Baroque Flute - JJ Quantz (Dresden, 1697-1773) - A=415-392 Hz

This is an initial review, since the flute is not fully played in yet. I have been curious for some time about Quantz flutes, with their wide bores, tuning slides, and enharmonic D#/Eb keys. I wasn't prepared to pay $3,000+ to a specialist maker (I don't play well enough yet to deserve it), but when I saw this listed it was almost an impulse buy. It would be unfair to compare this flute to an expensive, dead accurate copy by a specialist, but so far I am quite happy with it--I love the tone and responsiveness. The finish is good overall, particularly the smooth bore, which seems to be accurate to Quantz. The tone holes are not undercut, and there is no screw cork; instead, the wooden head cap has an integral plug lapped with thread, making it easy to change the plug's position when changing the middle pieces (corps de rechange) to change pitch. If you prefer to insert your own cork, the finial in imitation ivory at the end makes the flute look finished even without the head cap. Pitch is pretty much dead on at A = 415 Hz and A = 440 Hz with the two corps de rechange supplied, but I find the flute plays better at A = 415 Hz, which I prefer (better than compromising both pitches, and I would rather play at the lower). Some Quantz flutes survive with many corps de rechange, but he himself preferred a lower pitch, A = 392-398 Hz, like the French flutes (which first inspired him to play the flute) sound best at. A fingering chart was not included, and the one in the Quantz Versuch (either the German facsimile or the Reilly translation) should be consulted. It is also available on a couple of web sites. I prefer my own fingering to Quantz's for only one pitch so far (low G# without RH3), but such things are not unusual with one-keyed flutes. The fingerings for whistles, six-hole keyless flutes, the Aulos Grenser and Stanesby flutes, or the Ralph Sweet baroque flute will not work for some chromatics or parts of the higher register (partly the effect of the wider bore). As with any one-keyed flute, it pays to investigate alternatives for both pitch and ease of passagework. Quantz gives enharmonic fingerings and didn't expect his flutes to be played in even temperament (hence the D#/Eb keys, which Tromlitz also recommended). Margaret Neuhaus' The Baroque Flute Fingering Book is a worthwhile investment if you are serious about the traverso, as, of course, are the Quantz and Tromlitz books.