Page:The story of the flute (IA storyofflute1914fitz).djvu/182

Story of the Flute

adopted by many modern composers. A typical example occurs in the accompaniment to "Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets" (St. Paul). He is also very fond of smooth, running legato passages for the two flutes, generally in thirds, as in the accompaniment to "Let all men praise the Lord" (Hymn of Praise).

Mendelssohn, Hymn of Praise, "Let all men praise the Lord."

He assigns to the flute a dainty little obligato to the contralto solo "Oh rest in the Lord" (Elijah), giving it a graceful turn at the conclusion. Mendelssohn never writes anything difficult or in the bravura style for the flute; and although in the overture to Athalie he uses the high B♮′′′, as a rule he does not go

above A′′′. He was one of the first to introduce tremolo passages on the flute.

Mendelssohn seldom introduces the piccolo. The only instances I can find are the overtures Meeresstille;Piccolo in
Mendelssohn Loreley; the Military Overture, op. 24, for wind and drums only; and several times in the Walpurgis' Nacht. Strange to say, it is not used in Midsummer Night's Dream, where we might have expected it. He never employs more than one, or uses it above G′′′.

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