. The imponance isthat the increase in volume and intensity is evenly distributedthrough the course of the exercise. There are smaller phraseswithin the larger phrase. The numbering is not 1-10 in the firstphrase but 1^, 2-5, then 3—6, with a steady increase until thepeak of the phrase— a 10 —is achieved. Notice the use of therepeated ones: 1, 1, 2, 3, 4. The first 1 is a finishing note and thesecond 1 changes the impulse and provides an upbeat.

"(This) leads us to an important dis-tinction between volume and intensity.Volume is simply the quantity of air,while intensity is the supported pressureof focused air."—Kincaidiana

Volume vs. intensity has been a topic of debate in recenttimes. Many musicians do not believe there is a differencebetween the two. Intensifying the sound implies a crescendo;but how you make the sound fuller is not just by adding morevolume of air, but also by increasing the speed of wind andadding overtones with their ititcracting resultatit tones, sutn-mation, and different tones. To understand the principles of anovertone series, play a hartnonic series on a low C by overblow-ing the fundamental with quickening speeds of wind.

Ex.6.

Incnhamconti

Harmonic

sa»ion3nt

GLreizIc

J

1

Overtone Series (from

C Ii L

etc

Kincaidiana)

.

Apparent increase in volume

1

This same tonal series can ring in a good, clear tune dependingoti how you utilize the air streatn. Starting on a C on the staffwith an open embouchure and lips in an "oo" shape, you cancreate a sound practically devoid of harmonics. By graduallypulling back at the corners of the mouth and finally tlatteiiiugthe aperture by squishing down on the lips, you can add thesepartials to the sound. This makes the tone fuller and thickerwithout increasing the volutne of air. This is also consideredtone coloration.

By increasing and decreasing the amount of overtones in thesound you can vary the quality of the tone for different effects.Adding overtones during a crescendo will help to propel themusical line forward.

Ex.7."Shenandoah"

fdanOofi- rduSion

In "Shenandoah," the V-I chord lift and resolution is on ihcpickup "Oh" and the downbeat "Shen." But the phrase doesn't

The Flutisl Uuarlcrly Winter 2006

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WJV. Mozart

Feminine ending (F. E.)

Piano*

Pno.'

IV' iv* r V v'10

Pno.'

Pno.'

end there. It continues through "en-doh." This gives the feel ofrelaxation on the unstressed beats of the bar. By relaxing afterthe downheal, the phrase is completed; then the followingpiukups propel us forward to the next measure. These types ofendings are mainly found in works by classical composerssuch .IS Mozart and Haydn. Using 18th-century terminology,musical endings have been termed feminine when the lastsounding pitch is occurring in an unstressed place and mascu-line it a phrase ends on a stressed beat.

Ex. 8. Mozart Andante in C majorWhen students are busy with the technical aspects of playing,they often fail lo con.sider the musical line. 7 his is most apparentwhen adding ornamentation. Ornamentation is simply lhat:It is the icing on the cake. It cannot interrupt the phrase.The Mozart Andante in C major is a good example ofcontinuing the musical line through the "trimmings." It alsoillustrates how the feminine endings and chord progressions,particularly the V-I and IV-V-1 cadences, affect the movement.

Winter í<M)f> I'hc Hulisr Quarlerly

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WILLIAM KINCAID AND MARCEL TABUTEAU: A LEGENDARY COLLABORATION

BreathingIn measures 8 and 12, forward motion is clearly dictated bythe V-1 chord progression, but relaxation is needed for thefeminine ending to be executed properly. Thus we need tomake a slight diminuendo ofF the downbeat of the measureand then immediately propel the air direction forward, thusconnecting the two smaller phrases together into one largerphrase. Without a diminuendo, the flutist needs to breathein the middle of intensifying the sound.

"Correct breathing leaves the notesounding while you breathe. Thesound seems to coast through the sep-aration and, to an extent, disguises theabruptness ofthe break in the line."—Kincaidiana

"Since more often than not, phrasesresolve on the down impulse (strongbeats of the measure), do not breathebetween up and down impulses, butalways after the finishing note (betweenphrase groupings) even though it maymean sometimes breaking a slur. Avoidbar breathing like sin..."—Kincaidiana

The chord progression propels forward to the down-beat of measure eight, so the performer should place acrescendo on the D, then grab the breath and keep going,coasting through the separation as Kincaid would haveliked. When the separation is a wider interval, even morecare should be taken to make a seamless connection.

"Kincaid used to call it 'relative inten-sity.' The wider the interval, the moreyou have to increase the leverage or'jumping board' on the lower note..."—John Krell'

"Tabuteau suggested that 'octavesshould be desired,' and it is preciselythis expectation of change, evoked bythe preparation, that communicatesyour intentions to the audience..."— Kincaidiana

Ex. 9. "Shenandoah"

Oh Shen-nLift RM f(tlMx

I kns lo hor you.Ufl RM Rita Lift

Revisiting our earlier "Shenandoah" example, measurestwo and three now can be connected to make one longerphrase. (Note the new crescendo in the second measure.)Prepare the interval by bringing up the intensity on thehalf note C to fill the space.

"The conscientious musician will ana-lyze, practice, and develop a repertoireof vibrato speeds, contours, amplitudes,intensities, and pitch variations, eachstyle subject to the implications of themusic being performed."—Kincaidiana

At this point, for musical interest, you can add theunderlying direction throughout the individual phrasestoward the end of the solo, so as to connect the phrasestogether by preparing the interval changes with increasingintensity, speed of wind, and volume. Also, you can modu-late the tone color by increasing and decreasing intensity andmake variations in the speed and amplitude of the vibrato.

"Rubato, literally, is 'stolen time,'except that it is a Robin Hood varietyof stealing in which the stolen goodshave to be redistributed."—Kincaidiana

"Greater liberties, more in the senseof a Chopin rubato, are taken withinthe measure so that the metric frame isnot distorted. Use the metronome as adiscipline, but play against it. Playingwith it is mere mechanical calculation.Tabuteau advised his students to 'ridethe rhythm; don't let it ride you.' "—Kincaidiana

TKe Klmisl Quarterly Winter 2006

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An overt way to enhance the phrasing is by using rubato ortempo modulations. Take the time period in which your solowas written and the style of piece into utmost considerationwhen deciding whether to take liberties that are typicallysaved for the music of the romantic period. Do not make acontinuous ritard without adjusting with a slight acceleration,and vice versa. One possible approach with rubato is to rushwhile the musical line is moving forward, then slow down dur-ing a written or iniplieii diminuendo. Because current perform-ance practice is much more reserved than in the days ofKincaid and Tabuteau in the orchestra, a flutist might under-standably be leery about taking these liberties. It is a trendthat goes in and out ot style.

Ex. 10. Theme from Rossini's Cinderella^by Frederick Chopiti

«Inr...

In the ihcmc and last variation from Rossini's Cinderella, byl-rcderick Cht)pin, the rubatos have been written in to com-plement the phrasing arrows, rushing in the forward line andslowing down with the backward line. The printed sf in measureflve and crescendo/diminuendo in measure eight changes themotion of the line, making the center of the measure moreimportant with a relaxation into the downbeats. This is theexact opposite phrasing technique than what were utilized inprevious examples. That is because expression markings maysupersede the implied rhythmic and harmonic importance ofa phrase. (A sound sample of this technique is available on theauthor's Web site at http://home.comcast.net/~lherbine/.)

Ex. 11. Variation #4 from Rossini's Cmderella^by Frederick Chopin

CoabrlD

On the last Variation, bring out the imporlaiil notes of thephrase, which happen to be the theme, by making these noteslonger and louder. They are called the skeletal notes, and theyhave legato marks in the music. All the while, lessen and quickenthe other, secondary notes. This gives musical interest, like oneperson playing two parts at once. A b<inus is to phrase themelody with direction while all this is taking place. (A soundsample of this technique is available on the author's Web site athttp://home.comcast.net/~lherbine/.)

MotionMusic is in constant motion. It has lift and resolution and relax-ation. Players must propel music forward to give it interest anddirection. This underlying direction is heard in each phrase, butpreparing the interval changes with increasing intensity andvolume can help to connect the individual phrases together.

Musical interest is achieved by modulating the tone colors,which means increasing and decreasing intensity by varying thespeed and amplitude of the vibrato, and, in special cases, byvarying the tempo of the music within the phrase. Technicaldeficiencies, ornamentation, and secondary voicings (which arenotes other than the skeletal notes) should never disrupt themusical line. *

¿015 Bliss Herbine in a native Philadelphian. Her early instructionwas from Kincaid's method books. The Art and Practice ofModern Flute Technique, and she continues to seek sludents ofKrell, Kincaid, Frank Vcrsaci, and Deborah Carter to continue herinstruction in the "American School of Flute Playing." Herbineattended the New School of Music and received her RM wiihhighest honors. She later studied with David Cramer and KazitoTokito ofthe Philadelphia Orchestra. Herbine has been a memberof Orchestra 2001 since its inception in ¡9HH and has recordedwith the new music ensemble on ¡he CRI and Albany labels. Herfirst solo CD of premiere recordings for piccolo was released insummer 2004 on the Crystal label.

References1. Lail.i Stordi, "Marcel Tiibuteau." To the World's Oboi$tí,vo\. II, no. I (March 19741.

2. Melissa Stevens, "Marcel Tabuteau: An Interview with John Krell," The Flutist

Quarterly, no. 3, Spring 2001: 56-t)0,

Svriyrinx

Fine Flute Kepdir

Sarah Merrowd mbr KigecoKousi hg.c

WintiT .:()()(• [ 111- I'liiiUi Quarterly

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