Flute

Concert Flute (Wurlitzer)
Concert Flute (Wurlitzer)
Lieblich Flute
Lieblich Flute
Quintadena (Kimble)
Quintadena (Kimble)
Open Flute (Compton)
Open Flute (Compton)
Stopped Flute (Compton)
Stopped Flute (Compton)

Used for mainly for accompanimental work and providing upper harmonics in the ensemble (especially at 2 2/3′, 2′ and 1 3/5′ pitches). The harmonic flute is generally the loudest of the flute family and the theatre organ variants can hold their own against a small-scale Tibia Clausa.

Construction:
Open or stopped, metal or wooden. Harmonic flutes are open (except for the tenor, usually) and have a small hole halfway up the pipe.

Tonality:
Generally imitative of the orchestral flute. Many variations have been developed in constructional detail and voicing over the centuries to emphasise different aspects of the tone; eg. the attack (‘chiff’), the overtones, the amount of fundamental etc. In some cases the stop nomenclature is equally (if less productively) inventive, but the stop names below are those considered most significant in theatre organ usage.

STOP NAMES

Sub Bass

32′ extension, usually of Flute (on pedal organ). May be derived acoustically. Invariably stopped.

Bourdon

16′ extension of Flute. From the French ‘bourdonner’, to buzz. Usually stopped, usually of wood.

Open Flute

May be of metal or wood construction. Often stopped in the tenor to save space.

Stopped Flute

Fitted with a stopper (a kind of plug, moveable for tuning purposes).May be of metal or wood construction.

Concert Flute

Specific name for an open flute.

Hohl Flute

Stopped flute with a small hole in the stopper to promote development of the fifth harmonic.

Harmonic Flute

Open flute (usually stopped in the tenor) with a small hole bored half way up the back of the resonator.The pipe therefore sounds an octave higher but with pronounced overtones and a characteristic ‘orchestral’ sound.

Quintadena

Fairly quiet stopped flute, usually with characteristic metal canisters, and a box beard around the mouth. Produces a very pronounced fifth harmonic (louder than the fundamental). Useful as a combining stop with other soft stops to provide additional colour.

Piccolo

4′ or 2′ Flute stop, sounding one or two octaves above the unison, respectively.

Twelfth

2 2/3′ Flute stop, sounding 12 whole tones above the unison.

Tierce

1 3/5 Flute stop, sounding 18 whole tones above the unison.