If you’ve never looked at Köhler’s Virtuosic Etudes Opus 75, you should. But, let me tell you what you’re getting into. First, they are a lot of fun to play! Second, they are not for the faint of heart! I really enjoy them because they do work a lot of very common flute fingerings such as scales, various arpeggios and chromatic scales. They also vary the articulations to give the performer much needed work. Do not play these with the same expectations if you have loved playing Köhler’s Romantic Etudes Opus 66, and you want more of the same. These are a whole different ball of wax.

The Virtuosic Etudes are in fact virtuosic. At first glance, they do look a little bit scary. They are multiple pages long and very dense with notes. It just looks like a Köhler bled black all over the page and decided to make life difficult for the flute player. However, they do fit your fingers. That is, there aren’t any really odd or strange intervals such as the JeanJean studies. I wouldn’t say the JeanJean studies are odd or strange. But they are different types of intervals and passages which don’t fit your fingers.

Köhler’s Virtuosic Etudes do fit your fingers. They’re fantastic for making your fingers really move. Once you’ve worked on your technique by doing your scales such as the Taffanel and Gaubert scales or Reichert studies, it might be time to try these etudes. They will compliment the techniques that you’re working on. It will be a natural flow to move from scale and arpeggio work to the Virtuosic Etudes.

If you would like to work on these then go to my website, DoctorFlute.com/downloads to download these etudes and start working on them immediately. They’re fantastic. They’re strong. They’re not for the faint of heart. If you are scared by all the black, then don’t start with these begin with something a little less black, then work your way here. But if you look at it and say, that’s a challenge and I’m going to do it. Then these etudes are for you! Because you’ll reap a lot of benefit from them. Keep in mind that they are not Anderson etudes where the melody shines through the melodic line amidst a lot of technique. There is phrasing and cadences to make these etudes musical as well as technical.

These etudes offer a challenge for anyone wanting to work on their technique with scales and arpeggios. They are well worth your time and effort for what they can teach your fingers. So, go to my website, download these etudes. You’ll enjoy working on Köhler’s Virtuosic Etudes, and then you can tell yourself that you’re a virtuoso as well.

Have Fun!

DoctorFlute

Watch me demonstrate this: FluteTips 99 Playing Köhler’s Virtuosic Etudes Opus 75

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