On Open Hole Flutes

I would like to add a couple of things to this discussion, having changed to closed hole in 1980 after twenty years on an open hole - the best thing I ever did. No less an authority than Albert Cooper, the English flute maker who played such a big role in the improved intonation of flutes in the last twenty years, believes that closed holes are accoustically superior to open. My three Brannens have certainly been great sounding (including the top octave), and the intonation is sufficiently accurate that I do not miss the shading possibilities that are given as reasons for open holed flutes (and there are still alternative fingerings we can use). It is true that a very small percentage of the world's flutists need open holes to play certain pieces of twentieth century music, but that is no reason for many other flutists to fight an ongoing battle against low notes that don't speak at the most awkward moment (The slow movement of the Prokofiev Sonata became a joy instead of a trial for me!). I understand the argument that open holes force (young?) students to adopt correct positions, and am sure that this is true in many cases. But these correct positions put considerable strain on the hands of many others. I see such strains year after year turn to tendonitis in college students who are trying to force their techniques towards professional goals. There is a great temptation in our society to force conformity (speaking as a leftie who was forced to become a rightie). Just as there was a time when offset embouchures were a no-no, I believe the time will come when "If you want to be a serious flutist you must buy an openholed flute" will spring less automatically to the teacher's lips. And if I'm lucky it will happen by the time I want to retire and sell my flutes! Back to the pit.

The popularity of the French sytem in the US came with the French flutists who were brought to staff the great orchestras. People such as Laurent in Boston, Barrere in New York, and Macquarre in Philadelphia, allowed their Louis Lot flutes to be copied by Haynes and later Powell and encouraged their students to buy and play these flutes, replacing the German tradition of closed hole that had preceded it. (It is generally true that this became the change from wooden to metal flutes as well.) Kincaid, the most influential native US teacher was a student of Barrere, and was playing an open-holed flute quite possibly before Rampal was born!

I'm not sure if I posted all my thoughts to this list but two of your busy day's letters suggest not. The Brannen set of plugs pop into the holes and have varying amounts of offset for experimentation. For use on non-Brannen flutes it may be necessary to provide an exact dimension of your flutes holes so they can provide washers of the correct size. The G# extension, which also swivels once attached, is stuck on with crazy glue, but easily snaps off with a tap. However by far the most interesting attachment is the clip-on cover for the first finger left hand which enables you to actually hold the left hand a little further down the body and avoid the stretch to the G key. You can see if this would be more comfortable by putting your first finger onto the key that sounds A# (which we activate w/the first finger RH). The extension lets you place your first finger LH above this key without interfering with its operation.