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Side-blown flute without duct (421.121.12-71). Between 1846 and 1847 the instrument-maker and player from Munich Theobald Boehm (1794-1881) introduced a new flute design which, with slight variations, is the one used at present. Once again, the specimen has the cylindrical boring, but with metallic body, which had been abandoned in favour of the conical one for a hundred and fifty years.
The fingerholes position and diameter are determined according to acoustic principles, without considering the difficulty or easiness to stop them. The later is attained through keywork. The licence to make the new flute design in France, was given by Boehm to Clair Godfroy I’aine (… 1814 – ca. 1878) in 1847. Godfroy adapted it to the requeriment of the players of his country. The specimen at the museum is a good example of the adaptation mentioned. On the one hand wood, in this case rosewood, is used again to make the body.
On the other hand Boehm’s mechanism is changed in some aspects, Godfroy pierces the plates (which are directly stopped by the fingers), in its central-section. He also substitutes the open key of G # for a closed one invention of Vincent Dorus, Parisian, (1838). Finally he applies a mechanism for the left-hand thumb (Sib-Si) engineered by Giulio Briccialdi (Italian) in 1849 and whose use is nowadays universal.
Apart from having technical and sonorous qualities, Godfroy’s instruments are very famous for their exquisite pureness of design. This fact is observed even in accessories such as the outercase or the pot for joint grease.
Inscripton: 1 — Instrument: CLAIR I Godfroy I Aine IA PARIS I BREVETE
2 — Outercase: Clair Godfroy aine a Paris.
L. 66.5 x 0 of the pipe 1.85 cm.
L. 40.2 x w. 9.5 x h. 4.5 cm. of the outercase.
Gift, Dr. Emilio Azzarini’s Collection, 1964. IM 95