Converting old "flageolets" indicators to harmonics

[czoller]

Hi again, all. A tendency I've seen in some composers who wrote in the 1910s and '20s is to use a "flageolets" indication for strings. I realize this means harmonics to us modern players and writers but I'm curious as to how these indications should be converted (or interpreted) by modern conventions. For example, see the attached image which comes from a suite for small orchestra from about 1920. Should this be converted to natural harmonics keeping the G and D whole notes but the addition of the ring character? Should this use artificial harmonics instead? Any guidance or suggestions would be very helpful!

[hautbois baryton]

One would have to determine which octave the notes are meant to be heard; there's no way to get an E5 harmonic on a violin.

[czoller]

What's shown is all one has to go on, so given that what's the "best guess" here?

[hautbois baryton]

Are there any recordings? Composer still alive? Known performers?

[czoller]

Negative to all.

[hautbois baryton]

Yikes, then I would just assume that these are the sounding pitches and rewrite accordingly (touch-fourth natural harmonic on the D and G strings for the D and G, fingered B touch-fourth artificial harmonic on the G string for the B, and... open string E?).

[czoller]

Thanks for the advice and help. Would this notation be best given that using artificial harmonics makes it less clear as to what/how it should be played in a double stop? Dorico calls this "too great a stretch" when the natural harmonic is added to the E.

[RMK]

According to your example, it looks like these harmonics are for violas ("viole"), not violins.

[czoller]

Yes, I just threw this project together quickly to illustrate the technique. I suppose that's the reason for the message, although Dorico still reports that (for violas) but on the top note on viola 1.

[OCTO]

If it is intended for Viola, it is perfectly possible. Just write a circle above.

In a recent piece I made a solution that was pretty effective. There are numerous harmonics in the Viola sections (here all in ) and they changed often. If I notated with the artificial notation, it would require much more space and systems. I haven't seen that solution elsewhere. Basically, the notation shows the pivot note (the bottom of the harmonics by fourth). Here it is:

Screenshot 2025-07-28 at 01.31.06.png (42.2 KiB) Viewed 472 times