Cornelius Ward - The Flute Explained§ 9. THE WOOD OF THE FLUTETHE sound of the flute is formed at and
promulgated from the embouchure. The air in the bore of the flute
modifies the pitch of the sound, by being apportioned, by means of the apertures, &c.
into the appropriate quantities for each The peculiar character of the flute tone is
owing to its being formed by the air alone. This, together with the
manner in which it is produced, renders the tone so much like the
human voice, and so much unlike all other instruments. Indeed, the
circumstances upon which the tone and scale of the flute depend, are
extremely similar to those upon which the voice and its modulation
depend. The voice is formed in a very similar manner in the larynx,
and the cavities of the head and throat afford the means of modifying
the sound, as the bore and apertures do in the flute. It is also
known, that as the wood of the flute vibrates sympathetically with the
air, so do also the surface and tissues of the palate, nostrils,
&c. &c. and the bones of the head, chest, arms, and upper part
of the body generally. We are not aware, however, that any person ever
imagined from these phenomena, that the sound of a person's voice was
assisted by the thickness of his skull, or by his being a headstrong,
stiff-necked fellow. Respecting the kind of wood to be selected
for the flute, it is very important that it should possess certain
properties. It should be a resinous wood, that it may resist the
action of and not imbibe moisture, and that it may preserve as
nearly as possible an uniform calibre, when subjected to extremes of
damp or dryness. It must be durable, tenacious, strong in the grain,
and not porous. The cocoa or cocus-wood of Jamaica possesses
a greater number of the requisite properties, and in a greater degree,
than any other at present known. The wood having the same name and
colour which has been brought into this country in large quantities
from Cuba, and other places, since the reduction of the duty,
possesses none of the good qualities of that from Jamaica; but on
account of the trees being better grown, the wood soft, and low in
price, it is much used by the cheap flute makers. Although box-wood
was much used for flutes formerly, it has extremely few of the
requisite qualities. It is not sufficiently compact, unless saturated
with oil; and it is so altered in bulk and form by moisture and
dryness, as to be more fit for a hygrometer than a musical instrument.
Ebony is objectionable on the same account, and also from its
extreme brittleness; and both ought to be entirely discarded in the
manufacture of first-rate instruments. It is very important that the wood or
frame-work of a flute should be solid, firm, and in as few pieces as
possible, that it may maintain undisturbed the uniform vibration of
the air. The joints of the ordinary flute occur in some places where
the apertures ought to be situated. They are also liable to get loose,
thereby disturbing the vibration and injuring the tone, besides
rendering the flute liable to accidents occasioning its destruction,
particularly in warm climates. The Patent Flute is made
but in two pieces, the head and the main piece; and of the very best quality of Jamaica cocoa
wood only. The Swiss Flutes were of the size of our
small B, C, and D octaves, and of one piece of wood. When the Germans
made flutes an octave lower, they stil1 made them in one piece; but
when the French added the Eb key, 200 years ago, they About 120 years ago, Quantz made the head
piece in two, so as to slide at the On, to Summary and Conclusion |