You can only learn so much from a book

I'm having trouble with crescendos when playing my flute, especially when I'm also trying to play fast. The Quantz Presto is very difficult for me, because some of the passages that require playing several measures of 16th notes also require a crescendo at the same time.  I don't think my problem is breath control; I think it's not knowing how to aim (direct) the air.  From years of singing and taking voice lessons, I know how to breathe--but when I try to play loud on the flute I can hear the air dissipating.  My teacher doesn't seem to be able to help with embouchure issues--when I talked to her about my difficulty with crescendos--and making ff sound different than pp in general--she talks about breath support.

I've looked on the Internet, and see some discussions as well as suggestions for books to read.  But I know from some of my difficulties with singing that books can only teach so much.  Beyond some level of understanding of breathing mechanisms and throat openings, you just have to feel it.  And figure it out for yourself.

One Internet video is actually pretty funny--inadvertently.  It's entitled "How to Play Forte Piano on the Flute" posted by expertvillage.  The description says "learn to play loud and soft on the flute from a professional flutist..."  All she does is play one line of "Faith of our Fathers" and you can barely tell the difference in dynamics.  Not to mention that her tone sounds quite thin and amateurish.  She does note that to play louder, the air has to move faster--that's consistent with what I'm reading.  But that alone won't help with properly directing the sound.

I attended a master class conducted by Sir James Galway recently, and he noted that the flute's dynamic range is pretty limited--and also pointed out that when performing, you can't play too softly or the audience won't hear you.  So that adds to the challenge.

I've made the decision on the Quantz piece to play it more slowly than it's supposed to be played (supposed to be quarter note=108; I'm playing it at 84), so I can work on focus and dynamics.  I can't play faster this point without many of the 16ths sounding unfocused and airy (if I play them correctly at all).  Too many variables (tempo, dynamics) for my ability level.

I'm fighting the urge to buy books that discuss dynamics--but I did just print out Jen Cluff's discussion about dynamics.  One suggestion is to direct the air downward (using the upper lip); I'll try that.  She recommends Moyse's De La Sonorite for its discussion on "fullness of tone" and also Roger Mather's three-book series The Art of Playing the Flute.  For now I will resist the urge to buy them...