Exploring Sonorities and Practicing Extended Techniques on the Traverso
by Dorota Matejová
Until this day I remember how I encountered the traverso and its sound, feeling the vibrations, the imagined sound waves of this (to me) uniquely sounding instrument, in my chest and throat the very first time I tried to play it. Of course, back then, the sound was probably more like a whisper, only waiting to be explored and developed and encountered in many different contexts, which - back then – I could not have known, but deep down in me, somehow could feel its potential.
The fascination with the traverso sound has been with me ever since that moment & I believe it was the very first reason that pulled me towards pursuing early music studies – I wanted to really dive into the sound and playing technique of the traverso.
I have been exploring the traverso sound throughout my whole studies, while at the same time slowly bringing it into different contexts – into new music performances, into music theatre, into overlaps with experimental music and interdisciplinary art.
It is in these spaces ´in-between´, spaces where the traditional is questioned and placed into new contexts, where I have found my passion, and currently my performance practice involves both interpreting and commissioning new music for the flauto traverso and using traverso outside of its traditional contexts, such as in movement performance/music theatre or experimental / improvised music.
This is just to give you a background of where I am coming from and why I see the benefits of the practice of extended sonorities on the traverso.
The fascination with the traverso sound has been with me ever since that moment & I believe it was the very first reason that pulled me towards pursuing early music studies – I wanted to really dive into the sound and playing technique of the traverso.
I have been exploring the traverso sound throughout my whole studies, while at the same time slowly bringing it into different contexts – into new music performances, into music theatre, into overlaps with experimental music and interdisciplinary art.
It is in these spaces ´in-between´, spaces where the traditional is questioned and placed into new contexts, where I have found my passion, and currently my performance practice involves both interpreting and commissioning new music for the flauto traverso and using traverso outside of its traditional contexts, such as in movement performance/music theatre or experimental / improvised music.
This is just to give you a background of where I am coming from and why I see the benefits of the practice of extended sonorities on the traverso.
The sound of the instrument is an important expression tool, our voice, where the different colours express different emotions – in the baroque era known as the ´affects´.
Back in my master studies, I wanted to research the traverso sound outside of its ´early music´ context. I placed the traverso sound into the context of performance of new music, but more importantly – I started to explore the extended techniques - or extended sonorities - used in new music, on the traverso, thus my research ´The Limits of Traverso; Exploring the Sound Possibilities of Traverso through Contemporary Music´ was born.
At this point, I would also like to mention and thank the traverso player Matteo Gemolo and composer/flutist Maja Miro, who have been involved with new music on early instruments before I started my research and who gave me invaluable advice, reference and some texts I could refer to during my research.
In my research paper I described the extended techniques like this: „The ΄extended techniques΄ are known as techniques used in contemporary music, expanding instrument´s sound possibilities beyond the limits of the traditional – in this case, flute repertoire. They are like a language of contemporary flute music.
In 1980s, the ΄extended techniques΄ were further explored by Robert Dick. His book focuses on these techniques in great detail and its purpose is to explore all possible capabilities of the flute “as a sound-producing instrument. „ (here the ´flute´ is referred to as the ´modern keyed flute´)
Back in my master studies, I wanted to research the traverso sound outside of its ´early music´ context. I placed the traverso sound into the context of performance of new music, but more importantly – I started to explore the extended techniques - or extended sonorities - used in new music, on the traverso, thus my research ´The Limits of Traverso; Exploring the Sound Possibilities of Traverso through Contemporary Music´ was born.
At this point, I would also like to mention and thank the traverso player Matteo Gemolo and composer/flutist Maja Miro, who have been involved with new music on early instruments before I started my research and who gave me invaluable advice, reference and some texts I could refer to during my research.
In my research paper I described the extended techniques like this: „The ΄extended techniques΄ are known as techniques used in contemporary music, expanding instrument´s sound possibilities beyond the limits of the traditional – in this case, flute repertoire. They are like a language of contemporary flute music.
In 1980s, the ΄extended techniques΄ were further explored by Robert Dick. His book focuses on these techniques in great detail and its purpose is to explore all possible capabilities of the flute “as a sound-producing instrument. „ (here the ´flute´ is referred to as the ´modern keyed flute´)
Three proposed techniques
Since the publication of my research in 2020, my practice of extended sonorities deepened & expanded.
Below I am sharing a selection of techniques I find useful for someone who might just be starting with experimentation in the realm of extended sonorities on the traverso.
I chose to focus on 3 selected extended techniques.
Since the publication of my research in 2020, my practice of extended sonorities deepened & expanded.
Below I am sharing a selection of techniques I find useful for someone who might just be starting with experimentation in the realm of extended sonorities on the traverso.
I chose to focus on 3 selected extended techniques.
1. SINGING and PLAYING simultaneously
As written in my research: „This technique is a common practice in contemporary music. Simply put, it is a combination of the flutist singing while playing at the same time. The sound and timbre of the resulting sonorities depend both on the pitch played and on the flutist´s voice. Some intervals are easier to produce, other are more difficult. In general, the result is very individual, differing from performer to performer.“ (from The Limits of Traverso; Exploring the Sound Possibilities of Traverso through Contemporary Music, chapter 3: Extended Techniques for the One-keyed Flute)
As written in my research: „This technique is a common practice in contemporary music. Simply put, it is a combination of the flutist singing while playing at the same time. The sound and timbre of the resulting sonorities depend both on the pitch played and on the flutist´s voice. Some intervals are easier to produce, other are more difficult. In general, the result is very individual, differing from performer to performer.“ (from The Limits of Traverso; Exploring the Sound Possibilities of Traverso through Contemporary Music, chapter 3: Extended Techniques for the One-keyed Flute)
When practicing this technique, I observe these benefits for the traverso sound as well as for the general playing technique:
- opening of the throat
- greater awareness of resonance – of the throat, in the chest
- expanded tuning ability & ear training
- practice of the general intonation & intervals
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Exercise 1.a - Creating a DRONE with your voice
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Exercise 1.b - Creating a MELODY with your voice
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In both exercises, do not worry too much about the ´beauty´ or ´cleanness´ of the sound, the point here is to open up your sound, open up your throat, actively listen to the intervals and getting used to this new sonority.
2. MICROTONES
In my research paper, I experimented with ´microtones´ producing them technically in three different ways:
Since then my perspective on ´microtones´ has changed; currently I see microtones in a broader perspective, to me it is any kind of technique which produces intervals smaller than a half-step/half-tone.
Therefore in the realm of producing ´microtones´ I include these techniques:
In my research paper, I experimented with ´microtones´ producing them technically in three different ways:
- by covering the mouth-hole to varying degrees by the movement of the lips,
- by covering or uncovering the holes partially,
- by a combination of the first and the second way
Since then my perspective on ´microtones´ has changed; currently I see microtones in a broader perspective, to me it is any kind of technique which produces intervals smaller than a half-step/half-tone.
Therefore in the realm of producing ´microtones´ I include these techniques:
- covering the mouth-hole to varying degrees by the movement of the lips
- glissando, produced
- by sliding the headjoint inwards or outwards – in my experience though producing glissando by movement of the lips works better and it is more flexible!
- by finger-movement – covering or uncovering the hole to various degrees
- changing between ´alternative fingerings´ - using the fingerings for both F# and G♭; G# and A♭; A# and B♭; C# and D♭ etc.
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Exercise 2.a
- practice the fingerings and the sound of the alternative fingerings, changing between the two of them slowly, multiple times: F# <--> G♭; G# <--> A♭; A# <--> B♭; C# <--> D♭ : in both first and second octave |
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Exercise 2.b
- practice the chromatic scale going up and down, but this time stop at each tone that has ´alternative fingerings´ and play both when going both up and down by changing >> # - ♭ - # when going up & >> ♭ - # - ♭ when going down |
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Exercise 2.c
- practice chromatic scale going up and down – with #-fingerings going up and with ♭-fingerings going down through 2 octaves from low D to high D |
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Exercise 2.d
- practice glissando by experimenting with lip movement covering the mouth hole to various degrees, I recommend choosing a D or a G first and then move to fork fingering tones |
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When practicing microtones in the above described techniques, I observe these benefits:
- helping the tuning, ability to hear greater nuances
- lip flexibility
- greater awareness of working with air stream vs. playing angle.
3. DYNAMICS & VOLUME – going to extremes and its limits
Based on my own experience of performing new music on the traverso, I include Dynamics & Volume in the ´expanded sonorities´ as well - experimenting with them by bringing them to their limits and to the limit of the instrument. I find this technique very useful in understanding the qualities of your sound in different volume ranges as well as expanding your dynamic capabilities on the traverso.
Based on my own experience of performing new music on the traverso, I include Dynamics & Volume in the ´expanded sonorities´ as well - experimenting with them by bringing them to their limits and to the limit of the instrument. I find this technique very useful in understanding the qualities of your sound in different volume ranges as well as expanding your dynamic capabilities on the traverso.
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Exercises
1. choose a scale – I recommend starting with D major scale (easier to produce sound) – play it slowly up and down in fff dynamics & after in ppp dynamics – try to play really as loud as possible and as soft as possible without worrying about having a ´good sound´ or a ´beautiful´ sound |
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2. choose a scale that has more ´fork fingerings´ - such as F major or B-flat major or E-flat minor & do the same
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3. you can play around with changing between fff and ppp volume – for example going up in fff dynamics and going down in ppp dynamics
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4. observe what you do with your lips (movement), the speed and focus of the airstream and how your sound changes, pay attention also to the tuning – try to find a way how to sustain the same tuning in both extremes
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There are many more ´extended techniques´ and ´expanded sonorities´ to be explored. In this kind of work on the traverso sound I find the most important to stay curious and to be open to question learnt sound ´ideals´ and patterns, to be open to change your perspective and to not be afraid to experiment.
You can always experiment with your lip position, speed of the air stream, angle, not be afraid to make airy, dissolved sound or going to the extremes. In fact, the expanding of the traverso sound limit is limitless!
From a personal experience, by practicing these techniques my sound awareness has changed and expanded as well as my perspective on sound aesthetic, giving me much more flexibility. Playing these techniques has helped me to be also more expressive and more daring in performing early music and going into more extremes when expressing baroque affects in music, for example.
The exploration of extended sonorities in its broad sense of experimenting with, deepening and broadening the possibilities of the traverso sound is a process, that could be seen as a lifelong process.
I am wishing you a lot of joy on this exciting journey!
Dorota Matejová
May 2025, Rotterdam
For more information on this topic & my performance work, you can visit these links:
You can always experiment with your lip position, speed of the air stream, angle, not be afraid to make airy, dissolved sound or going to the extremes. In fact, the expanding of the traverso sound limit is limitless!
From a personal experience, by practicing these techniques my sound awareness has changed and expanded as well as my perspective on sound aesthetic, giving me much more flexibility. Playing these techniques has helped me to be also more expressive and more daring in performing early music and going into more extremes when expressing baroque affects in music, for example.
The exploration of extended sonorities in its broad sense of experimenting with, deepening and broadening the possibilities of the traverso sound is a process, that could be seen as a lifelong process.
I am wishing you a lot of joy on this exciting journey!
Dorota Matejová
May 2025, Rotterdam
For more information on this topic & my performance work, you can visit these links:
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Dorota Matejová is a musician, traverso player, physical performer, poet and composer of music-movement-poetic works. Her performance practice ranges from early, new & experimental music through interdisciplinary and physical theatre performance to spoken poetry. She is interested in de-constructing the known music performance formats and finding new ways to be "on stage" with focus on physicality, musicality and connection while shifting the boundaries between the performer and the audience.
She graduated from early music departments at conservatories in Amsterdam and The Hague, studying with Jed Wentz, Kate Clark and Wilbert Hazelzet. She is passionate about interpreting and commissioning new compositions for the traverso, exploring its extended sonorities which was also a subject of her research (see above). Her love for the traverso in new contexts reflects in her projects Fantasias & Abstractions (2022-2023), Fantasias & Abstractions for Traverso Solo (2023-2024), 2 DOMOVY : 2 HOMES (2024-2025), imprints into silence (2025) and various site-specific performances. |
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