DescriptionThis conical bore 8-keyed glass flute has silver keys and ferrules, a metal tuning slide and cut glass stopper. It has a clean-edged sound and plays well (apart from the bottom two notes). The overall length is 676mm and the sounding length (embouchure to foot) is 597mm.
Although this flute had been listed in the Collection as ‘School of Laurent’, recent research confirmed that the instrument was indeed manufactured by Laurent himself.
Glass; 4 sections; silver keys; 6 silver ferrules; metal tuning-slide; cut glass stopper; body joints connected by brass screw; head locked on with allowance given for 15mm extension; glass fluted [to lessen weight]; undercutting of finger-holes and embouchure-hole clearly visible; roughened lip area; D♯ key to left of low C/C♯ keys (looking down from head); low C touch immediately over low C♯, allowing greater pressure on C♯ whilst playing C; oval embouchure-hole; G♯ key-hole on nearside. Keymount type: rod/pillar, on shaped plates, fixed to body, large-headed screws through rods. To reduce lateral movement of long key shanks, pin riveted to plate on body near keyhead, fitting into hole in keyshank, but not secured in it. Keyhead type: cylinder, with red `jewels' mounted.
Performance characteristics: Range C⁴ - C⁷. Plays well except bottom two notes; clean-edged sound. R4 must be very curved to avoid touching C♯ key when using D♯ key.
Usable pitch: A⁴ c.445 Hz. |