Instrument: 6-key, metal, cylindrical, simple system flute
Maker: unmarked
Pitch: A=440
Sounding Length:
Total Length:
Embouchure size:
Restorer: Susan Eberenz
Notes: This type of flute was quite popular, especially in France and Italy. The maker French maker Sudre seems to have been quite involved with making these. It was an attempt to combine a (Boehm) cylindrical tube with simple system fingerings. It is surprisingly successful in that it produces a strong, fairly even sound. It has the huge advantage of being able to withstand more mistreatment that a wooden flute could and was useful as an outdoor instrument. Like most simple system flutes these could be purchase from basic models like this to 8-key models and even ones with most of the Tulou keywork. They have a nice but somewhat bland sound. The b-flat key is interesting with a rest for the thumb next to the key. When playing this feel quite a bit like a Briccialdi thumb setup even though it is really only one key. I’m sure the design of these flutes was meant to reflect the Boehm flute but these would have been available for a much lower cost.
Demonstration recordings:
https://soundcloud.com/mloberlin/demo-metal-cylindrical-simple-system-flute
