Sources for Studying a Musical Instrument (Flute) Essay

Introduction

In this paper, we are going to discuss the suitability of various sources for studying musical instruments. In particular, we are going to focus on transverse flute. In order to do it, we should first compare the research methods, employed in various musicological disciplines such as organology, ethnomusicology, history of music and so forth. They are usually regarded as separate branches of musicology, but in the vast majority of cases, their research techniques overlap, and are very similar to one another¹.

Our task is to apply these techniques specifically to Western concert flute in several situations such as constructing, performing, and viewing. It is necessary to explore advantages and disadvantages of such sources as iconography, text documents museum and field studies, the recordings of performance etc. On the whole, it is quite possible for us to argue that under certain circumstances, each method can be used effectively; much depends upon the research question. David Beard says that the appropriateness often depends on a particular type of instrument, which is being studied and the task, set by the scholar (Beard et al, p 93). We shall try to illustrate this thesis on the example of transverse flute.

Historical study

Historical studies of transverse are very numerous; there are many works, which analyze the evolution of this instrument. For example, scholars often compare medieval, Renaissance, nineteenth century flutes, and so forth (Baines, 218). Among the most notable representatives of this approach, we can single out Johann Tromlitz, Ardal Powell, John Solum, Anne Smith etc.

The researchers, who give preference to historical methods, can use a wide range of source, such as archeological findings, manuscripts, museum exhibits, graphic images, etc. As regards, archeological findings, we should say that they are of immense value if we try to trace the origins of the transverse flute (Tedesco, 2001). Secondly, they are very helpful for the scholars who attempt to explore the differences in construction. Certainly, one may suggest that such type of sources is most suitable only for historians or culture experts.

But we should not forget that modern classification of transverse flutes would have been impossible without the discoveries of archeologists. It stands to reason that these sources are very difficult to retrieve, and this is one of major drawbacks, as many ancient musical instruments have been lost forever. Another disadvantage of this method is the lack of valid information, very often music historian and archeologists can only make conjectures about the construction or development of ancient flutes, and there is likelihood that these data may be inaccurate.

While studying the history of flute, musicologists pay special attention to the analysis of museum exhibits and text documents, because this technique enables them to compare and contrast different epochs and the appearance of this instrument in different periods (Greer, p 168). For example, if a musicologist visits Metropolitan Museum of Art, namely, the Department of musical instruments, he or she can study Renaissance, nineteenth century flutes.

Yet, it has to be admitted that very often we can obtain only superficial knowledge. First, museum exhibits tell us practically anything about inner construction. This is the first limitation of such sources, but the major shortcoming is that museum exhibits are often very difficult to access, as very often they undergo restoration, most importantly; these studies are often time-consuming and very expensive. Transverse flutes are exhibited only in several places, such as the British Museum, Metropolitan Museum, and several others, but the number is very limited.

Museum studies are frequently associated with iconography or description of graphical images (Greer, p 490). With their help, musicologists can describe the appearance of the transverse flutes. Moreover, the peculiarities of construction have been ascertained with the help of drawings and drafts; in particular, we should speak about medieval instruments. Nevertheless, iconography also has certain disadvantages: first, graphical images are not always readily available.

Secondly, in the vast majority of cases, they describe only appearance of the instrument, while drawings are not very numerous. Finally, they give us virtually no data about acoustic properties of the transverse flutes. Of course, by means of pictures, drafts, and drawings, engineers may create Baroque flute, but no one ensure that this instruments sounds like its prototype. Music historians also attach primary importance to the analysis of recorded performances, because in this way they can find out how exactly some instruments sounded in certain period.

Secondly, these sources contribute to our understanding of performance techniques of famous flautists. Unfortunately, the analysis of recordings has several shortcomings, as many of them were made at the beginning of the twentieth century and the quality of the sound lives much to be desired, and very often the sound itself is very much distorted (Beard, 156).

It is rather difficult to weigh up positive and negative sides of historical research methods. As it has been noted before, they can be utilized for description, and reconstruction of Transverse flute. By means of museum exhibits, text documents, archeological findings, and graphical images, scientists can significantly enlarge their knowledge of this instrument, especially its appearance, and construction, but we can gain practically no insights in its acoustic properties. Therefore, they are very unlikely to be of any use for performers.

Ethnomusicology

Such discipline as the history of music is strongly connected with ethnomusicology. This branch of musicology explores the cultural aspects of music. To some degree, these disciplines are very analogous to one another, because both of them are extremely interested in historical evolution of transverse flutes. But, ethnomusicology is mostly concerned with ethnographic features of this instrument. Western concert flute was investigated from this perspective by such scholars as Benjamin Suchoff, Bela Bartokm, Nancy Toff etc ².

Ethomusicology uses similar sources, but the methods of ethnomusicology rely on comparative analysis (Greer, 188). In this case, the researchers study national peculiarities of musical instruments. With the reference to the transverse flute, we should say that the main focus of studies has been on the historic evolution of this instrument. Still, some attention has been paid to ethnographic features. Musicologists can use the same sources: historic documents, exhibits, recordings; this will help them to single out the similarities and distinctions, which may exist between transverse flutes in various countries. Ethno musicological research can be of two types:

1. either synchronic or
2. diachronic.

The first type (synchronic) of type focuses on a certain moment in history, while the second type examines changes in transverse flute over different periods. The research questions are construction, description and performance of transverse flutes, made in different countries. The major benefit that we can get by applying this technique is that we can trace the origins of this woodwind instrument. Apart from that, practicing musicians can find such studies very helpful because they enable them learn performance methods, which might have previously been unknown to them. But ethno-musicological research of Western concert flutes also has a very limited capacity because it is heavily dependent on historical sources that cannot be always retrieved.

Organology

Overall, organology can be defined as the study of musical instruments, their history, acoustic properties, and classification. It encompasses the strategies, employed in historical and ethno-musicological studies. Additionally, this discipline frequently explores similar sources such as iconographical, or museum ones, but the spectrum of analysis is much wider; it usually includes acoustics, performance, construction, description, the history of development and so forth. There are many organologists who paid much special attention to the transverse flutes; we should first mention Theobald Bohm, Miller, Nancy Toff etc.

In this paper, we have already discussed the drawbacks and benefits of historical and ethnographical methods, and now we should pause on acoustic research, as it is by far the most important for organologists and musicians. Acoustics is beneficial for performance, construction, and description. This branch of musicology lays the foundations for the classification of woodwind instruments, and it helps to outline similarities and differences among them, by identifying the basic principles of functioning. Thus, the findings of this discipline are essential for performers and makers of transverse flutes. One of the brightest examples is the book by Theobald Bohm³.

Speaking about technological approach, we need to discuss such disciplines as acoustic engineering, because it allows to recreate the transverse flutes of previous centuries. This technique can be employed by researchers, if they need to analyze the family of transverse flutes such as piccolo, bass, alto, or treble flute (Toff, 67). Musicologists usually take technological approach if they want to examine the methods of construction, materials, needed for the flutes of different periods.

For this purpose, organologists usually focus on the studies of museum exhibits, text documents, drawings, etc, performance recordings (if they are accessible). However, the major problem, which arouses in connection with technological approach, is the lack of sources. First, it is often permissible to dissemble musical instruments because there is a great risk that the flute can be significantly damaged. Technological approach is often limited by ethical consideration.

The question arises if it is permissible to deconstruct a flute, which may be three hundred years old, just to obtain knowledge. This is the major drawback of this method. On the one hand, the resources of acoustics are practically limitless, but due to the risks, which researcher encounters, some practices must not be undertaken.

Conclusion

Therefore, we can arrive at the conclusion that comprehensive study of musical instruments requires the use of various methods and various sources. In this paper, we have tried to assess their applicability to transverse or Western concert flute. We can argue that the usefulness depends on the research objective of the musicologists and the availability, reliability, quality, and accuracy of sources. It is hardly permissible for us to give preference only to one of them.

As it has been previously noted, the scholar should first identify the aspects for analysis such as the peculiarities of construction, acoustics and so forth. The examples, which we have analyzed, indicate that very often, musicologists have to abandon some methods, for instance, museum studies because they are time-consuming and expensive. Judging from that, we can say that suitability of some methods is often determined by subjective factors such as lack of time.

In this respect, we should not forget about ethical consideration especially in connection with technological or acoustic techniques. They can be quite effective and contribute to the study of transverse flute but they involve dissembling of musical instrument, which is not always permissible due to the risk to lose the flute itself. Finally, musicologists should not reject or ignore any of the methods or sources as all of them help us to look at the same instrument from various points of view.

Bibliography

Baines. A (1991). Woodwind instruments and their history. Courier Dover Publications.

Baines. A (1992). The Oxford companion to musical instruments. Oxford University Press.

Bartók. B. Suchoff (1997). Béla Bartók studies in ethnomusicology. U of Nebraska Press.

Beard. D. Gloag. K (2005). Musicology: the key concepts. Routledge.

Böhm T. Miller D (1964). The flute and flute-playing in acoustical, technical, and artistic aspects. Courier Dover Publications.

Brook,. B. Downes E (1964). Perspectives in musicology: the inaugural lectures of the Ph.D. program in music at the City University of New York. W. W. Norton.

Greer. D. International Musicological Society. Rumbold. I King (2000). J. Musicology and sister disciplines: past, present, future : proceedings of the 16th International Congress of the International Musicological Society, London, 1997. Oxford University Press.

Solum. J. Smith. A (1995). The early flute. Oxford University Press.

Toff. N (1996). The flute book: a complete guide for students and performers. Oxford University Press.

Tedesco, Laura Anne (2000). In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Web.

Tromlitz, J. G. Powell A (1996). The keyed flute. Oxford University Press.

Footnotes

1. Beard. D. Gloag. K (2005). Musicology: the key concepts. Routledge.
2. Bartók. B. Suchoff (1997). Béla Bartók studies in ethnomusicology. U of Nebraska Press.
3. The flute and flute-playing in acoustical, technical, and artistic aspects.