[MR] seeking instrument building transverse flute

[Diana Kolbe]

--- treehugger treehugger <treehugger24 at msn.com>
wrote:
> Hi! I'm Sam (Tamara's 12 year old daughter)
> I play the transverse flute. I would love to make a
> historically accurate flute. I know just about
> nothing about the history of flutes. Does anyone
> know how to make a transverse flute that will fit in
> the 14th-15th century Spain? I really want to make
> it myself. I've seen Steven de Soissons' page about
> the history.
> 
>    ~sami~ aka ~Ynés Brasa~

I'd recommend starting by looking at flutehistory.com
to get a bit better feel for the relevant parts of
transverse flute's history.  (It's also referred to as
a traverso for this time period, you might include
that term in your searches.)  The make of that site
(Ardal Powell) also has a book on flute history that
is inexpensive, but concentrates mostly on later eras.
 Unfortunately, concrete information about the period
you mention is vanishingly rare - there aren't many
existing pieces from before mid 16th c, and most
people who research and make instruments concentrate
on 17th century and later.  

If you're willing to try to model after a 16th century
instrument (since there are some extant ones to study)
you can cross-reference these two charts:
http://www.flutehistory.com/Resources/Lists/Renaissance_flutes.php3
http://allaindu.club.fr/fluterenaissance/4-instruments_originaux.htm
They are drawn from the same source book - the second
includes basic dimensions (acoustical length and bore
diameter, in mm) when known but is in French.  In
addition to that information, you'd need at least size
and position measurements for the fingering and
embouchure holes.  I can't offer any other help on the
construction/woodworking aspects, as I have no
experience with that myself.  I do know that many
flutemakers test new designs in PVC pipe before going
to wood, and you can produce a playable flute that
way.

I do have a couple renaissance-style flutes, if you
would like to arrange to try them out and get a feel
for the instrument - it is quite a different feel from
a modern Boehm system flute.  I'm in the greater DC
area or could meet up with you at an event.

- Catrijn


 
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