About Franz Doppler
Franz Doppler (1821-1883) was a Hungarian-Austrian composer, conductor, and flutist. As the composer of the famous “Hungarian Pastoral Fantasy,” he is known to every flutist. Appointed principal flutist of the Budapest Opera at age 18, he later became principal flutist of the Vienna Court Opera 1 and rose further to the position of chief conductor. Although today almost exclusively his flute works are performed, in his own time he was reportedly more highly regarded as a composer of theatrical music, including operas and ballets 2. He was also a pupil of Liszt and is known for arranging 6 of Liszt’s “Hungarian Rhapsodies” for orchestra under Liszt’s guidance.
About Karl Doppler
He had a brother 4 years his junior, Karl Doppler (1825-1900). Karl was also a virtuoso flutist 3, and the two swept across Europe as the “virtuoso flute brothers.” Franz left some 410 duets for the two of them to play. “Andante and Rondo, Op. 25” is known as one of the foremost among them.
An Unusual Feature of the Doppler Brothers’ Duet
The brothers’ duet had an unusual feature: the younger brother Karl was left-handed and used a flute facing the opposite direction from normal. Thus, when the two went onstage to perform, they looked like mirror images, further enhancing their perfectly coordinated virtuosity. They were performers who also knew how to put on a show.
I found a performance on YouTube that offers a glimpse of this, so let me introduce it.
Interesting, isn’t it?
My Favorite Performance of Doppler’s “Andante and Rondo”
As for performances, I like Michel Debost 5 and Aurèle Nicolet 6 in this performance. Wow, they are superb. Nicolet’s entrance at the beginning gives me chills. Please listen.
(Added March 28, 2024)
My recent recommendation is a performance by Pahud, a pupil of Debost, and Adrien. They are seriously good.
Bonus: My Own Performance
Finally, for your amusement, I will include my own performance. I recorded it in 2025 on May, when I visited the home of Professor Yuko Hattori 7. It was recorded in one take, so there are wrong notes and various other things, but please enjoy it.
Other Articles in the Music Category
- New Discovery: Mozart Works for Flute and Harp Premiered on 6/21 (6/23 Performance Recording Also Added)
- A Visit to the Mendelssohn House in Leipzig — The Difficulties Faced by the Mendelssohn Family and Women
- Year-End Greetings: Fauré’s “In Paradisum” from Requiem, Op. 48—In Memory of Andrew Nash
- The Background, Lyrics, and Recommended Performances of Giordani’s “Caro mio ben (My Beloved)”
- An Unusual Theme Song for the Annals of Anime History — The Secrets of the Latin Lyrics to “Lilium (White Lily)”
- VTuber Chima Machita’s “Lilium” and “Caro mio ben”
- Bach’s “Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565”: Originally a Violin Piece?
- Season’s Greetings—Bach: Siciliano (Flute and Spinet)
- “Michishirube” at the Setting of Violet Evergarden
- A Recommended Hidden Gem: Damase—Quartet for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, and Piano
Footnotes
- today’s Vienna State Opera
- He wrote 7 operas and 15 ballets and was a master orchestrator.
- He was also a composer and served as music director of the Budapest Opera.
- Several were co-written with Karl.
- The first principal flutist of the Orchestre de Paris and a professor at the Paris Conservatoire. A pupil of Marcel Moyse and the teacher of Pahud, the current principal flutist of the Berlin Philharmonic.
- Principal flutist of the Berlin Philharmonic from 1950-1959. Professor at the Berlin University of the Arts. A pupil of Marcel Moyse.
- Principal player of the KlassikPhilharmonie Hamburg
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