Story of the Flute
ma non troppo presto, pero non troppo adagio, cosi, cosi, con molto gaito ed expressione." He was onceBy the
Great
Composers commissioned by a Polish Count to write a trio with a flute part; the writing was delayed and Mozart sent the Count the MS. of the pianoforte quintett to pacify him. Meanwhile the composer had received fifty louis from the Count, who, finding that the trio was not forthcoming, demanded back his money, which was duly returned. But the Count held on to the MS. of the quintett nevertheless! Spohr has written several chamber works which included the flute. He favoured large combinations, and his characteristic nonett (op.
31) for five wind instruments and four strings—first produced in London by the Philharmonic Society, April 1817, with Ireland as flautist—is the finest work of the kind ever written in which the flute participates. Hummel has written a couple of septetts for wind (including flute), strings and pianoforte; one (op. 114) is termed "Military," owing to its introducing the trumpet. In both, the pianoforte has a very brilliant and prominent part; the other instruments being relegated to the position of mere accompanists—a very usual defect in works of the kind.
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