Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-08-29
TIE MUSIC or rHG FLUTE.
Why II Is So Little Heard In the Land
Plca for the Instrument

There is no doubt about II, said Will
lam ROuuberg, the venerable John street
flute maker, shaking his white head
mournfuliy. flute playing among ANA
teurs has gone ont of style Worse than
that, IL has bcCOT an object Of ridicule,
The man who p.@y, the flute for amuse.
ment is laughed at; he is regarded as a
sort of Miss Nancy, and his friends
make sly T-uarkS about his lowering
rents in his neighbOrhood The verse
makers write what they think are funny
rhymes about the tout Of the flute. and
50, taking all things into consideration,
the boy or young man with taste for
music and desire to learn some musical
instrument is actually laughed out Of be
ginning 10 play one Of the best parlor in
struments that is made
"But what does he learn Instead, in nine
cases out Of ten continued the old gen
tleman. "Why. either the ear-Splitting
Cornet or the musicless hanjo. Think of
that Instead OF an instrument like the
flute, with It's soft, sweet musical tones
lie takes brass nuisance and blows his
lungs out trying to get music out of it
Lowering tents, indeed. Well, ! don't
wantto be a neighbOr 10 the young man
who is p.ayng the cornet. The banjo
isn't quite n b'!. but what music there
is In its pink '-. .nk-a, punk a-puuk,
don't know
Mr.. ROnuberg spoke with the warmth
of partisan. lie pretends to be nothing
else. He has been making flutes more
years than most men live. and looks back
with regret To the days of 81. when he
employed IA shupful of Iuen. and turned
out flutes by the score. Those were the
days when it was the thing for young men
To play the German flute, as the four six,
and eight Keyed flutes We're called Those
were the days when professional flute
players were abundant and excellent. The
old man no longer makes German flutes,
but in his little shop he still makes
Boehm flutes, apparently quite as skill
fully As he ever did.
1t is just possible" he continued, that
the boehm flute has something to do with
the decrease in the popularity of the flute,
although il is almost treason To say so.
The Bo.hm is perfect instrument, i'm
measurable superior 10 the old flute 1t
Is very much more expensive, costing all
the way from $50 upward. II is also
though much easier 10 play, and rreTU=
fore more Liable to get out Of order. And
here comes the point | want to make. An
buys Boehm tlute, and enjoys
it About the time he has II well in hand
it gets out Of order \ mere tritle per
haps The maker CoU.d fix it in a minute.
But the owner tinkers with it. gets it
worse, takes it to the first music store he
sees; they tell him they'll have it fixed;
they send it to some flute tinker, and the
result Is, too often. the flute is spoiled.
Now had the owner sent it ut once to the
maker, even from a distance, his flute
would have come back better than ever.
And SO it comes about that you will find,
in not few homes. Boehm flutes that
cost good sum lying dried up and use
less all for want Of little care
" 1t is now the fashion TO revive old
styles. Why doesn't some one revive
flute playing; There is no instrument
more perfectly fitted for the parlor Ac-
by the piano, or the harp, or
guitar OF even the banjo it is very pleas
ing There is much excellent music ar
ranged for the flute and piano, and when
you take two flutes and piano, each well
played, then you have music indeed"