flageolet

1 a French bean variety with light-colored seeds; usually dried [syn: haricot]

2 a small fipple flute with four finger holes and two thumb holes [syn: treble recorder, shepherd's pipe]

English

Etymology

Noun

1. A type of small flute.
2. A type of kidney bean, common in France.

Derived terms

• flageoletist

Translations

* Esperanto: flaĝoleto

• German: Flageolett
• Italian: zufolo

A flageolet is a woodwind musical instrument and a member of the fipple flute family. Its invention is ascribed to the 16th Century Sieur Juvigny in 1581. It had 4 holes on the front and 2 on the back. The English instrument maker William Bainbridge developed it further and patented the "improved English flageolet" in 1803 as well as the double flageolet around 1805. They were continued to be made until the 20th Century when it was succeeded by the tin whistle.

Flageolets have varied greatly during the last 400 years. The first flageolets were called "French flageolets", and have four tone-holes on the front and two on the back. This instrument was played by Frédéric Chalon and Samuel Pepys, and Henry Purcell and George Frideric Handel both wrote pieces for it.

Small versions of this instrument, called bird flageolets were also made and were used for teaching birds to sing.

The number of keys on French flageolets range from none to seven, the exception being the Boehm system French flageolet made by Buffet crampon which had thirteen keys.

In the late 18th and early 19th century certain English instrument makers started to make flageolets with six finger-holes on the front. These instruments are called "English flageolets" and were eventually produced in metal as tin whistles. The keys range between none and six. Some were produced with changeable top joints which allowed the flageolet to be played as a flute or fife.

An English maker, William Bainbridge, in around 1810 patented a double flageolet http://members.tripod.com/~Music_Treasures/flgroup7.jpg which consisted of two English flageolets joined together so that the player could harmonise the tunes that he played. He also produced a triple flageolet which added a third, drone pipe which was fingered in a similar way to an ocarina.

The flageolet was eventually entirely replaced by the tin whistle and is rarely played today. However, it is a very easy instrument to play and the tone is soft and gentle. It has a range of about two octaves.

Dilli Kaval (Reed Kaval)

To Dilli Laval is a traditional end blown flute from Turkey. The soprano Dilli Kaval in C and the alto version in A are hand-made. Both were patented by Burhan Tarlabaşı. All 12 chromatic tones from Low A to High G# can be played on them. They are made of plum, ebony, or apricot wood. http://www.volkangucer.com/kavaltr.gif

• Abanoz Dilli Kaval (Ebony Reed Kaval) C#
• Material: Ebony

Custom-made ebony-reed kavals in C# and F#, also designed by Burhan Tarlabaşı, are very rare. Their sound is very crisp and similar to tin whistles, but the wood adds a breathy softness.

Common Technical Characteristics of Reed Kavals

• KAVAL (TONE) NAME : 5th hole sound, in response to the sound at the piano.
• NOTE: At the second line, written with §.
• NORMAL PLAY TONE : It is determined with the series that starts and finishes with the 5th hole.
• NATURAL SOUND SERIES: By the sound system of Turkish Music; the European Music sounds are created by the response of piano sounds.
• SLIM AND THICK TONES: The strength of the play determined tones. By the thick sounds (P) light, by the sharp tones (f-ff) a strong whistle will be made. The most suitable sounds are taken from the thick and the middle parts...
• THICKEST TONE: It can be taken while the 7th hole is open (and the others are closed ).
• SOUND WIDENESS: The sound that is taken from the place of the thickest tone; 2 octaves, one minor triple.
• http://www.burhantarlabasi.com/en/pic/lakaval.gif

See also

• Shvi
• Ney
• Duduk Instrument
• Kaval

Notes

External links

• flageolets.com — a site devoted to the flageolet
• Dilli Kaval
• http://www.volkangucer.com/winds.html
• http://www.burhantarlabasi.com/en/indexen.htm
• http://www.burhantarlabasi.com/mp3/instrumental.mp3