abstract: The end of the nineteenth century was an exhilarating and revolutionary era for the flute. This period is the Second Golden Age of the flute, when players and teachers associated with the Paris Conservatory developed what would be considered the birth of the modern flute school. In addition, the founding in 1871 of the Société Nationale de Musique by Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) and Romain Bussine (1830-1899) made possible the promotion of contemporary French composers. The founding of the Société des Instruments à Vent by Paul Taffanel (1844-1908) in 1879 also invigorated a new era of chamber music for wind instruments. Within this groundbreaking environment, Mélanie Hélène Bonis (pen name Mel Bonis) entered the Paris Conservatory in 1876, under the tutelage of César Franck (1822-1890). Many flutists are dismayed by the scarcity of repertoire for the instrument in the Romantic and post-Romantic traditions; they make up for this absence by borrowing the violin sonatas of Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) and Franck. The flute and piano works of Mel Bonis help to fill this void with music composed originally for flute. Bonis was a prolific composer with over 300 works to her credit, but her works for flute and piano have not been researched or professionally recorded in the United States before the present study. Although virtually unknown today in the American flute community, Bonis's music received much acclaim from her contemporaries and deserves a prominent place in the flutist's repertoire. After a brief biographical introduction, this document examines Mel Bonis's musical style and describes in detail her six works for flute and piano while also offering performance suggestions. / Dissertation/Thesis / D.M.A. Music 2013

To most flutists, Paul Taffanel is known for his Method and as the "Father" of the French school of flute playing. Considering the import of this title, little research has been done on him. It is the goal of this researcher to present a more complete picture of Taffanel than has previously been seen. To understand the significance of some of the things Taffanel did, it is necessary to know what study at the Paris Conservatoire was like. Lessons were given in classes in which all levels of playing were represented. There was no individual study, and until 1945, there was only one flute class. The number in the class was usually 12, and entry into it was by competitive audition. These auditions were held every October, and the Concours (public exam) was held each July. Requirements for the Concours included a set piece for each instrument (called Morceau de Concours) and a piece of accompanied sightreading. The jury was chaired by the Director of the Conservatoire, with both internal and external jurors. Taffanel sat in on at least two of these juries before he became professor of flute at the Conservatoire. The awards given were First or Second Prize or First or Second Certificate of Merit. A prize means playing against a certain standard, not competition between individual candidates. As a result, more than one First Prize could be awarded, or it could be withheld altogether. A First Prize was really necessary for a successful musical career. In Paris, there were many theatre and concert orchestras. There were also salons in which to play chamber music, but the best positions available were in the Paris Opéra and Opéra- Comique. These were government subsidised and had full -time employment and state pension on retirement. There was also the Société des Concerts du Conservatoire which gave annual Sunday concerts between November and April. Membership into this orchestra was by election. The most successful flutist therefore was one who had gained a First Prize and held positions at the Paris Opera and Société des Concerts.

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