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What is so special about the French School of Flute Playing?
The French school: what is so French about it? What is so French about the French Flute School? Just about everything! To a surprisingly deep and broad degree, how the French speak, act, sing, learn, and even behave are all crucial components of this style of flute playing.

It's said that a picture is worth a thousand words - so is a recording. The following players are among many that epitomise the French School. While not claiming to be in their illustrious league, so incidentally does my own style, having studied at the CNSM Paris, with Gaston Crunelle. Crunelle was in direct lineage with the founders of the French School, Paul Taffanel and Phillipe Gaubert.

I was fortunate to also study with Jean-Pierre Rampal, himself a pupil of Crunelle, who explains the French style of articulation in this short video:

Rampal: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CBGzNs9hD0


Listen to recordings of these flute players from the French School of Flute Playing:

Jean-Pierre Rampal
Patrick Gallois
Michel Debost
William Bennett
 
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