Rudall-Pratten Spectrum and Lehart

The Chiff & Fipple Irish Flute on-line community. Sideblown for your protection.
Post Reply
tradlad123
Posts: 80
Joined: Thu Feb 06, 2020 3:07 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: Learning more about flutes here, and looking for good makers. Also used instrument exchange is very convenient.
Location: CA

Rudall-Pratten Spectrum and Lehart

Post by tradlad123 »

I am thinking of acquiring another keyless flute. I have a Lehart currently, and want to explore other zones in the Rudall/Pratten spectrum, so looking for opinions on 1) where on the spectrum do Leharts sit, and 2) which other makers are different. For starters, I am looking into Lesouef, Ormiston, Lejeune, Martin Doyle flutes (and more suggestions welcome).
Andro
Posts: 191
Joined: Sun May 06, 2018 1:37 am
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: Beginning flute and whistle player. Starting out seriously in Irish Traditional Music. Also interested in flute making.
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Rudall-Pratten Spectrum and Lehart

Post by Andro »

What is a spectrum and a zone in your post? Not sure what you mean. Not instrument terminology I have heard before.
tradlad123
Posts: 80
Joined: Thu Feb 06, 2020 3:07 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: Learning more about flutes here, and looking for good makers. Also used instrument exchange is very convenient.
Location: CA

Re: Rudall-Pratten Spectrum and Lehart

Post by tradlad123 »

By spectrum I mean the range of tone/style/etc from Rudall on one hand to Pratten on the other. Most flute makers make somewhat of a combination, from what I understand.
Uni Flute
Posts: 387
Joined: Mon Nov 02, 2015 3:50 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8

Re: Rudall-Pratten Spectrum and Lehart

Post by Uni Flute »

If we were talking about antique flutes, I would say that a spectrum would not be the best way of looking at Rudall and Pratten flutes, because historically, there are scarce few instruments (if any) that could be said to share the qualities of both. I do think with modern makers blending the designs together, it could be a useful way of categorising these new flutes. Regarding the makers already mentioned, I would associate Lesouef and Ormiston as aiming for a Rudall design. Lejeune certainly seems to offer the largest tone holes on his Rudall model, in addition to offering a Pratten model, so perhaps he could be considered as being more towards the "Pratten ideal." Personally, I think Martin Doyle's flutes are a unique animal in their own right, as his design appear to have radically departed either traditional model, so probably wouldn't fit onto our spectrum. For Pratten inspired flutes, the makers that come to mind for me are Olwell, Hamilton and some of Chris Wilkes's offerings.
User avatar
kkrell
Posts: 4831
Joined: Mon Jul 29, 2002 6:00 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: Mostly producer of the Wooden Flute Obsession 3-volume 6-CD 7-hour set of mostly player's choice of Irish tunes, played mostly solo, on mostly wooden flutes by approximately 120 different mostly highly-rated traditional flute players & are mostly...
Location: Los Angeles
Contact:

Re: Rudall-Pratten Spectrum and Lehart

Post by kkrell »

I'd consider Lehart to be closest to what you'd expect from a Pratten model, and agree that Martin Doyle's are quite unique.
International Traditional Music Society, Inc.
A non-profit 501c3 charity/educational public benefit corporation
Wooden Flute Obsession CDs (3 volumes, 6 discs, 7 hours, 120 players/tracks)
https://www.worldtrad.org
Post Reply