Select Page

What inspired you to play the flute?

As a little schoolboy I played treble recorder like everybody. By looking for a real instrument my parents proposed a “real flute” a Böhm-flute.

 

Who were your musical inspirations?

I listened to my mother who was a singer. Later on I found my ideal in many great musicians, for example the violoncellist Pao Casals or the pianist Edwin Fischer. My idol as flutist was a man I have never met or heard. He was not even alive anymore. He existed only in my imagination : Philippe Gaubert.

 

What Flute do you play?

During my career I played many different instruments (Italian, French, German, American, Japanese). However, by listening my recordings I wouldn’t be able to tell you which instrument I have used…! Nowadays, I am playing a gold Yamaha flute.

 

How do you keep yourself interested in practicing and playing these days?

First by searching to find the right expression for the music I am going to play. Second by trying to acquire the necessary instrumental means. This never ends … What was the inspiration for your pedagogical books (Check- up, Interpretation, The Singing Flute and Study with Style)? My experience as a teacher.

 

How has the flute world changed since you were a student?

Let me just name three facts: 1. At the time you mentioned (end of the forties of the last century) there was, I think, only one great city in the world where you could find an excellent flutist in every orchestra — Paris! Nowadays you will find good flutists around the whole world. There playing is generally on a high instrumental level, although perhaps less personally varied. 2. When I won the prize of the Munich ARD competition in 1953 there were about 30 applicants, and some four or five of them were really good players. In 2015 at about 270 applied for the competition. I had to judge 60 who were admitted to play and all of them were very good. 3. I studied in the conservatoriesof Zurich and Paris. In both of these places there was just one female flutist. What a difference nowadays…!

 

Do you prepare students for orchestral auditions and what is your philosophy for this kind of preparation?

I have never prepared my students especially for auditions, that means I never handled this theme. Times have changed. Before I joined the Winterthur symphony orchestra as solo flute in 1950 I had only played just half a dozen orchestral parts – the ones in Taffanels’ method…!

 

What advice would you give to young flute players graduating from music conservatoires now?

Be flexible, be ready for everything; play piccolo, play traverso, enjoy teaching! If you have the chance to earn your living by making music don’t forget it is a privilege!

Peter-Lukas Graf Discography: Flute Solo

Flute Solo

Bach, Berio a.o.
Claves 50-8005
Heiner Reitz (Vo.II) 12 Caprices
Telos Music TLS 026

Flute/Orchestra

Boccherini, Cimarosa, Gluck
Jecklin 506-2
Devienne, Ibert
Claves 50-501
Krommer (Grand Prix International du Disque)
Claves 50-8203
Mozart
Claves 50-8505
Mozart (flute/harp)
Claves 50-0208
Quantz, Stamitz, Stalder
Claves 50-808-9
Pergolesi, Piccinni, Mercadante
Claves 50-9103
Vivaldi
Claves 50-8807
Romantic Flute Concertos
(Reinecke, Reissiger)
Claves 50-2108

Flute A.O./Orchestra

Krommer: Sinfonia concertante for flute, clarinet and violin
Tudor 757
Flute/clarinette/violin/orchestra
Ex Libris CD 6039
Mozart: Concerto for flute and Harp
Claves 50-0208
Krommer: Concertino for fl/ob/orch
Claves 50-8203

Flute/Harpsichord

Bach, J.S.
Claves 50-0401
Bach, J.S.
Jecklin 4400/1-2
Haendel
Claves 50-0238

Flute/Piano

J.S. Bach
The 5 authentic sonatas (Aglaia Graf)
Claves 50-2511
“Classics for the flute”, Vol. 1
(Schubert, Widor, Martinu, Poulenc)
Claves 50-9306
“Classics for the flute”, Vol. 2
(Reinecke, Milhaud, Hindemith, Martin, Prokofiev)
Claves 50-9307
“Joueurs de flute”
(Chaminade Hüe, Enesco, Gaubert a.o.)
Claves 50-0704
Joplin (Ragtimes)
Claves 50-8715
Kuhlau (Sonatas)
Claves 50-8705
Virtuoso flute (Czerny, Kuhlau a.o.)
Jecklin 577-

Flute/Guitar

Transscriptions
(Bach, Schubert, Mozart)
Claves 50-9705
“Miniatures”
(Bach, Chopin, Ibert, Mozart, Ravel, Villa-Lobos a.o.)
Claves 50-2013
Carulli (6 Serenades)
Claves 50-8304
Giuliani, Carulli, Ibert, Ravel, Burkhard
Claves 50-0408

Flute/Harp

Mozart (Concerto for fl/hp KV 299)
Claves 50-0208
Duos
(Rossini, Donizetti, Spohr, Paganini, Fauré, Lauber)
Claves 50-0708
“French Masterpieces” for harp a.o.
Debussy (Sonate No 2)
Ravel (Introduction et Allegro)
Claves 50-0280

Chamber Music

“2 Flutes” (Duos: F.Bach, Briccialdi-Trios 2 fl/piano:
J.S.Bach, Kuhlau, Doppler)
Claves 50-2006
Trios
Beethoven: Triosonata G-Major fl/fg/p -woO 37,
Serenade D-Major fl/v/vla op 25
Claves 50-8403
Reger: 2 Serenades G-Major, D-Major for fl/v/vla
Claves 50-8104

 

Quartets
Krommer: 3 fl-quartets op. 17/92/93; Prix Choc Paris
Claves 50-8708

Mozart: 4 quartets/Carmina
Claves 50-9014

Mozart: 4 quartets
Ex Libris CD-6087
Rossini: 4 quartets
No 1 G-Major/No 2 A-Major
No 4 B-Major/No 6 D-Major
Claves 50-8608

Flute and Orchestra
J.S. Bach: Musical Offering
Claves 50-0198

Song Recital: Bach, Haendel, Rameau, Scarlatti,
Martin, Ravel and Roussel (K. Graf, soprano)
Claves 50-0604
Baroque Chamber Music for flute, oboe (Goritzki) and harpsichord (Dähler)
Bach, Haendel, Quantz, Couperin, Vivaldi and Lotti
Claves 50-0404
Q&A with Claire Wickes

Q&A with Claire Wickes

Q&A with Claire Wickes - First Flute of the English National OperaRead our interview with Claire Wickes: At The Coliseum (where the ENO performs) we’re very lucky with the acoustic — you can play freely without having to modify anything, the woodwinds project...

Q&A 2 With Walter Auer

Q&A 2 With Walter Auer

Q&A 2 with Walter Auer - First Flute of the Vienna PhilharmonicWalter Auer began his professional career as Principal Flutist with the Dresden Philharmonic and the NDR Radio Philharmonic Orchestra Hanover before he was appointed to his current position as...

Q&A with Julien Beaudiment

Q&A with Julien Beaudiment

Julien Beaudiment talks to us in this online Q&A session about his orchestral life, solo career and performances, shares his view on how to play Bach and how to structure practice when there are no concerts happening. Watch exclusively videos only on Principal Chairs.

Q&A with Aldo Baerten

Q&A with Aldo Baerten

Aldo Baerten – First flute of the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra talks to us about his orchestral career, flute tips and tricks, solo career and how to deal with your practice in these times of uncertainty. Watch his exclusive video masterclasses on Principal Chairs.

Q&A with Peter Verhoyen

Q&A with Peter Verhoyen

Peter Verhoyen joins Principal Chairs to talk about his orchestral career as a piccolo player. We also talk about his beloved instruments and his teaching at the conservatoire and the summer school which he hosts nearly every year with in Bruges.

Q&A with Walter Auer

Q&A with Walter Auer

We talk to Walter Auer, first flute of the Vienna Philharmonic about his career as a soloist and an orchestral player in one of the top orchestras in the world. View his masterclasses recorded at the Royal Academy of Music in London on the Principal Chairs website.

Masterclass Series Episode 6

Masterclass Series Episode 6

Michael Cox, in partnership with Principal Chairs, presents his Masterclass Series. They were held online during lockdown in the UK in summer 2020. Participants were invited to send in video performances for Michael to watch in a Live answering session.