Evolutions in flute making
Benoît FABRELaboratoire d’Acoustique Musicale,
Paris, France
Jean-Yves ROOSENflute maker, France
[email protected] r Trugny 02400 Epieds
History of flutes during 20th century
• technical evolutions (mecanisms, pads)
• sound aesthetics evolution : consequences on flute playingand making
• economic and business evolutions
1850 1900 1950 2000
BoehmGordon
...
Lot, BonnevilleDjalma-Julliot
...
.
1900 to 2000 poorly documented !
sounding aesthetics :
• flute making adapts to evolutions in :– playing technique– musical taste
Marcel Moyse, 1935
Alain Marion, 1985blowing holes geometry
from Lenski & Ventzke, Moeck 1992
economic and business evolutions...
Thibouville frères, Ivry la bataille
1925
craftsman (artisan) :
solo to « n-craftsmen »
from Lenski & Ventzke, Moeck 1992
...economic and business evolutions...
Development of the production :
• Haynes flutes (circa 1950)
middle-size
...economic and business evolutions.
• Jinyin, China : « This is the flute and saxophone assembly area. »
Development of the musical education :mass production for student models
High level instruments in Industrial production :
– high level instruments are handmade even in industrial context
– a few « selected players »are associated for marketing purpose
– no possibilities for individual requests
– catalog, options
Giuseppe Zammitti at Haynes flutes
Craftsman
• personnal contact with each player - customer• long term discussions • highly reactiv to each player’s request• continuous experimentation
profile ?
– business and marketing • non standard, • production, servicing (repairing),
side products (flute case, ...)– mixing interest for music,
mechanical construcion, productions tools, acoustics
– well suited to modern economicenvironment ?
acoustics and flute-making
scientificknowledge isat basic level
attempt of a discussion between a makers and an acousticians ...
handcrafted flutes
are at highest level
- vocabulary andconcepts
- understandingphysical principles
acoustics and flute-making• quarter-tone flute :
– « super Boehm »
– acoustical approach
Eva Kingma
Roosen, LAUM, Ircam
modern transverse flute family
PiccoloE flat flute
Standard C-flute
Alto G
Bass C
Standard C-fluteAll otherflutes
analysis of blowing parameters
perspectives...• what future for flute-making ?
– instrument technically ok, – development of the family (repertoire and playing)
• what future for small size workshop ? – education (traditionnal apprenticeship / school)?– loss of know-how in large scale industrial productions– small structures are still important for innovation
Photo JC Déhan