Musical interpretation is first and foremost a question of shaping a melody or the melodic line of a setting. Music, like any language, follows its own set of rules and a sufficient knowledge and familiarity with musical 'grammar' is therefore an essential prerequisite of any convincing interpretation. The internationally renowned performer and teacher Peter-Lukas Graf explains in great detail the parameters that have to be taken into account for a successful interpretation: rhythm, metre, agogics, articulation, phrasing, ornamentation and implied polyphony, etc. Numerous examples from the flute repertoire of the 17th–20th century serve as models from which he derives the 'rules' appropriate for an interpretation in keeping with each period. – These rules are not intended to be dogmatic but instead should stimulate the players to form their own opinion.

Offering comprehensive coverage of classical music, this guide surveys more than eleven thousand albums and presents biographies of five hundred composers and eight hundred performers, as well as twenty-three essays on forms, eras, and genres of classical music. Original.

"Boland's clear, accessible text reflects years of professional experience as a performer and teacher of the one-key flute. Her book answers all the practical needs of beginners and offers advanced flutists a wealth of useful information. Even players wedded to the Boehm flute will gain fresh musical insights from Boland's comprehensive method."—Laurence Libin, Department of Musical Instruments, Metropolitan Museum of Art "This is the best introduction to the one-key (baroque) flute for Boehm system flute players available today. With her comprehensive knowledge of the numerous historical treatises and tutors and her extensive practical experience as a player and teacher, Jan Boland has fashioned a guide that is at the same time informative and enjoyable. I only wish it had been available when I set out to learn the one-key flute. It would have saved me much time and led me directly to the most important sources."—John Thow, composer and Professor of Music at the University of California, Berkeley "An easy-to-read format, clear prose, attractive graphics, and well chosen and very legible music make it an ideal beginner's tutor."—Betty Bang Mather, Professor Emeritus, University of Iowa School of Music

A cumulative list of works represented by Library of Congress printed cards.