Loren wrote:
Keys were not added to make flutes louder.
Q. Well, my dear Watson, this asks for a little deductive thinking I guess. Was it possible to play semitones crossfingered on 19th century flutes?
A. No sir.
Q. Do you have any idea why?
A. Well sir, the tone holes got bigger and the tapering changed allthough there are some people who have serious doubts about the last thing.
Q. Nevermind, let them be, there have allways been fools and there will be in the future. Why, do you think, did they change the flute?
A. To make it more loud sir, the orchestras got bigger and louder and the flute had to match up with them.
Q. Quite right, dear Watson, but the players couldn't produce semitones crossfingered, didn't they want to play these tones??
A. On the contrary sir, the music became more and more chromatic during the ages.
Q. Right you are. So what did the flute-makers add to the flute?
A. Keys sir.
Q. Right. So isn't it more logical to assume that keys were added to play the flute chromatically than to play it louder?
A. Yes sir.
Q. You see my dear Watson, it's all about common sense, you got it in the end, I fear our good friend Loren never will, do you?
A. No sir.
