Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides a guide to the history of the woodwind instruments of the Baroque era, the flute, oboe, recorder and bassoon, and to help those who are interested in acquiring a basic technique for playing these instruments. Approaching professional players for advice on instrument purchase should be undertaken with sensitivity. Most Urtext editions are on the whole a reliable source of performing material and are usually well printed and clear in presentation. Modern printed editions of baroque music have over the past 40 years improved considerably over those of the nineteenth and early twentieth century. Style in performance will always be influenced to an extent by the age that the performer is living in. The company of J. M. Fuzeau in France has published some truly wonderful facsimiles and their catalogue is expanding.