Expressions of Integrity

The purpose of this treatise is to reframe the concept of "being authentic" as "expressing integrity," both in the context of early music performance and as a way to discuss the personal expression of the self. The culture of the early music movement in the twentieth century provides an interesting case study for understanding how a modern notion of authenticity impacted the beliefs, value system, and identity of early music's invested groups and individuals. "Expressing integrity" is a new semantic model that better represents the process of musical performance as well as the unique experience of the individual. While authenticity in early music implies an extra-personal and extra-musical set of standards that limits personal expression in the music-making process, "expressing integrity" values each unique interpretation and performance as only one facet of an individual's personal experience. In this way, "expressing integrity" as a concept is not limited to early music but is also applicable to other areas of performance and creative expression. This treatise strives to define authenticity, identify its limitations, and re-cite authenticity to the individual as an expression of integrity. More specifically, this project aims to highlight the experiences of Baroque flute players from different generations of the early music movement and to create empathy for the processes of becoming an early music specialist. Three Baroque flute players contributed to this project: Stephen Preston, Jed Wentz, and Sarah Paysnick. Each of these flutists began his/her career at different times, and their early music training took place in three different countries. The first half of this treatise defines the philosophical concepts of sincerity and authenticity in the context of twentieth-century modernist thought. This also includes unpacking the language and mindset regarding authenticity within the context of the early music movement, discussing the moral implications of the "Authenticity Debate," and describing the "authentic" performance-practice principles central to the early music revival. Expressing integrity emerges from an understanding of the objective and subjective dimensions in early music performance and aims to re-cite authenticity to the individual. The second half of this treatise presents the three interviews with the Baroque flutists as discrete chapters. The interviews represent individual expressions of integrity and are reflections of these Baroque flute players' experiences as early music professionals. Through the interview process, Preston, Wentz, and Paysnick share their insight and wisdom on topics relevant to the practice of early music while contemplating its future trajectory.