The Renaissance Transverse Flute: A brief Introduction

Renaissance transverse flute, Tenor in D (Pear), flutemaker: Vincenzo De Gregorio

In wind instruments, sound is produced by setting the air column inside the instrument into vibration, which behaves like a string. There are various ways to set this air column into vibration: through a reed (e.g., shawms, crumhorns, dulcians), with an embouchure (recorders), a mouthpiece (cornetts, trombones), or, as in the transverse flute, by blowing directly against the edge of the emission hole, a method known as "free embouchure." Unlike other wind instruments, in transverse flutes, nothing comes between the musician's breath and the vibrating column.

The Renaissance transverse flute is a musical instrument that is the heir to an evolution that dates back to ancient times. The acoustic principle of air as a resonating body has been known since prehistoric times, as evidenced by various archaeological finds, mostly made from animal bones. Wood and other plant materials such as reed or bamboo have been used to construct flutes since the earliest ages, but since these materials are highly perishable, we do not have examples of this kind. The first instruments that have survived to us, more or less intact, date back to the Renaissance period. This has allowed for precise measurements of the external dimensions and internal chambers, the distances and sizes of the holes, and their bore shapes. Based on this information, instruments are reconstructed and made available to flutists today.

Different sizes of Renaissance transverse flutes. Flutemaker: Vincenzo De Gregorio

Range and Fingering

The absence of a breath control apparatus, such as a reed or mouthpiece, is the element that gives the instrument its distinctive timbre, with a range covering two octaves plus a fifth, or sometimes a few additional semitones. The minimalist and archaic design of the instrument— which has, in addition to the sound hole, only three holes for the left hand and three for the right—creates objective performance challenges, such as the lack of timbral uniformity between the "natural" notes, achieved by sequentially opening the holes, and the "altered" notes, which require artificial fingerings, such as the so-called "forked" fingerings, or only covering a portion of specific holes.

All of this also results in limited fluidity during rapid passages that include altered notes, while the instrument can move quite agilely when playing predominantly natural notes.

Here’s an example from my CD "Labyrinthus": the Recercada Segunda by Diego Ortiz, transposed a fifth above (the original is in G).

Diego Ortiz: Recercada Segunda. From CD "Labyrinthus", Traverse Consort, Stefano Sabene

Intonation

In an instrument that necessitates a series of structural compromises, the skill of the builder is crucial in tuning the instrument, working on the internal chamber, the distance between the holes, their shape, diameter, and bore taper.

Even the most successful instruments require the flutist to pay particular attention to intonation. In particular, notes that tend to be flat can be tuned by slightly uncovering the embouchure and increasing the breath pressure, which, however, makes the timbre more breathy. Conversely, rising notes can be corrected by significantly covering the embouchure and reducing the airflow, thus diminishing both volume and timbre.

These continuous adjustments impose a more demanding performance compared to the later instruments equipped with a key, which began to appear only after the mid-17th century, and represent a fascinating challenge for the flutist, revealing unique characteristics in each instrument.