Olwell Magic!
Olwell Magic!
It happened, it finally happened! For years I called, for years I emailed, yet my Olwell keyed C flute in stained boxwood was ever so elusive.
This summer I decided to make a stand and camped in front of Patrick's house waiting patiently for the master to take note of my desperation and despair. It was only after a month of solitude in the Virginia woods I finally learned that Patrick had moved over a year ago.
Word of the delirious stranger mumbling about flutes must have reached Patrick as my solar powered phone rang and the words I so desperately sought to hear for so long reached my aching ear: "Sven, your C flute is ready!"
10 minutes and 2 speeding tickets later I arrived at Patrick's doorstep and he presented me with a flute that exceeded my wildest expectations.
Seriously, as a proud owner of several Olwell flute I was used to highest quality and superb sound, but this C surprised me. As a brand new flute I expected some blowing in period but the maturity of the sound right from the beginning is very impressive. It blows with incredible ease, perfect intonation and plays like butter with an incredible powerful tone.
Patrick was incredibly generous with his time as this was not an easy project and took major custom work with keys, staining, etc.
Below are some pictures I wanted to share. I had a custom flute case made by Jim Kiel of Northwind Cases in Tuscon, fitting both my Olwell Cocus D and and the boxwood C. You see pictures of both flutes housed in the case. And one shot of several Olwells (2 cocus D's, Eb blackwood, and the boxwood C).
Cheers,
Sven
This summer I decided to make a stand and camped in front of Patrick's house waiting patiently for the master to take note of my desperation and despair. It was only after a month of solitude in the Virginia woods I finally learned that Patrick had moved over a year ago.
Word of the delirious stranger mumbling about flutes must have reached Patrick as my solar powered phone rang and the words I so desperately sought to hear for so long reached my aching ear: "Sven, your C flute is ready!"
10 minutes and 2 speeding tickets later I arrived at Patrick's doorstep and he presented me with a flute that exceeded my wildest expectations.
Seriously, as a proud owner of several Olwell flute I was used to highest quality and superb sound, but this C surprised me. As a brand new flute I expected some blowing in period but the maturity of the sound right from the beginning is very impressive. It blows with incredible ease, perfect intonation and plays like butter with an incredible powerful tone.
Patrick was incredibly generous with his time as this was not an easy project and took major custom work with keys, staining, etc.
Below are some pictures I wanted to share. I had a custom flute case made by Jim Kiel of Northwind Cases in Tuscon, fitting both my Olwell Cocus D and and the boxwood C. You see pictures of both flutes housed in the case. And one shot of several Olwells (2 cocus D's, Eb blackwood, and the boxwood C).
Cheers,
Sven
- s1m0n
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Re: Olwell Magic!
It's gorgeous. Did you choose boxwood for the weight?
And now there was no doubt that the trees were really moving - moving in and out through one another as if in a complicated country dance. ('And I suppose,' thought Lucy, 'when trees dance, it must be a very, very country dance indeed.')
C.S. Lewis
C.S. Lewis
Re: Olwell Magic!
weight was a consideration, but actually Patrick suggested boxwood, as he wanted to have a go at a keyed C in boxwood. Since I already had one in cocus and one in blackwood, the variety appealed to me..
- Liney Bear
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Re: Olwell Magic!
That boxwood C is freaking *magic*. One of the nicest flutes I've ever tried. Just sick. I tried to put it under my coat and run out the door but Svennie's super Olwell powers paralyzed me. Sorry about that, by the way. Hard to control myself around awesomeness of that magnitude.
- crookedtune
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Re: Olwell Magic!
My mood this morning.
Charlie Gravel
“I am so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying.”
― Oscar Wilde
“I am so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying.”
― Oscar Wilde
Re: Olwell Magic!
What a beautiful flute! Patrick was eager to show it off when I was at his shop a few months ago, he was really excited about it also. I'm happy to hear that it went to somebody that actually knew how to play it. Great tone there at the Hilton, Sven!
- Julia Delaney
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- Tell us something.: I play fiddle, concertina, flute. I live in NH. Lived in Kilshanny, Co Clare, for about 20 years. Politically on the far left. Diet on the far right (plant-based fundamentalist). Musically in the middle of the pure drop.
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Re: Olwell Magic!
Freedom is merely privilege extended, unless enjoyed by one and all. The Internationale
Re: Olwell Magic!
well I guess that a "C" just wouldn't be big enough for ya JD
Picture a bright blue ball just spinning, spinning free
It's dizzying, the possibilities. Ashes, Ashes all fall down.
It's dizzying, the possibilities. Ashes, Ashes all fall down.
Re: Olwell Magic!
Those would improve my glottal stops.Julia Delaney wrote: How d'you like these babies?
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Re: Olwell Magic!
To bring this discussion back to a more serious level, I'm sure that many of us are jealous of Sven's collection of Olwell flutes (to say nothing of JD's dreams). But imagine the cost that Sven incurs with the added security personnel, the armored car, the burglary alarms, the extra insurance, the psychological effects of living 24/7 with the fear of being attacked by a marauding band of old flute geezers bent on stealing his collection, always sitting with his back to the wall facing the door of any pub he frequents,...Well you get the idea. Life isn't always a bed of Olwells for poor Sven.
...Oh, and although I've told you before, lovely playing on youtube, Sven.
Paul
...Oh, and although I've told you before, lovely playing on youtube, Sven.
Paul
- Irish Marine
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Re: Olwell Magic!
Selma Hayek makes me
Re: Olwell Magic!
Julia, is that a trade offer, a rental proposal or a devious way to distract me in hopes of achieving one of Paul's alluded to efforts to elude my security efforts?
and Paul, you are correct, my back is against the pub walls. No Wild Bill Hickok here!
and Paul, you are correct, my back is against the pub walls. No Wild Bill Hickok here!
- Julia Delaney
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- Tell us something.: I play fiddle, concertina, flute. I live in NH. Lived in Kilshanny, Co Clare, for about 20 years. Politically on the far left. Diet on the far right (plant-based fundamentalist). Musically in the middle of the pure drop.
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Re: Olwell Magic!
Just a silly counter-flaunt.
Freedom is merely privilege extended, unless enjoyed by one and all. The Internationale
Re: Olwell Magic!
That looks SIMPLY GORGEOUS! Good health to enjoy it, man.
m.d.
m.d.
- pipersgrip
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Re: Olwell Magic!
Jealousy rising.
"In prayer, it is better to have a heart without words, than words without a heart." John Bunyan