The Babel Flute

by Ludwig Böhm, great-great-grandson

***We continue the publication of a series of articles by Ludwig Böhm from“Commemorative Writing on the occasion of Theobald Böhm’s 200th Birthday, Munich 1994”, gradually approaching the celebration of Theobald Böhm’s 230th birthday in 2024.

• On the Trail of my Great-great-grandfather Theobald Böhm, Flautist, Composer, Flute Maker, 1794–1881
• History of Theobald Böhm and correct spelling
• Theobald Böhm as a flutist
• Theobald Böhm as a composer
• Theobald Böhm’s comment on the open G sharp key
• The Inventor of the Bb thumb lever on the Böhm flute: Theobald Böhm or Giulio Briccialdi?

Professional career as a composer

At the age of 24 (1818), he started his education as a composer with practical lessons in composition with Peter von Winter (court chapel master from 1801 to 1825), who had studied with Antonio Salieri in Vienna like Beethoven and Schubert and with theoretical lessons in composition with Joseph Grätz, who was trained in Salzburg by Michael Haydn like Carl Maria von Weber. From c. 1820 on, he was assisted in instrumentation by his friend Joseph Hartmann Stuntz (court chapel master from 1823 to 1837), a pupil of Winter and Salieri.

In December 1820, Theobald Böhm played “with never ending applause” his Opus 1, which was printed in 1822 by his flute pupil Joseph Aibl.

The list of his musical works comprises 37 works with opus numbers and 54 arrangements without opus numbers, among them 26 arrangements for alto flute in G, alltogether about 2500 pages. 21 works and one arrangement can be played either with orchestra or piano accompaniment.

Almost half of the works with opus numbers, opus 1–18, were composed before 1832, that is before the invention of the first model of the Böhm flute, the conical ring-keyed flute made of wood. The difficulties in performing these works with the flute of old construction (simple system flute) certainly contributed to the new construction. During and after the invention of the Böhm flute, some particularly difficult works were composed, opp. 19–26, which were especially suited to demonstrate the superiority of the new flute.

Appreciation as a composer

The popularity of Theobald Böhm’s works and arrangements in the 19th century is evident first in nume-rous enthusiastic concert reviews.

For example, one can read about a charity concert in the Munich court and national theatre, at which Theobald Böhm played his opus 22, the following:

“A real jubilation was roused by Böhm’s magic flute. How the lovely folk-song ‘Du, du liegst mir im Herzen’ [You are in my heart] is cherished by every listening human soul after such a sensuous and yet daring performance!”

Münchner Tagblatt, Munich 28th March 1843, p. 455

In one of the leading contemporary music encyclopedias, his works are praised as “master pieces” (Schilling, Gustav: Encyklopädie der gesammten musikalischen Wissenschaften oder Universal-Lexicon der Tonkunst. Stuttgart 1835, vol. 1, p. 698). The international success of his works and arrangements is shown by the fact, that in the 19th century about 120 reprints and new editions of his works and arrangements appeared, among them about 50 in London, about 40 in Paris and about 30 in Germany.

Having been somewhat neglected in the first half of the 20th century, romantic virtuoso music has been enjoying a rising popularity in recent years.

One of the most eminent flautists and flute teachers of the 20th century, Marcel Moyse (1889–1984), gave one of his editions of romantic virtuoso flute music, published in Japan in 1973, the significant title “The Golden Age of the Flautists” and it is not by chance that among the eleven titles we find three works by Theobald Böhm (opp. 4, 16, 21).

According to his pupils Aurèle Nicolet and Trevor Wye, Moyse’s subjects for instruction included Theobald Böhm’s studies and many of his compositions.

During a concert tour in Japan and China in 1983, Aurèle Nicolet enchanted thousands of lis-teners with a Schubert-Böhm evening and when he offered his usual programme of Bach for the next concert tour, the organizers asked him to repeat the Schubert-Böhm evening.

Likewise in Germany, Theobald Böhm’s works and arrangements haven’t lost any of their popularity. Every visitor at the festival concert in 1981, organized by myself in the Munich Cuvilliés Theatre on the occasion of the centenary of Theobald Böhm’s death, was convinced of this fact. During the concert, András Adorján, William Bennett, Ursula Burkhard, Michel Debost, Irena Grafenauer, Aurèle Nicolet (flutes) and Barton Weber (piano) performed Theobald Böhm’s opp. 4, 16, 21, 22, 31 and arrangement [27] and together his arrangements [46], [53], [54] for flute, alto flute and piano.

The festival concert (e. g. Süddeutsche Zeitung, Munich 1st December 1981, p. 27) as well as the recording (e. g. Fono Forum, Munich March 1983, p. 42–43) earned excellent reviews and according to the recording company Orfeo, this has been one of their most successful classical recordings with more than 7500 copies sold.

In the 20th and 21th century, about 180 reprints and new editions of Theobald Böhm’s works and arrangements have appeared, about 50 in France, 45 in the USA and 40 in Germany. Further editions appeared in Austria, Japan, Great Britain, Hungary, Switzerland and Russia. Furthermore, there exist today about 70 recordings which include works by Theobald Böhm.

List of the Musical Works of Theobald Böhm

Works and Arrangements with opus numbers

Opus   1  Concertino, 1822 F + O or F + P

Opus   2  Variations sur l’air français «La Sentinelle», c. 1823 F + O or F + P

Opus   3  Andante et Polonaise, 1823 F + O or F + P

Opus   4  Variations sur l’air «Nel cor più non mi sento» de l’opéra «La Molinara» de 

Paisiello, 1823 F + O or F + P

Opus   5  Pot-pourri sur des airs suisses, 1823 F + P

Opus   6  Divertissement sur l’air «O cara memoria» de Carafa

[a) original version, Munich 1823] F + O or F + P

[b) version London 1831] F + P

Opus   7  Concertante pour deux flûtes, c. 1825 [piano added] 2F + O or 2F + P

Opus   8  Polonaise de Carafa

[a) original version, Munich 1826] F + O or F + P

[b) version London c. 1845, published without opus number] F + P

Opus   9  Variations sur l’air «Die Zukunft soll mein Herz bewähren» de l’opéra «Der 

Freischütz» de Weber, c. 1827 F + O or F + P

Opus 10  Divertissement sur un thème de Rovelli, c. 1827 F + O or F + P

Opus 11  Divertissement sur des airs suisses, c. 1827 F + O or F + P

Opus 12  Rondo brillant, c. 1827 [piano added] F + O or F + P

Opus 13  Divertissement sur l’air «Almlied» du Baron de Poißl, 1827 F + O or F + P

Opus 14  Fantaisie concertante sur un air écossais composée par Th. Böhm et J. R. Ogden,

1830 F + P

Opus 15  Variations sur un air de l’opéra «Die Zauberflöte» de Mozart, c. 1830 [unpublished, 

missing] F + P

Opus 16  Grande Polonaise

[a) original version, Munich 1831] F + O or F + P

[b) short version, Paris c. 1842; orchestra missing, reconstructed] F + O or F + P

Opus 17  Variations sur la marche de l’opéra «Mosé in Egitto» de Rossini, 1831 F + O or F + P

Opus 18  Pot-pourri de valses de Schubert et d’autres compositeurs, 1831 F + P

Opus 19  12 Études pour la flûte propres à égaliser le doigté dans toutes les gammes, 1831

[a) original version, Munich 1831] F

[b) version Munich 1871] F

Opus 20  Variations sur un air tyrolien, 1838 F + O or F + P

Opus 21  Variations sur une valse de Schubert, 1838 F + O or F + P

Opus 22  Variations sur l’air allemand «Du, du liegst mir im Herzen», 1838 F + O or F + P

Opus 23 Souvenir d’Altdorf. Première Fantaisie sur des thèmes suisses, 1845 F + O or F + P

Opus 24 Souvenir de Lucerne. Seconde Fantaisie sur des thèmes suisses, 1845 F + O or F + P

Opus 25  Fantaisie sur des airs écossais, 1851 F + O or F + P

Opus 26  24 Caprices, 1851 F

Opus 27  Souvenir des Alpes, No. 1 Andante cantabile, 1852 F + P

Opus 28  Souvenir des Alpes, No. 2 Rondo allegro, 1852 F + P

Opus 29  Souvenir des Alpes, No. 3 Andantino Romance, 1852 F + P

Opus 30  Souvenir des Alpes, No. 4 Rondo allegretto, 1852 F + P

Opus 31  Souvenir des Alpes, No. 5 Andante pastorale, 1852 F + P

Opus 32  Souvenir des Alpes, No. 6 Rondo Ländler, 1852 F + P

Opus 33  Andante, 1857 F + P

Opus 34  À la Tarantella, 1857 F + P

Opus 35  Larghetto, 1857 F + P

Opus 36  Rondo à la Mazurka, 1857 F + P

Opus 37  24 Études, 1858 F + P

Arrangements without opus numbers for Flute in C or 2 Flutes in C

Arr.   [1]  Bach/Böhm: Air from the 3rd Orchestra suite, BWV 1068, 1871 F + P or F + Ph

Arr.   [2]  Beethoven/Böhm: Marcia, Adagio, Minuetto, Allegretto alla Polacca and Tema con

Variazioni from the Serenade for violin, viola und violoncello, opus 8, 1876 F + P

Arr.   [3]  Beethoven/Böhm: Largo from the Klavierkonzert no. 1, opus 15, 1871 [arranged as Adagio] F + P

Arr.   [4]  Beethoven/Böhm: Andante con Variazioni from the Serenade for flute, violin and viola, 

opus 25, 1880 [published as opus 46 by Böhm] F + P

Arr.   [5]  Beethoven/Böhm: Romanze for violin and orchestra, opus 50, 1876 F + P

Arr.   [6]  Böhm/Böhm: Variations sur un air tyrolien, opus 20, 1838 [unpublished, missing] V + F + P

Arr.   [7]  Carafa/Böhm: “Come a tal segno fingere”, aria 1827 [unpublished, missing] V + F + P

Arr.   [8]  Chélard/Böhm: A Selection of Pieces from the Opera “Macbeth”, c. 1830 F

Arr.   [9]  Gluck/Böhm: “Che farò senza Euridice”, aria from the Opera “Orfeo ed Euridice”, 1868 F + P

Arr. [10]  Haydn/Böhm: “Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser”, 2nd movement from the string

quartet, opus 76, no. 3, 1860 F + P or F + Ph

Arr. [11]  Himmel/Böhm: Sonata for piano and flute or violin, opus 14, 1876 [arranged as 

Fantasie; published as opus 45 by Böhm] F + P

Arr. [12]  Lachner/Böhm: “Ich liebe dich, weil ich dich lieben muss”, song from the poems by 

Friedrich Rückert set to music for 2 sopran voices and piano, opus 86, no. 3, 1852 2F + P

Arr. [13]  Liste/Böhm: Sehnsucht nach dem Rigi. Song with accompaniment of piano 

or guitar, opus 17, no. 6, c. 1827 V + F + P or V + F + G

Arr. [14]  Mendelssohn Bartholdy / Böhm: “Ich wollt’ meine Lieb’ ergösse sich”, song from

the 6 songs for 2 voices and piano, opus 63, no. 1, 1852 2F + P

Arr. [15]  Mendelssohn Bartholdy / Böhm: Herbstlied from the 6 songs for 2 voices and piano, 

opus 63, no. 4, 1852 2F + P

Arr. [16]  Mozart/Böhm: Andante for flute and orchestra, KV 315, 1851 F + P

Arr. [17]  Mozart/Böhm: Adagio from the Sonata for piano, KV 332, 1871 F + P

Arr. [18]  Mozart/Böhm: Rondo for piano, KV 511, 1871 F + P

Arr. [19]  Mozart/Böhm: Larghetto from the clarinet quintet, KV 581, 1880 [arranged as Adagio] F + P

Arr. [20]  Pergolesi/Böhm: “Tre giorni son che Nina”, Aria, 1871 F + P

Arr. [21]  Rossini/Böhm: “Cujus animam”, aria from the “Stabat mater”, no. 2, c. 1868 F + P

Arr. [22]  Rossini/Böhm: Duo [from Les Soirées musicales?], 1852 [unpublished, missing] 2F + P

Arr. [23]  Rossini/Böhm: Duo [from Les Soirées musicales?], 1852 [unpublished, missing] 2F + P

Arr. [24]  Rossini/Böhm: Duo [from Les Soirées musicales?], 1852 [unpublished, missing] 2F + P

Arr. [25]  Schubert/Böhm: Ständchen, song with piano accompaniment from the Schwanengesang,

D 957, no. 4, 1871 F + P

Arr. [26]  Schubert/Böhm: Das Fischermädchen, song with piano accompaniment from the Schwanen-

gesang, D 957, no. 10, 1871 F + P

Arr. [27]  Stuntz/Böhm: Adagio from the Concerto per il flauto di nuova costruzione, 1880 F + O or F + P

Arr. [28]  Vogler/Böhm: Cantabile from the 32 Préludes for organ or piano, no. 2, 1871 F + P or F + Ph

Arrangements without opus numbers for Alto Flute in G or Flute in C and Alto Flute in G

(not published in the 19th century)

Arr. [29]  Bach/Böhm: Air from the 3rd Orchestra suite, BWV 1068,

c. 1858 A + P or Flauto d’amore in A + P

Arr. [30]  Beethoven/Böhm: Largo from the Klavierkonzert no. 1, opus 15, 

c. 1858 [arranged as Adagio] A + P

Arr. [31]  Beethoven/Böhm: Sonate for piano and horn, opus 17, c. 1858 [missing, reconstructed] A + P

Arr. [32]  Beethoven/Böhm: Andante con Variazioni from the Serenade for flute, violin and viola, 

opus 25, c. 1858 A + K

Arr. [33]  Beethoven/Böhm: Trio for 2 oboes and English horn, opus 87, c. 1858 [missing,

reconstructed] 2F + A

Arr. [34]  Böhm/Böhm: Andante for flute and piano, opus 33, c. 1858 A + P

Arr. [35]  Böhm/Böhm: Vivace from the 24 Études for flute and piano, opus 37, no. 2, c. 1858

(arranged as Presto) A + P

Arr. [36]  Böhm/Böhm: Andante from the 24 Études for flute and piano, opus 37, no. 11, c. 1858

(arranged as Andantino) A + P

Arr. [37]  Gluck/Böhm: “Che farò senza Euridice”, aria from the Opera “Orfeo ed Euridice”, c. 1858

[missing, reconstructed] A + P

Arr. [38]  Haydn/Böhm: “Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser”, 2nd movement from the string quartet,

opus 76, no. 3, c. 1858 A + P

Arr. [39]  Himmel/Böhm: Sonata for piano and flute or violin, opus 14, c. 1858 A + P

Arr. [40]  Mozart/Böhm: Andantino cantabile from the Sonata for piano and violin, KV 379, c. 1858 A + P

Arr. [41]  Mozart/Böhm: Rondo for piano, KV 511, c. 1858 A + P

Arr. [42]  Mozart/Böhm: Larghetto from the clarinet quintet, KV 581, c. 1858 [arranged as Adagio] A + P

Arr. [43]  Pergolesi/Böhm: “Tre giorni son che Nina”, aria, c. 1858 A + P

Arr. [44]  Rossini/Böhm: “Cujus animam”, aria from the “Stabat mater”, no. 2, c. 1858 A + P

Arr. [45]  Rossini/Böhm: La Pesca, Nocturne for 2 sopran voices and piano from Les Soirées

musicales, no. 10, c. 1858 F + A + P

Arr. [46]  Rossini/Böhm: La Serenata, Nocturne for 2 sopran voices and piano from Les Soirées 

musicales, no. 11, c. 1858 F + A + P

Arr. [47]  Schiedermayr/Böhm: Graduale, c. 1858 [missing] S + A + P

Arr. [48]  Schubert/Böhm: Ständchen, song with piano accompaniment from the Schwanengesang,

D 957, no. 4, c. 1858 A + P

Arr. [49]  Schubert/Böhm: Das Fischermädchen, song with piano accompaniment from the 

Schwanengesang, D 957, no. 10, c. 1858 A + P

Arr. [50]  Schubert/Böhm: Am Meer, song with piano accompaniment from the Schwanengesang,

D 957, no. 12, c. 1858 A + P

Arr. [51]  Vogler/Böhm: Cantabile from the 32 Préludes for organ or piano, no. 2,

c. 1858 A + P or 2F + A or F + 2A

Arr. [52]  Walter/Böhm Graduale, c. 1858 A + P

Arr. [53]  Weber/Böhm: Sonatine from the Six petites Pièces faciles for the piano for four hands,

opus 3, no. 1, c. 1858 F + A + P

Arr. [54]  Weber/Böhm: Romance from the Six petites Pièces faciles for the piano for four hands, 

opus 3, no. 2, c. 1858 F + A + P

(A = Alto Flute, F = Flute, G = Guitar, O = Orchestra, P = Piano, V = Voice)

Opus 3, 8, 13, 16, 17, 20–24 can be played also with flute and string orchestra.

Opus 45, 46, 47 = Arrangement [11], [4], [27]

In the next edition: Theobald Böhm as a flute maker

© 1994 by Theobald-Böhm-Archiv, Munich. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized reproduction is prohibited by law.

Ludwig Böhm

ludwig.boehm@t-online.de | www.theobald-boehm-archiv-und-wettbewerb.de | www.theobald-boehm-shop.de

Address: Asamstrasse 6, 82166 Gräfelfing, Germany, tel. 0049-89-875367

Ludwig Böhm was born in Munich, where he studied English, French and Spanish at the University and was a teacher from 1981 to 1983. Inspired by a great exhibition in the Munich Municipal Museum in 1981 on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the death of his great-great-grandfather Theobald Böhm (flautist, composer, flute-maker, inventor of the Böhm flute, Munich 1794–1881), he dedicated his life from that time on to keeping the memory of Theobald alive.

As a result of more than 30 years of research, he published in 2012 all 88 compositions and arrangements of Theobald together with Dr. Raymond Meylan and in 2013 20 books and 4 translations from and about him. He travelled to flute festivals in Japan, Australia, USA, Netherlands, Spain, Germany, Italy, Croatia, Luxembourg, Slovenia, China, Great Britain, Iceland, Thailand, Portugal, Chile, Poland and Armenia and presented a slide lecture about Theobald.

He is the President of the Theobald Böhm Archive, founded in 1980, of the Theobald Böhm Society, founded in 1990 and of the Theobald Böhm Foundation, founded in 2014. In 2006, 2011 and 2016, he organized in Munich the 1st, 2nd and 3rd International Theobald Böhm Competition for Flute and Alto Flute.

List of professional open G# players

Current list of 480 professional open G sharp players can be seen in the homepage www.theobald-boehm-archiv-und-wettbewerb.de under “Open G sharp Key”. If you are a professional open G sharp player, who have not yet contacted Ludwig Böhm, please do so at ludwig.boehm@t-online.de to be added to the list.