Jean-Louis Tulou, a pupil of Johann Georg Wunderlich, was one of the leading flautists of his time: he was principal flautist at the opera and a professor at the Conservatoire. His pupils included legendary flautists such as Henri Altes, Jules Demersseman and Eugene Walckiers. He composed over 130 flute pieces and wrote a flute tutorial method. He forbade his students to play the newly constructed flute designed by Theobald Bohm and even made a few adaptations to the traditional flute himself. Only after his retirement in 1856 could the Bohm flute that is familiar today come in to use under his successor Dorus. This Air varie brillant op. 98 was published in collaboration by Brandus &. Cie, Paris and Schott, Mainz. An alternative setting of the accompaniment for chamber ensemble (two violins, viola, cello, double bass, two oboes, two horns and two bassoons) is only listed by Brandus. .
Plate no. 8873 / published in 1851.

The reputation of the Bohemian composer Zdenek Fibich (1850-1900) has always been somewhat overshadowed by that of Bedrich Smetana and Anton�n Dvor�k. This is a pity, for Fibich, though he died young, made an equally important contribution to the emerging Czech national styl with his wide range of compositions. After starting piano lessons with his mother as his first teacher, the boy went on to music school in Prague and then to the Leipzig Conservatoire, where he learned his craft as a composer. He spent a few months teaching piano in Paris and then continued his studies with Vinzenz Lachner in Mannheim. Prague was eventually to become the centre for Fibich's musical activities: as his dream of a post at the Conservatoire remained unfulfilled, his main employment was giving private music lessons and as a composer Zdenek Fibich wrote works for many musical genres: vocal and chamber music, piano pieces and orchestral works, operas, stage music and melodramas, literary recitals with orchestral accompaniment to which he gave a new lease of life. There are biographical traces to be found in the 376 piano pieces of the collection 'Moods, Impressions and Reminiscences' Op. 41, written in 1892-98: this tells of his love for his pupil Anezka Schulzov� in the form of a 'piano diary'. Its four volumes were frequently a source of material for other works, such as the symphonic poem 'In the Evening' Op. 39 (also known as 'A Summer's Evening' and 'At Twilight'), written in 1893. For his second subject in this 'Idyll' Fibich used the minature no. 139, entitled 'Lento', from his collection of piano pieces. The violinst Jan Kubel�k played the melody from 1908 onwards with the title 'Po�me', and the work is still known today under this title: its easy charm has made it a favourite tune in the classical repertoire. This arrangement is based on the orchestral version from which other material was adapted for the Prelude.