Seeing the direction Chris Laughlin’s flute argument thread has taken, here’s a different angle:
How about sharing how/why you ended up with the flute(s) you play?
In my case, I play the Copley & Boegli pictured to the left. I got it in 2004, when I left the world of Boehm flutes behind. Affordability and wait time were factors for me, and after reading as much as I could (in the absence of being able to try many Irish flutes), a Copley flute seemed like a good choice. And indeed it has been! In the years since, I’ve gotten to try lots of lovely Irish flutes, but at the end of the night, I’m always pleased with what I have. I’ve grown into the flute over the years, and I find it familiar, predictable, and rewarding. As for the choice of wood (mopane), it was purely aesthetic–I think it looks nice.
Because Dave Copley responded with genuine interest and enthusiasm to my enquiries about custom needs and has worked patiently with me over some time (contributing valuable ideas as well as implementing mine) to provide me with great ‘nine-fingered’ flutes!
I play a Grinter because it’s the one I have. It has six keys which is probably enough to play just about anything in any key, and I’ve played it so long that it feels quite natural in any musical setting I blow at it
Dave is great like that, I’ve purchased several flutes from him over the years and he’s absolutely one of my favorite flute makers for those very reasons, and then some: He makes a helluva flute, he’s very open and responsive to special requests, and his customer service and professionalism are unsurpassed. Yup, plenty of good reasons why I still own a Copley flute.
Loren, I’m guessing that the photo you posted is an Olwell. What kind of wood is that?
I play an Olwell Blackwood Pratten that I purchased about 15 years ago after I heard Seamus Egan playing one at the Summer Solstice Music Festival when it was at Soka University.
I got my old Wylde from ebay after somehow managing to sell my former flute in less than a week (I couldn’t afford it otherwise). The flute I was playing before was a great flute, an old Thomas Glen with a new Murray headjoint, but I was looking for something different in the tone so I felt the need to change.
The Wylde may not be the loudest flute available, but it’s a really great teacher. If you blow the right way, it will reward you with a great rich and lively tone with some good power also. It is improving my embouchure like no other flute I owned could, I’ve learned so much from it, and I’m still learning, what a journey…!
I will probably get another flute some day, a modern one that is easier to play loud for leading sessions, but maybe I’ll keep this one also.
A picture of the flute (that I made before threading it):
Like you, I heard Seamus play and really liked his particular sound, so I ordered my first Olwell around 2000 and received it in 2001. It was a Cocus Pratten with a divided center section. Loved that flute and I’d likely never have bought another keyless flute, however I became wildly allergic to it, and then everything blackwood, rosewood, etc. I sold that olwell to a player over in Ireland (You still playing it Finbar?) and after going through some tough times financially I lucked out and bought Nano’s Dogwood Olwell Pratten a few years later. Great flute as well, although not quite the same glassy Cocus tone it has a wonderful personality of it’s own. Sadly, I had to stop playing that flute for physical reasons, but then I lucked into this Nicholson Olwell. Fabulous flute, and gorgeous to boot - I much prefer stained Boxwood, particularly if it’s got figure like this one does as well. I do sometimes miss the Pratten power though, and the lined headjoint sound, so I will be getting another flute from Pat and Aaron. Technically I’ve been on the list for a keyed flute since 2000/2001, but I haven’t checked in with them for years, so I ought to get on that…
Nice Wylde you have there Lorenzo. I was lucky enough to run across one at a store in Philadelphia one day, wasn’t in great shape but it played and I really liked it. I thought about buying it, but I didn’t have any flute repair skills yet at that time, and the flute needed a fair amount of work, so I passed. Just as well since I developed my allergies soon after. Still, I guess that’s the reason I get on so well with most of the Grinter flutes I’ve run across; they really do play very much like the Wylde I tried, which is no surprise since he used one as his model. Anyway, very cool that you got yourself a nice Wylde, I’m sure it’s a killer flute. I must say I’m starting to get itchy just looking at it though
I’m lucky enough to own both a late Wylde (RC&C) and an early cocus Grinter and I’d back Lorenzo’s comment about both being good teachers in tone and embouchure. they’re different, I play both of them, mostly the Grinter when I’m out and about. Both came from Chiffers. I’ve had more Pratten type flutes and the big decision was between those and these. I settled on learning to play the Rudall/Wylde type for the tonal character really and they just felt more natural, not an easy road to travel but worthwhile.
The same reason I drive the car I drive. It fits. With the flute(s), I want something that sounds like I want it to sound, has a comfortable hand position (and weight distribution), an embouchure cut that suits my lip, tuning suited to my playing, and the features I want to use. Basically, something that responds the way I want it to when I play it the way I play. The car is the same thing – I want something that responds the way I want it to, to the way I drive it.
My wife’s car was totaled in the tornado that hit us last week. She did diligent research, reading reviews, paying attention to features that folks say are important to drivers like her. We drove a couple, including one that was the most highly rated in a couple of the categories that she considered most important. In the end, she got the current version of the same car she had been driving for nine years. I suspected she would do that; I know enough not to pay a bit of attention to reviews when I’m looking at buying a car, especially those of a few highly regarded publications, because I know they don’t value the same things in the driving experience as I do. My wife has now internalized that.
I enjoy reading flute reviews, just as I enjoy reading car reviews. But the only thing that matters to me is how it responds to the way I play it or drive it.
yep, it’s a large hole Wylde (about 1876 if I remember rightly), and almost identical to the early model Grinter in some ways (around 1996 I think). I like the fact they feel so similar, which is probably how I settled on the two as favourites (the driving test). The embouchures are different though. You can guess which is which…
The Two main flutes that I play the most are: a six key Burns, blackwood Rudall design (Casey let me make the rings) and an eight key Blackman in cocus possibly made by Wylde. The Burns is the workhorse, it’s louder but still has a complex sweat full sound that I like. The Blackman plays very much like the Burns, it has the complexity and sweetness, but with smaller holes, it’s not as loud as the Burns. Great for quieter times.
I have settled in quite nicely with my original Hudson Pratten. I think it has a sound that is unique unto itself. After 170+ years, it has matured into a timbre all it’s own. I know, I will sound like I sound on whatever flute, but this one in particular expresses itself superbly! It has character in voice, projection, nuance and playability…
Arbo
When several years ago I made a last attempt to learn the flute, I started on an anonymous German flute because I had the possibility to borrow it from a friend. After one or two years, I was looking for something more in tune to start at our local slow session. In addition, I had decided to go for a style that relates more on breath based ornamentation than on finger based ornamentation. It just suits me. So I had to look for a Pratten model.
At this point, a friend of mine offered me to buy his keyless Olwell Pratten. I still think it was kinda bit of magic - just the very flute I needed popped out of nothing.
I build up my repertoire basically by learning traditional Sligo tunes by ear. So far, I don’t miss the keys. Well, maybe on two occasions the G sharp key. On the other hand, the flute is by far much lighter than a keyed instrument which makes holding it much easier over the evening. To make a long story short, I guess that’s the flute I will stick to for the rest of my flute playing life. Although, one day, I’d like to get myself a keyed flute as a backup, just to be able to play non-traditional sheetmusic. And, yes, the occasionally G#.
I had decided to go for a style that relates more on breath based ornamentation than on finger based ornamentation. It just suits me. So I had to look for a Pratten model.
There is no relation between breath based ornamentation and the Pratten model. The father of this style, John McKenna, apparently played a German flute, and also Tom Morrison. Conal O Grada, before changing to his Pratten style Hamilton, recorded his first album on his old Rudall flute (and what sound he made! check his older videos on youtube). Harry Bradley plays a Murray (large Rudall-ish style). I could go on…
Of course, if you had the opportunity to get an Olwell Pratten, that’s a great flute, but any good flute can be played with a more breath based ornamentation
I guess i’m a bit lazy.
I’ve owned some really nice flutes and some not-so really nice flutes and a never enjoyed struggling with a flute that was difficult to play. One of my teachers played an Olwell Pratten and my other teacher played a flute by a different maker (can’t remember which one) but also played a keyless Olwell in C. Both Olwell flutes were exceptionally easy for me to play and had the kind of tone i was seeking. A few months ago i finally got my keyless Olwell Pratten and i love it dearly. I’m sure there are other flutes out there that are easy to play also but it was the combination of tone and playability that attracted me to the flute i play now.
I sold that olwell to a player over in Ireland (You still playing it Finbar?) and after going through some tough times financially I lucked out and bought Nano’s Dogwood Olwell Pratten a few years later. Great flute as well, although not quite the same glassy Cocus tone it has a wonderful personality of it’s own. Sadly, I had to stop playing that flute for physical reasons, but then I lucked into this Nicholson Olwell. Fabulous flute, and gorgeous to boot - I much prefer stained Boxwood, particularly if it’s got figure like this one does as well. I do sometimes miss the Pratten power though, and the lined headjoint sound, so I will be getting another flute from Pat and Aaron. Technically I’ve been on the list for a keyed flute since 2000/2001, but I haven’t checked in with them for years, so I ought to get on that…
