| Related instruments | |
|---|---|
The term Irish Flute (or Scottish Flute in a Scottish setting)[1] refers to a conical-bore, simple-system wooden flute of the type favored by classical flautists of the early 19th century, or to a flute of modern manufacture derived from this design (often with modifications to optimize its use in Irish Traditional Music or Scottish Traditional Music[2]). The vast majority of traditional Irish flute players use a wooden, simple-system flute.[3]
Contents |
The Irish flute is a simple system, transverse flute which plays a diatonic (Major) scale as the tone holes are successively uncovered. Most flutes from the Classical era, and some of modern manufacture include metal keys and additional tone holes to achieve partial or complete chromatic tonality. Due to its wooden construction, characteristic embouchure and direct (keyless) fingering, the simple system flute has a distinctly different timbre from the Western concert flute. Most Irish flute players tend to strive for a dark and reedy tone in comparison to classical flautists. Though most commonly pitched in the key of D, simple system flutes are available pitched in other keys, and are often heard in Irish music pitched in E flat, B flat and C.
D major scale is by far the most common "key" played, as most early European wooden flutes are pitched in D. There are six main and "open" (without keys) finger-holes. All holes covered, (three fingers per hand) can be visualized as XXX-XXX = D, with X symbolizing a covered finger-hole and O symbolizing an uncovered finger-hole. As the scale progresses, XXX-XXO = E, XXX-XOO = F#, XXX-OOO = G, XXO-OOO = A, XOO-OOO = B, OOO-OOO = C#, with XXX-XXX or OXX-XXX being the higher octave D for the full D major scale.
There is some confusion with modern players in that a modern Boehm keyed system flute is typically pitched in "C". This is due to the added keys that allow one to reach low "C", yet when one covers just the six main finger-holes (with thumb key covered) on a modern metal "Boehm" system flute, (XXX-XXX) the note achieved is "D". For many technical reasons, a simple system D wooden flute more closely mirrors a concert "C" modern Boehm system flute in the pitches achieved in it's fingering positions as opposed to a "simple system" flute pitched in "C". Theobald Boehm modified the earlier "D" pitched wooden flutes to more easily access the chromatic scale.
Despite the implication of this commonly used name, the Irish or Scottish flute is not an instrument indigenous to Scotland or Ireland.[4] It is in fact an English transverse wooden flute as modified by English inventor and flautist Charles Nicholson.[5][6]
Simple system flutes were not made with traditional folk musicians in mind, but were adapted by Irish and Scottish flautists as the simple wooden flutes were discarded by concert musicians during the advent of the modern, Boehm system, Western concert flute in the late 19th century. These "obsolete" flutes were picked up at low cost by traditional musicians.
From the latter part of the 19th century, there were two main styles of Nicholson flute made by two London based companies the Pratten and Rudall & Rose. [7][8][9] The Pratten has wider bore dimensions and provides a louder sound, while the Rudall & Rose has a darker, pure tone and is slightly thinner than the Pratten style flute. Many of these original flutes had a footjoint that allowed the playing of both C# and C with the use of keys. Some modern makers forgo the addition of these keys, but maintain the longer footjoint with two holes where the keys would be, as it is thought to better emulate the pitching and tone of the 19th century originals.
Today, transverse "simple system Irish" flutes are being made for the playing of a variety of traditional musical styles. In the Irish tradition, the material used is most commonly wood, but also Delrin, PVC, and even bamboo is used - though wood is still by far the most popular material. These modern Irish flutes can vary in the number of added metal keys, or have no keys at all. Most are tuned using modern methods and are typically better in tune with modern instruments. All have the basic six hole diatonic design as in a tinwhistle. Some of the best known modern "Irish" wooden flute makers include Michael Grinter, Marcus Hernon, Patrick Olwell, Sam Murray, Terry McGee, Martin Doyle and Hammy Hamilton. Well known makers in other materials include Doug Tipple (PVC) and William (Billy) Miller (bamboo).
The modern playing technique within the Irish/Scottish Traditional Music has much in common with tin whistle technique.