A Legendary collaboration
by Lois Bliss Herbine
'entrai in the Philadelphia Orchestra under the baton
C 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"
In the simple tune, "Hot Cross Buns," the phrase in measures Ex. 3. Simple Gifts
eight and nine has a V~I progression, which harmonically
implifs that ihe resolution should be on the word "hot."
Ihcretore, musical impetus through the direction of the air lMÉm-pl«,tltaMgift iobcfi<B.TIiibaglfl lo «M« dorn
moves to this point in the phrase. So if the word "hot" is on
the resolving tonic chord, then, for continuity, we should ^5É S ^
phrase the entire example in the same manner. whMc you ougbl lo ta Aad •^ J /
«faan •« b d o n - HIWI ^^
ta Ifea

feg-h-^
"Happily, there is no one definitive place JoM ritfK. twin be

solution to a phrasing problem; rather

there are several definitive solutions
with the validity of each depending
upon the personal frame of reference
and the conviction with which it is
executed."
—Kincaidinna
Ex. 2. "Hot Cross Buns"
The traditional Shaker melody "Simple Gifts" is a good exam-
ple of the melodic and rhythmic sequences moving to the
strong 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 the
measure "Tis the...gift." The consistent motion toward the
downbeat of each measure continues throughout the selection.
'The metrical rhythms of music (basi-
cally two and three) are frequently
emphasized in performance by placing
dynamic accents on the primary beats.
William Kincaid, on the other hand,
considered these beat notes as points of
arrival, as the result of what happened
before the beat was reached/'
—Kincaidiana

Note Groupings
Andre Maquarrc's Daily Exercise #1 is an excellent way to
demonstrate Kincaid's now famous view on note groupings.
The second example is another optional way to phrase this As noted in Kincaiiliana. the visual blocking of notes into beat
tune. Notice there are two V-I progressions. There is one groups works against the flow ol the musical line. Using the
progression that resolves to "hot" and there is one that brackets, Kincaid would pull the phrase over the downbeat,
therefore making the beat notes "ilnishing notes," meaning the
resolves on "buns." We can use the second V-I progression
strong beats are terminations rather than beginnings of the
and the words to help find a new direction. A linguist would
phrase. There is an inflection at the beginning of each group-
say that "hot" and "cross" are adjectives that describe the
ing to show the direction and imply the resolution.
noun "buns." Therefore the musical impetus could follow the
text. Since there is not necessarily one definitive interpretation
even for a simple eight measure tune, imagine the difficulty of
Ex. 4. Maquarre's Daily Exercise #1
parsing a line of a Bach s

"Normally, the harmonic changes

occur on the strong beats of the
measure, but there are melodic and
rhythmic sequences which move to
This example has the right flow. Init ignoix.s tlic underlying
the beat." p crescendo. The number system is best used to demonstrate
—Kincaid'tana this principle.
Winlcr 2006 The Flutisl Quarterly
WILLIAM KINCAID A N D MARCEL TABUTEAU: A LFCENDARY_COLLABORATION
''... (Marcel Tabuteau) used illustra-
tions for his students ranging from the
movement involved in our normal
breathing... to that of the motion of the
earth around the sun—but always the
repeated refrain was 'motion/... This
was driven home to us not only by
constantly fresh and vivid imaginative
illustrations, but also by the elaborate
system of numbers which Tabuteau had
worked out and which he applied to
ranges of intensity, continuity of rhythm,
and patterns of phrasing.... Once having
mastered the particular number pattern
Tabuteau gave, an inexperienced student
could produce a soaring and beautifully
balanced 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 a
number system similar to what Tabuteau might have used to
demonstrate to his students. Although Tabuteau is famous for his
number system, it is not something that was used in the same
way or for the same purpose each time. His students might have
been given different ranges and different number values on the
same excerpt, but it was the same principle that was achieved.
The number system made an aesthetic conception concrete for
his 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 a
Tabuteau concept.
In this exercise, 1 stands for p and 10 for f. The range used is
not important. It can be from 1 to 5 or 1 to 8. The imponance is
that the increase in volume and intensity is evenly distributed
through the course of the exercise. There are smaller phrases
within the larger phrase. The numbering is not 1-10 in the first
phrase but 1 ^ , 2-5, then 3—6, with a steady increase until the
peak of the phrase—^a 10^—is achieved. Notice the use of the
repeated ones: 1, 1, 2, 3, 4. The first 1 is a finishing note and the
second 1 changes the impulse and provides an upbeat.
The Flutisl Uuarlcrly Winter 2006
"(This) leads us to an important dis-
tinction between volume and intensity.
Volume is simply the quantity of air,
while intensity is the supported pressure
of focused air."
—Kincaidiana
Volume vs. intensity has been a topic of debate in recent
times. Many musicians do not believe there is a difference
between the two. Intensifying the sound implies a crescendo;
but how you make the sound fuller is not just by adding more
volume of air, but also by increasing the speed of wind and
adding overtones with their ititcracting resultatit tones, sutn-
mation, and different tones. To understand the principles of an
overtone series, play a hartnonic series on a low C by overblow-
ing the fundamental with quickening speeds of wind.
Ex.6. Harmonic Overtone Series (from Kincaidiana)
Incnsa»eiz1
etc
hamionIc
conti3nt
C Ii L
GL
r J .
Apparent increase in volume
1
This same tonal series can ring in a good, clear tune depending
oti how you utilize the air streatn. Starting on a C on the staff
with an open embouchure and lips in an "oo" shape, you can
create a sound practically devoid of harmonics. By gradually
pulling back at the corners of the mouth and finally tlatteiiiug
the aperture by squishing down on the lips, you can add these
partials to the sound. This makes the tone fuller and thicker
without increasing the volutne of air. This is also considered
tone coloration.
By increasing and decreasing the amount of overtones in the
sound you can vary the quality of the tone for different effects.
Adding overtones during a crescendo will help to propel the
musical line forward.
Ex.7."Shenandoah"
fdanOofi- rduSion
In "Shenandoah," the V-I chord lift and resolution is on ihc
pickup "Oh" and the downbeat "Shen." But the phrase doesn't

Piano*
Pno.'
IV' iv*
10
Pno.'
Pno.'
end there. It continues through "en-doh." This gives the feel of
relaxation on the unstressed beats of the bar. By relaxing after
the downheal, the phrase is completed; then the following
piukups propel us forward to the next measure. These types of
endings are mainly found in works by classical composers
such .IS Mozart and Haydn. Using 18th-century terminology,
musical endings have been termed feminine when the last
sounding pitch is occurring in an unstressed place and mascu-
line it a phrase ends on a stressed beat.
WJV. Mozart
Feminine ending (F. E.)
r V v'
Ex. 8. Mozart Andante in C major
When students are busy with the technical aspects of playing,
they often fail lo con.sider the musical line. 7 his is most apparent
when 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 of
continuing the musical line through the "trimmings." It also
illustrates 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
WILLIAM KINCAID AND MARCEL TABUTEAU: A LEGENDARY COLLABORATION
Breathing
In measures 8 and 12, forward motion is clearly dictated by
the V-1 chord progression, but relaxation is needed for the
feminine ending to be executed properly. Thus we need to
make a slight diminuendo ofF the downbeat of the measure
and then immediately propel the air direction forward, thus
connecting the two smaller phrases together into one larger
phrase. Without a diminuendo, the flutist needs to breathe
in the middle of intensifying the sound.
"Correct breathing leaves the note
sounding while you breathe. The
sound seems to coast through the sep-
aration and, to an extent, disguises the
abruptness ofthe break in the line."
—Kincaidiana
"Since more often than not, phrases
resolve on the down impulse (strong
beats of the measure), do not breathe
between up and down impulses, but
always after the finishing note (between
phrase groupings) even though it may
mean sometimes breaking a slur. Avoid
bar breathing like sin..."
—Kincaidiana
The chord progression propels forward to the down-
beat of measure eight, so the performer should place a
crescendo on the D, then grab the breath and keep going,
coasting through the separation as Kincaid would have
liked. When the separation is a wider interval, even more
care should be taken to make a seamless connection.
"Kincaid used to call it 'relative inten-
sity.' The wider the interval, the more
you have to increase the leverage or
'jumping board' on the lower note..."
—John Krell'
"Tabuteau suggested that 'octaves
should be desired,' and it is precisely
this expectation of change, evoked by
the preparation, that communicates
your intentions to the audience..."
— Kincaidiana
TKe Klmisl Quarterly Winter 2006
Ex. 9. "Shenandoah"
Oh Shen-n I kns lo hor you.
Lift RM f(tlMx Ufl RM Rita Lift
Revisiting our earlier "Shenandoah" example, measures
two and three now can be connected to make one longer
phrase. (Note the new crescendo in the second measure.)
Prepare the interval by bringing up the intensity on the
half note C to fill the space.
"The conscientious musician will ana-
lyze, practice, and develop a repertoire
of vibrato speeds, contours, amplitudes,
intensities, and pitch variations, each
style subject to the implications of the
music being performed."
—Kincaidiana
At this point, for musical interest, you can add the
underlying direction throughout the individual phrases
toward the end of the solo, so as to connect the phrases
together by preparing the interval changes with increasing
intensity, speed of wind, and volume. Also, you can modu-
late the tone color by increasing and decreasing intensity and
make variations in the speed and amplitude of the vibrato.
"Rubato, literally, is 'stolen time,'
except that it is a Robin Hood variety
of stealing in which the stolen goods
have to be redistributed."
—Kincaidiana
"Greater liberties, more in the sense
of a Chopin rubato, are taken within
the measure so that the metric frame is
not distorted. Use the metronome as a
discipline, but play against it. Playing
with it is mere mechanical calculation.
Tabuteau advised his students to 'ride
the rhythm; don't let it ride you.' "
—Kincaidiana
 An overt way to enhance the phrasing is by using rubato or
tempo modulations. Take the time period in which your solo
was written and the style of piece into utmost consideration
when deciding whether to take liberties that are typically
saved for the music of the romantic period. Do not make a
continuous ritard without adjusting with a slight acceleration,
and vice versa. One possible approach with rubato is to rush
while 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 of
Kincaid and Tabuteau in the orchestra, a flutist might under-
standably be leery about taking these liberties. It is a trend
that goes in and out ot style.
Ex. 10. Theme from Rossini's Cinderella^
by Frederick Chopiti
On the last Variation, bring out the imporlaiil notes of the
phrase, which happen to be the theme, by making these notes
longer and louder. They are called the skeletal notes, and they
have legato marks in the music. All the while, lessen and quicken
the other, secondary notes. This gives musical interest, like one
person playing two parts at once. A b<inus is to phrase the
melody with direction while all this is taking place. (A sound
sample of this technique is available on the author's Web site at
http://home.comcast.net/~lherbine/.)
Motion
Music is in constant motion. It has lift and resolution and relax-
ation. Players must propel music forward to give it interest and
direction. This underlying direction is heard in each phrase, but
preparing the interval changes with increasing intensity and
volume 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 the
speed and amplitude of the vibrato, and, in special cases, by
varying the tempo of the music within the phrase. Technical
deficiencies, ornamentation, and secondary voicings (which are
notes other than the skeletal notes) should never disrupt the
musical line. *

«Inr... ¿015 Bliss Herbine in a native Philadelphian. Her early instruction

was from Kincaid's method books. The Art and Practice of
In the ihcmc and last variation from Rossini's Cinderella, by Modern Flute Technique, and she continues to seek sludents of
l-rcderick Cht)pin, the rubatos have been written in to com- Krell, Kincaid, Frank Vcrsaci, and Deborah Carter to continue her
plement the phrasing arrows, rushing in the forward line and instruction in the "American School of Flute Playing." Herbine
slowing down with the backward line. The printed sf in measure attended the New School of Music and received her RM wiih
flve and crescendo/diminuendo in measure eight changes the highest honors. She later studied with David Cramer and Kazito
motion of the line, making the center of the measure more Tokito ofthe Philadelphia Orchestra. Herbine has been a member
important with a relaxation into the downbeats. This is the of Orchestra 2001 since its inception in ¡9HH and has recorded
exact opposite phrasing technique than what were utilized in with the new music ensemble on ¡he CRI and Albany labels. Her
previous examples. That is because expression markings may first solo CD of premiere recordings for piccolo was released in
supersede the implied rhythmic and harmonic importance of summer 2004 on the Crystal label.
a phrase. (A sound sample of this technique is available on the
author's Web site at http://home.comcast.net/~lherbine/.) References
1. Lail.i Stordi, "Marcel Tiibuteau." To the World's Oboi$tí,vo\. II, no. I (March 19741.
Ex. 11. Variation #4 from Rossini's Cmderella^ 2. Melissa Stevens, "Marcel Tabuteau: An Interview with John Krell," The Flutist
by Frederick Chopin Quarterly, no. 3, Spring 2001: 56-t)0,

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Fine Flute Kepdir

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