Hi all,
I am delightfully overwhelmed with my recent substitute post in the local symhony orchestra. The third flutist was ill, and I was called to fill in less than one week before the concerts.

Holy cow! I was given the Flute II part for Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kije', which I just adore. Most of it I didn't have too much problem with, but I did have trouble getting one part clean, at tempo. It is the part in the first movement where Flute I and Flute II alternate sixteenth-note warbles:





Sorry I couldn't get the music quite right, but close enough, anyway.

My trouble is that in the slurs that (should be!) are over the sixtenth notes, my notes come out muddy, especially the c. It isn't difficult when I slow it down to quarter-note=100, but at speed it gets gooey. I tried working with harmonics (using fingered low c and overblowing the harmonic for each note), I tried using a different headjoint. It only really worked right if I tongued each note- which I did NOT do for the performance. Fortunately the part was doubled, so it came off OK, but I wanted to know if anyone has any other suggestions as to how to improve this.

Well there are generally several options harmonic-wise, and perhaps a different option could help make it smoother. It may also be that your flute needs some adjustment. I notice once my flutes start to get a little out of adjustment that the same thing begins to happen to me. You might also try dotted rhythms, or working the passage backwards to help smooth it out, if you haven't already.

did you try leaving the little finger RH Eb key up for the high E? At that speed no one will notice and it may be easier.

The really good way to get more flexibility in that range is to practice technique exercises and arpeggios up there, be sure to keep a relaxed embochure.