Orkon: a keyed fipple flute of the 1950's

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 8:54 pm

http://www.tjimaging.com/orkon/

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 10:58 pm

Fascinating. I wonder what one of these would fetch on eBay. I wonder why they didn't catch on.

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 1:47 am

The most welknown traditional player of the Orkon flageolet was Paddy Breen from KIlmihil, Co Clare who spent most of his later life in London. Several recordings of his playing used to be available. The infamous Peter Kennedy still has one on the go :

http://www.folktrax.freeserve.co.uk/men ... 8breen.htm

Orkans have come up on EBAY on a few occasions over the past few years.

Zubivka · Post by **Zubivka** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 6:59 am

(Funny, this Orkon name always reminds me of another oddity of the fifties--Wilhelm Reich's "orgone")

Note that most of the keys are of the "French" (i.e. annular) not "plateau" kind, so half-holing is "built-in".
I believe it's particularly interesting for the octave vent hole, next best to an "automatic" (sax-like) vent.

I always dreamt of finding an Orkon...

However, there is work under way for a similar unexpensive keyed "whistle" in C, aimed at schools, progressing in Germany; I hope to see some prototypes at the end of this month.

whistule · Post by **whistule** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 10:08 am

would it be possible for you to take some pictures and post them?

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 10:10 am

whistule wrote:would it be possible for you to take some pictures and post them?

Check out the Web site mentioned in the first post.

Bretton · Post by **Bretton** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 8:03 pm

Wow, that's really interesting. I'll have to watch for one of those on eBay and next time I go garage sailing.

-Brett

Daniel_Bingamon · Post by **Daniel_Bingamon** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 10:25 pm

It looks like the way the toneholes are designed that it meters the hole with a smaller hole.

There was a discussion on this instrument about a year ago on the Flutemakers yahoogroups forum. Someone found the patent on it and it has quite a detailed drawing.

I like the simplicity of it's key system and a bit curious about it. Being a keyed whistle builder, I've patterned my keying after keyed flutes used in Irish music since the system is already well known.

You might see if anyone on the flutemakers group is attempting to replicate these or not.

talasiga · Post by **talasiga** » Sat Sep 11, 2004 2:24 am

Zubivka wrote:(Funny, this Orkon name always reminds me of another oddity of the fifties--Wilhelm Reich's "orgone") ...........

You don't have to wait until your fifties to experience a true blue orgasm.
Odd that it may seem to you ......

Zubivka · Post by **Zubivka** » Sat Sep 11, 2004 5:54 am

talasiga wrote:
Zubivka wrote:(Funny, this Orkon name always reminds me of another oddity of the fifties--Wilhelm Reich's "orgone") ...........

You don't have to wait until your fifties to experience a true blue orgasm.
Odd that it may seem to you ......

When you need a totally off reply, there's one reliable source... :roll:

Not my jubilee, just The Fifties... 1950's, like 1950, 51, 52... etc. ok?

Daniel_Bingamon · Post by **Daniel_Bingamon** » Sun Sep 12, 2004 2:07 pm

Here's another Orkon website: http://www.hieronymus.com/orkon/ and a link to the patent http://www.hieronymus.com/orkon/orkon_patent.htm

talasiga · Post by **talasiga** » Sun Sep 12, 2004 7:15 pm

Zubivka wrote: ......When you need a totally off reply, there's one reliable source... :roll:

Not my jubilee, just The Fifties... 1950's, like 1950, 51, 52... etc. ok?

Oh yeah? Were you doing vegetotherapy in "The Fifties"?