Paul Taffanel and The Morceaux Imposé Tradition

Paul Taffanel is considered to be the founder of French Flute School. Flute had reached its current perfection by the early elaborate scientific studies on flute mechanisms conducted mainly by Thebald Boehm who lived before him. Taffanel favored this flute and began using it in his teachings. Although there had been quite a few pieces entered into the flute repertoire during 18. Century, the art of flute reached another level by the more structred pieces written by Taffanel himself or written by other composers upon his formal request, as well as pieces written for Wind Chamber Music Society, and phantasies based on famous opera themes again by other composers. In addition to these contributions, Taffanel also popularized some flute pieces written by famous composers like Mozart and Bach and had been forgotten for a long time.French Flute School was formed by Taffanel?s major contributions to flute education and repertoire. For the purpose of passing on French Flute School to future generations, he wrote his famous Flute Method, as well as a comprehensive article in Lavignac Encyclopedia. However he could not finish neither of these, and they were comleted by his students Gaubert and Fleury. These works are considered to be priceless inheritence by the flute artists of our time.Taffanel brought brand new innovations to educational methods and examination programs during his time in Paris Conservatory. In addition, although the pieces inclued in the tradition of Morceaux Imposé had been written by flute teachers before, after Taffanel other contemporary composers began writting these pieces upon requests. Gabriel Faure became the first non-flutist composer who wrote a piece, his fantasy, for the contest. After Taffanel the number of such composers, as well as the number pieces they contributed to flute repertoire, greatly increased.The term Morceaux Imposé means `required pieces?. These were the pieces that the students in Paris Conservatory had to perform in order to graduate. The effect of Morceaux Imposé to flute technic and repertoire can be clearly seen in 19. Century pieces. As these pieces were written by contemporary composers, their quality both musically and technically were increased. In the 20. Century, the art of flute reached its perfection by the complexity and variety of these pieces.