# The Story of the Flute

THE FLUTE PLAYER (Meissonier)
The Story of the Flute
By
H. Macaulay Fitzgibbon,
M.A., SEN. MOD. (T.C.D.),
AUTHOR OF
"The early English and Scottish Poets and their Works."
London
The Walter Scott Publishing Co., Ltd.
New York: Charles Scribner's Sons
1914
Preface.
This volume is the result of nearly forty years' loving study of the Flute and everything connected with it. In addition to the knowledge acquired by many years of orchestral and chamber music playing, hundreds of volumes have been consulted in the Bibliothéque Nationale of Paris, the British Museum, the Bodleian, Dublin University, and other Public Libraries.
Whilst availing myself freely of the labours of my predecessors in the same field, I have verified their statements as far as possible. I desire to thank the various flautists, European and American, who have supplied me with much valuable information.
In conclusion, I pray my readers to excuse any slips I may have inadvertently made; wishing them (in the words of old Quarles) "as much pleasure in the reading as I had in the writing."
H. MACAULAY FITZGIBBON.
Greystones, November, 1913.
Contents.
* page
* Explantion of Signs used................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................xii
* Addenda and Corringenda................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................xii
* List of Illustrations................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................xiii
* List of Musical Examples................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................xv
* CHAPTER I. FLUTES OF THE ANCIENTS. Antiquity of the flute—Classic legends—Egyptian origin—The Arab “Nay”—Development—The Fipple—Fingerholes—Double flutes—Popularity amongst the ancients—Ancient players of note—Their position and costume................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................1
* CHAPTER II. FLUTE-À-BEC AND RECORDER. Beaked flutes—Recorders—Double and triple recorders—Popularity—Gradual decline—Flageolet and other early pipes................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................16
* CHAPTER III. TRANSVERSE FLUTE. Section I.—Was it known to the Greeks and Romans?—The Chinese—India—Early representations and references—The Schweitzerpfeiff—Virdung—Agricola—Prætorius—Mersenne's description—In England................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................23
* Section II.—Flutes with keys—The D♯ key—Hotteterre—The conical bore—Structure of early flutes—Tuning slides—Quantz's inventions—The low C keys—Further keys added—Tromlitz's inventions—Open keys—The eight-keyed flute—Capeller and Nolan's keys................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................34
* CHAPTER IV. BÖHM AND GORDON. Biographical—Revolution in the flute—Gordon—His flutes—Böhm—His flutes of 1831, 1832, and 1847—His publications—As a player—His compositions—Böhm's centenary—The controversy—Priority of inventions—Coche's attack—Clinton's views—Revival of the controversy—Rockstro's attack—Summary................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................47
* CHAPTER V. FLUTE AFTER BÖHM. Various patentees—Coche and Buffet—Ward—The Dorus key—Siccama—Briccialdi's lever—Carte's flutes—Clinton—Pratten—Rockstro—Radcliff—Other minor "improvers"................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................65
* CHAPTER VI. MILITARY FIFE. Early history, examples, and references—Arbeau's description—Introduced into the French army—Into the English army—Duties of military fifers—Their position—Temporary disuse—Re-instatement—The true fife—In opera................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................73
* CHAPTER VII. PICCOLO: F FLUTE. Piccolo—Orchestral use—Characteristics—Berlioz on its abuse—Its various registers—As used by great composers—Two piccolos—With cymbals, bells, etc.—As a solo instrument—Military varieties—The F flute................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................80
* CHAPTER VIII. ALTO AND BASS FLUTES. The true bass flute—Early examples—Alto flutes—Modern examples—The Flute d'Amour—Recent revival................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................87
* CHAPTER IX. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FLUTE. Popularity of the flute—Its tone—Various registers—Its agility—Harmonics—Double-tongueing—The glide—Vibrato effect—Shakes and turns—Tremolo—Best keys—Hygienic aspect................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................92
* CHAPTER X. MUSIC FOR THE FLUTE. Early composers—Loeillet—Mercy—Blavet—Quantz—Classical composers—Flautist composers—Kuhlau—His successors—Good flute music—Taste of the public—Airs with variations—Doppler—Terschak—Modern school of flute composers—Flute and harp or guitar—Flute and voice................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................100
* CHAPTER XI. FLUTE IN THE ORCHESTRA. Introduction of the flute into the orchestra—The flute and piccolo as used by the great composers—Bach—His obligatos—Handel—His flauto-piccolo—Flute and organ—Gluck—Haydn—The Creation—Symphonies—Mozart—Disliked the flute—Symphonies—Serenades—Operas—Concertos—Beethoven—His famous flute passages—Weber—Meyerbeer—Piccolo passages—Italian operatic composers—William Tell overture—Mendelssohn—Midsummer Night's Dream—Symphonies—Oratorios—Schubert—Schumann—Use by modern composers—Berlioz—Flute and harp—Brahms—Dvořák—The Spectre's Bride—Cadenzas—Grieg—Bizet's Carmen—Sullivan—The Golden Legend—Coleridge-Taylor—Wagner—Tschaïkowsky—R. Strauss—Passages of extreme difficulty................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................115
* CHAPTER XII. FLUTE IN CHAMBER MUSIC. "The neglected wind"—Chamber pieces by great composers—Spohr's Nonett—Pieces for wind and pianoforte—For wind and strings—For wind alone—Larger combinations—For flutes alone................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................180
* CHAPTER XIII. FAMOUS FLAUTISTS. Section I.—Foreign players—Quantz—Frederick the Great—Royal flautists—Early French players—Hugot—Berbiguier—Tulou—Drouet—Furstenau—Doppler—Dorus—Demersseman—Ciardi—Briccialdi—Ribas—Terschak—Altes—Taffanel................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................186
* Section II.—British players—Early performers—Ashe—Charles Nicholson—Richardson—Clinton—Pratten—B. Wells—Henry Nicholson—Svendsen—Principal living flautists................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................206
* CHAPTER XIV. BRITISH AND FOREIGN STYLES COMPARED. Statistics—Style of performance—English, French, Italian, German—Böhm's opinion—Foreign players of note................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................216
* CHAPTER XV. WOMAN AND THE FLUTE. Suitability—Female players in classic times—More recent flautistes—English flautistes of to-day—American flautistes—Female composers for the flute................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................220
* CHAPTER XVI. FLUTE IN AMERICA AND AUSTRALIA. Early notices and players—Later players of foreign origin—Ernst—Introduction of the Böhm flute—Native American players—Kyle—Lemmone................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................225
* CHAPTER XVII. FLUTE IN ENGLISH LITERATURE—POET FLAUTISTS. Early English references—Chaucer—Flute and fife in Shakespeare—In the early dramatists—In the poets—References to the qualities of the flute—Epithets applied to it—Cowper—Longfellow—Other poets—Prose references—In modern novelists—Dickens—A weird flute story—Flute in American authors—Sidney Lanier—Other literary flautists—Legends................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................230
* CHAPTER XVIII. CURIOSITIES OF THE FLUTE. Flutes of curious materials—Walking-stick flutes—Ornamented flutes—Böhm's crutch—Ward's terminator—Various other inventions—The Giorgi flute—Automaton players—Dulon, the blind flautist—Rebsomen, the one-armed flautist—Hallet, the youthful prodigy—How to silence a flautist................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................252
* CHAPTER XIX. FLUTES OF ORIENTAL AND SAVAGE NATIONS. Oriental flutes—Chinese—Japanese—Effect of the flute on animals—Indian flutes—Nose-flutes—South American flutes—The love flute—Ancient prejudices—The Fathers and the Puritans................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................262
* Appendix I.—Early Instruction Books for Transverse Flute................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................275
* ″ II.—Wooden and Metal Flutes................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................278
* ″ III.—Bibliography of the Flute................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................281
* Index................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................285
EXPLANATION OF SIGNS USED.
O = an open hole; ● = a closed hole.
The notes of the various octaves are expressed in the text thus: those of the first octave from the C below the treble stave to the B on the third line, inclusive, have one stroke thus—C′; those of the second octave have two strokes—e.g., C″; and those of the third octave have three strokes—e.g., C‴.
ADDENDA AND CORRIGENDA.
Page 2.—It has been suggested that the verb fluter or flauter preceded the noun, and that it represents a Low Latin flautlare = to sound the notes fa, ut, la; of this there is no evidence. (See Studies, September, 1913, p. 229.)
Page 34.—The passage cited from Bacon's Sylva Sylvarum is from c. ii., s. 116.
Page 66.—For "Ribcock" read "Ribock."
Page 78.—For "James I." read "James II."
Page 103, line 9.—Strike out the reference to Mozart's Concerto.
List of Illustrations.
* page
* “The Flute Player” (Meissonier)................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Frontispiece
* Egyptian Oblique Flute-player................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................4
* The V-notch................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................7
* Double Flute-player................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................8
* Double Flute (from Boissard's Roman Antiquities)................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................9
* Double Flutes, with several bulbs................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................9
* Auletes (from the Freize of the Parthenon)................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................11
* Plagiaulos, or ringed flute with projecting mouthpiece................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................13
* Capistrum and Bulbed Double Flute................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................14
* Fistula Tristoma and Scale (from Kircher's Musurgia Universalis)................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................17
* Fistula Hexastoma and Scale................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................17
* Enclosed Key on Recorders................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................18
* Portrait of German Flute-player (from The Music Master)................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................22
* Early Keyless Flutes:—  Virdung’s Zwerchpfeiff................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................30
* Agricola’s Schweitzerpfeiff................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................30
* Prætorius’ Bass Querflote................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................30
* Mersenne’s Fistula Germanica................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................30
* Early Flutes with Keys:—  Hotteterre’s Flute................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................31
* Quantz’s Flute................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................31
* Tromlitz’s Five-keyed Flute................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................31
* The Eight-keyed Flute................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................31
* Portrait of Hotteterre................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................36
* Nolan's Ring-key................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................45
* Gordon's Flutes................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................51
* Böhm's Flutes of 1829, 1831, and 1832................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................51
* Siccama's Flute................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................68
* Böhm's Flute of 1847................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................68
* Carte and Böhm, 1867 Patent Flute................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................68
* Briccialdi's B♭ Lever................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................69
* Portrait of J. Mathews and his Flute................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................72
* Bass Flutes:—  Macgregor's Bass Flute................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................89
* Diderot's Bass Flute................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................89
* Modern Bass Flute................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................89
* Picture of a Flute Quartett Party (from Punch)................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................181
* Portraits of Famous Flautists of the Past................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................194, 195
* Portraits of Famous Flautists................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................204
* Portraits of Famous Flautists of To-day................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................214
* Böhm's Crutch................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................255
* Ward's Terminator and Indicator................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................255
* Signer Giorgi and his Flute................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................256
* Heckel's Cap................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................257
* Mollenhauer's Mouthpiece................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................257
* Portrait of Count Rebsomen................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................260
* Chinese Dragon Flute................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................263
* Chinese Tsche, with central mouth-hole................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................263
List of Musical Examples.
* page
* "Air de Cour," from Mersenne's Harmonie Universelle................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................33
* Flute solo, with bass, by Hotteterre.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................37
* Fife music from Arbeau's Orchesographie................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................75
* Bizet, Carmen, march for two piccolos................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................83
* Berlioz, Faust, "Evocation" for three piccolos................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................84
* Beethoven, canon on the name Kuhlau................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................106
* Peri, Eurydice, air for three flutes................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................116
* Luili, Proserpine, air for three flutes................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................117
* Bach, suite in B minor. Polonaise and Badinerie................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................121, 122
* Handel, Acis and Galatea, "Oh, ruddier than the cherry"................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................124
* Handel, Acis and Galatea, "Hush, ye pretty warbling choir"................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................125
* Handel, Rinaldo, cadenza for piccolo................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................126
* Gluck, Orpheo................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................130
* Gluck, Armide................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................131
* Hadyn, Creation, "On mighty pen"................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................133
* Haydn, Creation, Part III., opening................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................133
* Haydn, Military Symphony................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................134
* Haydn, Twelfth Symphony................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................134
* Mozart, Magic Flute overture................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................137
* Beethoven, Fifth Symphony................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................139
* Beethoven, Pastorale Symphony................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................140, 141
* Beethoven, overture to Egmont................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................142
* Beethoven, overture to Leonora, No. 3................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................143
* Weber, Der Freischütz................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................144, 145, 146, 147
* Weber, Preciosa................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................145, 146, 148
* Weber, Oberon................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................146, 147
* Meyerbeer, Robert le Diable................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................149
* Meyerbeer, Les Huguenots................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................151
* Rossini, overture, Semiramide................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................152
* Rossini, overture, William Tell................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................153
* Mendelssohn, Midsummer Night's Dream................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................155, 156
* Mendelssohn, St. Paul................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................157
* Mendelssohn, Hymn of Praise................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................158
* Schumann, Symphony No. 1, cadenza................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................159
* Brahms, Requiem................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................163
* Dvořák, The Spectre's Bride................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................164
* Grieg, Peer Gynt................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................165
* Bizet, Carmen................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................166, 167
* Sullivan, The Golden Legend................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................168, 169
* Coleridge-Taylor, Hiawatha................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................169
* Wagner, Tristan and Isolde................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................171
* Wagner, Gotterdammerung................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................171
* Wagner, Siegfried................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................171
* Wagner, Meistersinger................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................172, 173
* Tschaïkowsky, Fourth Symphony................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................175
* Tschaïkowsky, Casse Noisette Suite................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................175
* Tschaïkowsky, Fourth Symphony, scherzo................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................176
* R. Strauss, Til Eulenspiegel................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................177
* Quantz, Triplet passage................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................192
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The longest-living author of this work died in 1942, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 81 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
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