Baroque flute for beginner

[Wiesbaden]

I'd like to pick the brains of people here who know a bit about Baroque flutes (traversos).

I was looking at Bernolin's resin traversos. Is there any reason not to start on an Hotteterre copy, rather than a GA Rottenburgh? The Hotteterre has a fuller lower octave and is more Baroquey than the GA Rottenburgh, which was made right at the end of the period. Does the emphasis on the lower range make it difficult to play repertoire that uses more of the second and third octaves?

I love the sound of Root playing Bach on a copy of a ca. 1700 Naust. On the other hand, so many recordings have been made on GA Rottenburgh copies as well.

Thoughts?

[jim stone]

I'm playing baroque music on keyed wooden orchestral flutes from the early 19th century (e.g. Rudalls). It sounds really good on these, for what it's worth. I have a Beaudin traverso, which is a modernized baroque flute with more volume than the originals.

[jim stone]

I'm playing baroque music on keyed wooden orchestral flutes from the early 19th century (e.g. Rudalls). It sounds really good on these, for what it's worth. I have a Beaudin traverso, which is a modernized baroque flute with more volume than the originals.

[Wiesbaden]

Thanks, Jim. How do you feel the sound of 19th century flutes compares to the soft, subtle tone of baroque flutes?

And, has anyone played a Hotteterre copy and can say a bit about it?

[jim stone]

I'm no authority on baroque music or baroque flute, though I do play both. I think our 'Irish' flutes from the 19th century are terrific for baroque music. Perhaps it's a bit like the difference tween harpsichord and piano, the latter with more volume and dynamic range. But I do think people who know the baroque flute better than I do may have a different opinion. One thing I do feel. Celtic music is always to be the spine of the Irish flute repertoire, but these instruments can play virtually ANY music and I think we might put some energy into expanding its use. E.G. I'm playing routinely in an OT/bluegrass group and it works great. In Ireland flute is used very well with mandolins, fiddles, banjos, guitar, et al. Small surprise that it works so well in other ensembles with the same instruments.

[Tonehole]

I'd like to pick the brains of people here who know a bit about Baroque flutes (traversos).

I was looking at Bernolin's resin traversos. Is there any reason not to start on an Hotteterre copy, rather than a GA Rottenburgh? The Hotteterre has a fuller lower octave and is more Baroquey than the GA Rottenburgh, which was made right at the end of the period. Does the emphasis on the lower range make it difficult to play repertoire that uses more of the second and third octaves?

I love the sound of Root playing Bach on a copy of a ca. 1700 Naust. On the other hand, so many recordings have been made on GA Rottenburgh copies as well.

Thoughts?

The majority of Hotteterre traversos I've come across and played are A=392Hz whereas Rottenburghs are recreated at around A=415Hz or 440Hz with a few makers offering a corps d'echange to allow A=392Hz. This makes the Rottenburgh way more period flexible and the Hotteterre more confined for its own specific baroque period (early) repertoire.

The Pierre Naust which you refer to, was played originally on a 3 piece traverso, much like the standards of that time. After Naust' forged his workshop, his atelier recreated the Naust traverso at A=400Hz and redesigned it as a more refined 4 piece traverso with distinction. I don't know what 'baroquey' means - perhaps you are referring to the languid fullness of the rounded smoothness of the notes. If so, this risks becoming very tubby and miserably muffled in faster late baroque pieces with quatrains making the Hotteterre traverso less ideal for later than 1700c repertoire (not that it's impossible - far from it - it's just harder for a newcomer perhaps). Jed Wentz, who recorded the JS Bach flute sonatas on a Naust traverso, made a similar remark about A=392Hz being very tubby and A=415Hz rather modern pitch than the less commonly found A=400Hz. The Naust is a lovely example of the highlight of the baroque traverso era.

The full fundamental of the lower octave won't make the upper octave of the baroque traverso partiuclarly diffiult. Recall that the traverso has a limited range just over 2 1/2 octaves. The technique of lipping and embouchure is rather different than what the guys here use for ITM or wooden 19th century flutes. There's no comparison: a 19th century simple system flute can try and hack the sound of a baroque traverso by an accomplished player and the sound is the same difference as ITM played on a concert C metal typewriter flute. A skilled listener won't accept the difference whereas an uninitiated baroque traverso listener will accept even a bansuri Boehm or any later era flute for a 'baroquey' sound. In a contemporary concert Boehm tubular cylindrical flute with 4 octaves, an extended B foot will shade effect the upper octave and its highest reach. So yes - a flute balanced for the lower octave across the strain of the 4th octave reach will show mild limitations (reflected in being harder to reach a good tone production in the highest notes of the highest octave).

If you are beginning in a baroque traverso adventure, it's best to stick with A=415Hz or A=440Hz. The A=392Hz styles of the French baroque traversos with the lighter embouchure styles are way more of a leap for a 19th century simple system flute player than a modern Grenser, Rottenburgh or Stanesby. FWIW, I started off with the excellent Aulos AF3 ivorine Stanesby replica at A=415Hz. It's very good for a beginner. Bernolin's Grenser traverso likewise.

Kind regards