When I practice, it takes maybe 20 – 25 minutes to get down to low C. (He always starts in the middle register. (I had experience of his practice method when he stayed at my house in England and I listened as he practiced every morning)
98 players out of 100 don’t play music, they play the flute. They don’t care about the listener but only about their own beautiful tone.
When you play a melody, think exercise; when you play exercise, think melody.
 I prefer a beautiful melody to a fantastic technique.   
 When practising, he frequently plays Reichert’s 7 Daily Exercises (No 2) and obviously loves this. He plays it slowly and very expressively. In Reichert’s other studies which modulate, he behaved like someone rather mischievous peeping round a corner, most expressive and sweet with a lovely tone.
Staccato: Plant nails in the sky.
To a Bach sonata player, ‘I don’t think I am right, but I know you are not right’
His attitude to Bach: The slurs don’t really matter: what one player likes, another doesn’t, but whatever you do must not detract from the melodic line.
De la Sonorite: This must be played like a beautiful melody.
He told the story of his first going to the USA without any money. Georges Barrere was away and Moyse was offered his job temporarily though Mrs Barrere said, ‘We cannot pay you’. ‘Afterwards, I had no money so I went to a pawnbroker to pawn my flute. I told the pawnbroker ‘ It is a great flute’  He said, ‘I am sure’ but only offered a small amount of money. So I took it out of it’s case and played it to him. He said, ‘Yes, you have a great flute and offered me $125.00. (More than he expected).  When I practice, I try to think of getting the pawnbroker to pay me more money’.
I never record Bach because I am never sure how to play it. It is so extraordinaire! With Bach, I will only give my opinion. I will not say, ‘This is how you play Bach’
Bach Sicilienne: You practice a few notes and then a few bars and then more and you are happy! The next day, it is worse!
 A man played Syrinx with poor rhythm. He made him play it exactly in time with the written rhythms.
How a musician can hold a note for a moment without becoming expressive, I will never understand!

Whatever key you start to play in, play a ‘prelude’ in that key to get the right mood.
 Do not show your own temperament, but that of the music.
Don’t put in too many crescendos and diminuendos. This comes from a time when woodwind players did this because there was little else to do.
Bach e Minor Sonata: 1st movt.; You must feel 4 not 8 and phrase it in 4. Keep it walking!
There is no ‘echo’ in Bach. Play this the natural way.
I always sing a bar to myself of the Bach Sicilienne (CPE (?) Eb Sonata) to get the atmosphere.
Don’t practice double tonguing slowly, but fast in small chunks at the same speed it should go. (Faure Fantasie)
Gaubert Madrigal: If you break the melody, it is certain you will break your neck!
When playing groups of dotted quavers followed by semiquavers, the little note should hardly be heard.
Demerssemann: Grand Solos: You can laugh about this music – but play it first!
Each time you have something difficult, make up some exercise to practice it – not the piece.
When you play these melodies, you have to learn to cry.
When practising something which has low notes, play it at the octave higher first and descend in semitones until the original key is reached.
 (Someone pushing the headjoint too hard against their lips): If you are blowing correctly, I should be able to make vibrato on your headjoint with my fingers.  
 When you have a difficult passage, don’t practice quickly. Play slowly and very evenly at first.
 You must feel the atmosphere of the piece before playing it. This is very important.
Michel Debost was at the class and said, ‘Moyse is not trying to make everyone play like him: many of those here  think this is so. He simply tries to get to grips with the music and tries to help them improve the tone the player prefers. He tries to show the music and not the flute’.  

You will become sick if you keep playing your C#s like that.
Put a little more vitamin in your tone.
I have played Mozart Concertos maybe 250 times – I practice the Concerto maybe 1 hour before, but I play many exercises.


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