Clementi Flute

jb · Post by jb » Tue Nov 23, 2004 10:50 am

I usually lurk about on the whistle forum but thought I'd walk over here for a look about. I have an old Clementi 8 keyed flute that belonged to my uncle. My flute is boxwood and has square keys. The flute is in excellent condition but seems impossible to play a scale in tune, even with itself. I'd be grateful for any information regarding age etc.

kkrell · Post by **kkrell** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 2:33 pm

jb wrote:I usually lurk about on the whistle forum but thought I'd walk over here for a look about. I have an old Clementi 8 keyed flute that belonged to my uncle. My flute is boxwood and has square keys. The flute is in excellent condition but seems impossible to play a scale in tune, even with itself. I'd be grateful for any information regarding age etc.

Could well be out of tune due to the cork stopper having shifted position. Otherwise, you should get something near a scale.

Kevin Krell

George · Post by **George** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 3:53 pm

Definitely check the headjoint cork's position, condition, and see if it's airtight. Also check it's joints and keys, they could be leaking. Say if one the upper keys is leaking, everything below that key is going to get messed up. If the flute is not airtight it's surpriseing how much tone and control you lose.
You can do a quick suction test to see if a section's keys are leaking; Put a small cork in the hole at the end of the section, cover the holes with your fingers and suck the air out with your mouth at the other end. If it pops when you take your mouth away after a second or two, you've got a reasonably airtight flute. Same with the headjoint. Cover the end with your palm, and suck the air out the embouchure hole. If your tenon joints are loose or wobble much, they're leaking.

Sincerely,
George

andrewK · Post by **andrewK** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 7:37 pm

Clementi 1802 to 1831
Sounds a pretty flute. What pitch does it not play at ?

Kevin L. Rietmann · Post by **Kevin L. Rietmann** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 8:45 pm

Patrick Olwell said this in an interview:

"The three different pieces where fingerholes are in different places were more accurate. That was an important discovery and it was leading me to all kinds of new theories. One theory, for example, why Clementi-flutes were so out of tune was that they took the old scale they left the right finger hole side as it was and shortened the upper left hand section. The flute makers were often not flute-players, so they didn't notice."

http://www.firescribble.net/flute/olwell.html

jb · Post by jb » Wed Nov 24, 2004 4:33 pm

Thanks guys, I've checked the headjoint cork and the leak test and everything seems ok. The bit from Patrick Olwell sums it up. D uo to G sounds in tune but A and B are really sharp. I haven't checked with a tuner so I don't know what the actual pitch is. If I work out how to, I'll post a picture.

jb · Post by jb » Wed Nov 24, 2004 5:07 pm

OK here is a photo of the flute

http://uk.geocities.com/jack.bethel@bti ... flute.html

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 8:03 pm

Your link is to a JPG file renamed to an html; doesn't work.

I took the liberty of recovering your photo and providing it for this thread:

Lovely flute.

--James

Henke · Post by **Henke** » Thu Nov 25, 2004 2:42 am

Isn't that a strange colour for an early 19th century boxwood flute? Anyhow, it's a lovely looking piece. Maybe some maker or skilled repairer can do something to revoice and tune it for you.

jb · Post by jb » Thu Nov 25, 2004 3:05 am

Thanks James, I couldn't find out how to put the photograph on here.
The colour is not exact as the flute was scanned in but the foot joint to the right in the picture is probably closest.

GaryKelly · Post by **GaryKelly** » Thu Nov 25, 2004 3:17 am

jb wrote:Thanks James, I couldn't find out how to put the photograph on here.

There's a guide to posting images on the board here: http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=23407

Hope it helps us see more flute lichen!

andrewK · Post by **andrewK** » Thu Nov 25, 2004 5:57 am

It looks a pretty normal colour to me.
If anybody is in doubt I can put up a few boxwood flutes using the advice link so kindly provided !

eilam · Post by **eilam** » Thu Nov 25, 2004 9:42 am

yes Andrew - I have serious doubt

- can you post some pictures, especially of the two R&R that you have ( the F and the new one), I basically want to see more of your flutes

andrewK · Post by **andrewK** » Thu Nov 25, 2004 12:25 pm

The R&R flute in F is cocus wood.
The new one needs a little attention before it is thrown out into the big wide world web.
You wll be glad to know that I failed to buy a flute today. Too mean.But I do have three others coming. God knows why !
Which is dearer, the flutes or a course of aversion therapy ?
I am amazed how nice the Sweet Rosewood one is to use, after all the snide remarks I have heard about them !
Matter of luck, perhaps ?

Post by **Nanohedron** » Thu Nov 25, 2004 12:41 pm

andrewK wrote:The R&R flute in F is cocus wood.
The new one needs a little attention before it is thrown out into the big wide world web.
You wll be glad to know that I failed to buy a flute today. Too mean.But I do have three others coming. God knows why !
Which is dearer, the flutes or a course of aversion therapy ?
I am amazed how nice the Sweet Rosewood one is to use, after all the snide remarks I have heard about them !
Matter of luck, perhaps ?

Don't know. I played one, and I thought it was a very good flute indeed. A pro fluteplayer of my acquaintance thinks highly of Sweet's flutes although she doesn't play them in performances to my knowledge. Her opinion of Sweet-bashing is that the workmanship can be a bit rough. Others have suggested that getting a good Sweet is, like Generation whistles, hit-or-miss. Said fluteplayer claims never to have encountered a bad one, playing-wise.

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