The Irish flute: An instrument or o style?

The Chiff & Fipple Irish Flute on-line community. Sideblown for your protection.
fatmac
Posts: 1149
Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2017 5:47 am
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: Kickbiker - at over 70!
:lol:
....................................................................
....................................................................

Re: The Irish flute: An instrument or o style?

Post by fatmac »

Mr.Gumby wrote:
Celtic flute, as against concert flute, though not absolutely true, is a far better description.
No, it isn't. It is an absolutely ridiculous description.
Well I think it is a far more relative/descriptive term than Irish Flute, which is not Irish at all!

Just because people play Irish tunes on it does not make it Irish!
Keith.
Trying to do justice to my various musical instruments.
User avatar
Peter Duggan
Posts: 3223
Joined: Tue Aug 30, 2011 5:39 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: I'm not registering, I'm trying to edit my profile! The field “Tell us something.” is too short, a minimum of 100 characters is required.
Location: Kinlochleven
Contact:

Re: The Irish flute: An instrument or o style?

Post by Peter Duggan »

fatmac wrote:Well I think it is a far more relative/descriptive term than Irish Flute, which is not Irish at all!
It's no more 'Celtic' than 'Irish'!
And we in dreams behold the Hebrides.

Master of nine?
fatmac
Posts: 1149
Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2017 5:47 am
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: Kickbiker - at over 70!
:lol:
....................................................................
....................................................................

Re: The Irish flute: An instrument or o style?

Post by fatmac »

Peter Duggan wrote:
fatmac wrote:Well I think it is a far more relative/descriptive term than Irish Flute, which is not Irish at all!
It's no more 'Celtic' than 'Irish'!
....& that is why I prefer Folk Flute, which is what many people play on it, be it Irish, Scottish, Breton, etc. folk tunes. :wink:
Keith.
Trying to do justice to my various musical instruments.
User avatar
Mr.Gumby
Posts: 6606
Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2010 11:31 am
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Location: the Back of Beyond

Re: The Irish flute: An instrument or o style?

Post by Mr.Gumby »

It is an instrument capable of and used for many types of music.

Cuban flute, anyone?
My brain hurts

Image
fatmac
Posts: 1149
Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2017 5:47 am
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: Kickbiker - at over 70!
:lol:
....................................................................
....................................................................

Re: The Irish flute: An instrument or o style?

Post by fatmac »

...& it says
Copied from a fine French original
:D :thumbsup:
Keith.
Trying to do justice to my various musical instruments.
tstermitz
Posts: 527
Joined: Tue May 26, 2015 10:18 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8

Re: The Irish flute: An instrument or o style?

Post by tstermitz »

Conversation with someone who played flute from high school:
I play flute. Wooden flute.

Oh, you mean recorder?

No, flute. Simple-system, wooden flute from the 1850s. Not silver boehm flute.

Blank look.
The point is, most people, even modern flute musicians, think of the silver object with many keys. They probably don't even use the descriptor "Boehm". So at a minimum, I say wooden flute and that usually piques their interest, and continues the conversation.

And, most people who played flute in high school band have few opportunities to play as adults. They are quite interested about this thing called a session where flutes are part of the mix.
kmag
Posts: 399
Joined: Sat Sep 03, 2005 5:55 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: I try my best to play the flute and pipes. I have been coming here for years and now are required to fill this out for an address change.
Location: Coos Bay Oregon

Re: The Irish flute: An instrument or o style?

Post by kmag »

When a person asks if I play an instrument I just tell them I play the flute. It seems to satisfy their curiosity especially since the question is usually just a part of a larger conversation. Most people do not care what type of flute I play and become quickly bored if you start explaining flute differences such as materials, history etc. If they ask what type of music I play I tell them Irish traditional music. If I already play with other people they already know what I play so, once again, a term is not necessary.
D Mc
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2015 1:05 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8

Re: The Irish flute: An instrument or o style?

Post by D Mc »

I find this conversation interesting, and in no small way, humorous. So many strong opinions on the use of a descriptive adjective. It's not like it is being used in an inflammatory or derogatory way. It is simply conveying a narrowing of the definition of the object, for those that need it.

If the people you are talking to understand which flute you are referencing, then obviously no descriptor is needed. However, if they do not, you can either use the much maligned term, or plan on spending a lot more time in making yourself understood.
User avatar
Peter Duggan
Posts: 3223
Joined: Tue Aug 30, 2011 5:39 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: I'm not registering, I'm trying to edit my profile! The field “Tell us something.” is too short, a minimum of 100 characters is required.
Location: Kinlochleven
Contact:

Re: The Irish flute: An instrument or o style?

Post by Peter Duggan »

D Mc wrote:If the people you are talking to understand which flute you are referencing, then obviously no descriptor is needed. However, if they do not, you can either use the much maligned term, or plan on spending a lot more time in making yourself understood.
Or neither, when calling it 'Irish' might actually confuse things further!
And we in dreams behold the Hebrides.

Master of nine?
busterbill
Posts: 731
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2003 8:06 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8

Re: The Irish flute: An instrument or o style?

Post by busterbill »

It all depends on who you are talking to.

People still periodically ask me what type of clarinet I am playing. :D

My nomenclature changes depending on who I am am talking to, their experience and their interest level.
User avatar
Wanderer
Posts: 4450
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2004 10:49 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Location: Lovettsville, VA
Contact:

Re: The Irish flute: An instrument or o style?

Post by Wanderer »

I've never heard a non-musician ever refer to the instrument as anything other than "a flute".

Most musicians I know also refer to it the same way in casual conversation.
│& ¼║: ♪♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ :║
D Mc
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2015 1:05 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8

Re: The Irish flute: An instrument or o style?

Post by D Mc »

Peter Duggan wrote:Or neither, when calling it 'Irish' might actually confuse things further!
Hmm...could you help me out on that? I can see that many people get agitated by it but I am struggling to think of just who would be confused by it.
User avatar
Peter Duggan
Posts: 3223
Joined: Tue Aug 30, 2011 5:39 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: I'm not registering, I'm trying to edit my profile! The field “Tell us something.” is too short, a minimum of 100 characters is required.
Location: Kinlochleven
Contact:

Re: The Irish flute: An instrument or o style?

Post by Peter Duggan »

D Mc wrote:I am struggling to think of just who would be confused by it.
Anyone who can't already picture this type of flute and/or doesn't associate it with 'Irish'. It's not a given!
And we in dreams behold the Hebrides.

Master of nine?
D Mc
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2015 1:05 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8

Re: The Irish flute: An instrument or o style?

Post by D Mc »

Ah, obvious once you say it, thanks.
User avatar
Javier Vila
Posts: 27
Joined: Mon Feb 15, 2010 1:51 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Location: Barcelona (Spain)

Re: The Irish flute: An instrument or o style?

Post by Javier Vila »

Ok, I agree “concert flute” can also be confusing. I hate “celtic flute”.

What about “Romantic flute”? It is accurate to the period, following the renaissance, the baroque and the classical flutes. I guess it could lead to funny jokes though...

Another option could be “traditional flute”. Some players like Chris Norman use that term http://www.irishfluteguide.info/2016/02 ... -now-open/. I think it makes sense from the perspective that it’s the most common use nowadays and also acknowledges that it was rescued by traditional players.
Last edited by Javier Vila on Sat Jan 11, 2020 4:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Avatar picture: Ribas' improved flute by Scott. To find out more about J.M. Ribas, the Spanish flutist who replaced Charles Nicholson after his death, go to:

http://www.mcgee-flutes.com/Ribas.htm

http://sites.google.com/site/ribasmusicos2/home2
Post Reply