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"I have studied traverso at the Royal Conservatory, The Hague with Wilbert Hazelzet. I began making flutes in 1994, after a one year apprenticeship with Peter van der Poel. In the years 1995-1998 worked at the Gemeente Museum in The Hague, were I was compiling a catalogue of the Baroque flutes in the collection, as well as doing conservation work of various woodwinds. This was a wonderful opportunity to be in close contact with a relatively large collection of very interesting instruments and enabled me to appreciate the old makers' wonderful work at close hand. A lot of the flutes I copy are from this collection. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: May 04, 2008 | Hits: 504

" Ray Sloan vividly remembers the day he first heard bagpipes other than the ubiquitous Great Highland Bagpipes. It was in 1964 as an 11 year old at school in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne when his Art Teacher emerged from the store room strapped in to an instrument driven by a flapping arm attached to bellows, that instrument was the Northumbrian Smallpipe. He remembers being absolutely smitten by the sound of the pipes at a time when the Beatles and Rolling Stones were the preferred sound of his generation, little did he know that 16 years later history would repeat itself when Ray himself became an Art Teacher and Piper/Pipemaker. That experience as a young boy never left Ray but it was not until as a young man of 24 that he was financially able to achieve his dream and buy a set of pipes.

It was as a fine maker of Northumbrian Smallpipes that Ray first established himself as a Pipemaker of International repute, but what really changed his life further was his introduction to the traditional music of Ireland played by the likes of ‘The Bothy Band’, ‘Planxty’ and ‘The Chieftains’, more specifically the wonderful and compelling sound of the Uilleann Pipes. After 10 years or so experience in making Smallpipes he embarked upon the next stage of his journey as a Pipemaker and started to make the Irish Uilleann Pipes eventually choosing to make these in preference to anything else.

Ray gave up Teaching to become a full-time professional Pipemaker in 1988 and to this day continues to develop his style and design in pursuit of perfection. The importance of his experience and training in Art & Design cannot be underestimated when it comes to making Pipes as his visual skills and attention to detail and design shine through in every aspect of his work. While being uniquely his own the design of his Uilleann Pipes is eclectic and broadly based upon the traditions and styles set by the old masters such as Coyne, kenna, Rowsome and Reid. Ray approaches each set of pipes he makes as completely individual and different in some small way to the previous, which means that you as a client will receive a set of Pipes hand-made for you personally.

Ray currently lives in SW France and is preparing to move to the West of Ireland this year – 2008. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: May 04, 2008 | Hits: 511

"Luca de Paolis, holds a degree in musicology with honours from the Bologna University, moreover he specialized in musical paleography from the Renaissance Institute in Rome. He has studied recorder with Paolo Capirci and kees Boeke. He has published the commentary to a recently published facsimile of the treatise "La Fontegara" by Silvestro Ganassi (Rome, SIFD, 1991), traslate in Spanish on the "Revista flauta de Pico" (n° 8/9, 1997).and is the co-author with Kees Boeke of a transcription of the third volume of the Baldwin M.S. (Rome, Garamond, 1995).

He has collaborated with the "Kees Boeke Consort" in transcribing "Missa Tenor" of the Cod. 89, Castle of the Buonconsiglio - Treno (Italy). At the first time this composition was performed by the Hilliard Ensemble to Festival the "Bludenzer tage zeitgemasser musik '98 (Austria).

For over fifteen years, he produce and restore the historical recorders. He makes medioeval recorder in Pythagorean tune, renaissance recorders in Ganassi and Van Eyck styles, cylindrical bore recorders after those by P. Grece and Rafi in the Accademia Filarmonica di Bologna, as wel as baroque recorders after Bressan, Denner, Stanesby Jr., Steenbergen and Hallett. Woods used include Italian box, ebony, maple, olive, pear, thorn bush and other fruitwoods. As constructor is particularly careful to the cure of the historical sound realized through one exact reproduction of the original voicing. His instruments are more and more appreciate to international vituosos musicians. " Visit website for more information. (ed)

Added on: Apr 13, 2008 | Hits: 500

" ... At that time there was a great deal of interest in making more historically based instruments and I jumped directly onto the bandwagon of the authentic movement. I read all that was written about old recorders and visited as many museums and collections as I could, playing, measuring and photographing their originals. I had additional tuition from Eric Moulder and Graham Lyndon-Jones, who were both professional woodwind makers and part time lecturers at the college. I think it was quite early on that I realised I would have to travel if I were to make a business out of recorder making. The recorder scene in England was very large but extremely amateur and from a playing point of view, not nearly as wonderful as I had at first thought. So I travelled a lot in Europe, visiting both museums and music conservatories, learning about the original recorders at the same time as trying to develop contacts with players. This practice carried on long after I had finished my course at the LCF in 1982 and had established my first workshop in Reykjavik. My contacts with players were essential, to give me the necessary feedback on my work, which as a rotten player, I was unable to judge for myself. Even now, with twenty years experience, I still rely a great deal on the opinions of my customers, to help me develop my work. ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 23, 2008 | Hits: 317

"Adriana Breukink started playing the recorder at the age of nine. As a teenager, she already wanted to be a recorder maker, but there was no appropriate training available. When she was sixteen she went to the Conservatory in Rotterdam, and three years later she went to the Royal Conservatory at The Hague. There she studied recorder with Ricardo Kanji and Frans Bruggen. During her last year she took a course with Fred Morgan in making recorders, in the Conservatory workshop.

For many years she has been known for making Renaissance Consorts and Ganassi recorders, and she sends these to top soloists, ensembles and conservatories all over the world. In recent years, she has developed many new instruments, such as the Slide Recorder for Moeck, and the Dream Soprano, Dream Alto and Dream Tenor for Mollenhauer. The Dream bass is currently in development. One of her recent recorders is the 3 metre (10 foot) long Sub-contrabass in Bb. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 23, 2008 | Hits: 449

“I am a recorder maker and a professional recorder player. Since 1987 I have had my recorder-making workshop in the center The Hague, Holland.

Being a player myself, my approach towards instrument-making is based on the needs of the player in today's performance practice of early music. Therefore I aim for a rich sound and maximum flexibility in playing conditions within the possibilities of the recorder. I make instruments which invite the player to be active and creative in sound production. This as opposed to a different style of making, where the sound of the instrument is already there for you, the only thing you need to do is blow and it will work. Whether you blow in a lazy or active way, it doesn't matter really because on these instruments the sound is dictated to you. Easy, but for me not so interesting. My opinion is that if we want to take the recorder seriously, we will have to work for a good and/or our own sound, just as we have to do with no matter what other (wind)instrument.

I make my instruments after historical models found in museums and in private collections. I combine traditional craftsmanship with modern technology. For the client the advantage of direct contact with me as the maker of his instrument is evident: this contact enables me to fulfil the personal wishes of the player as much as possible. I consider helping you as an important part of my work, also after you have bought your instrument. Therefore you are always welcome with any problem or question you might have about your recorder. In principle revoicing and retuning work is free of charge and promptly done. My recorders are played by many musicians all over Europe, as well as in the U.S., South America and Japan. “

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Nov 24, 2011 | Hits: 162

“I studied recorder and baroque oboe at the Royal Conservatorium in The Hague. I received the diploma “uitvoerend musicus” for recorder under supervision of Ricardo Kanji in 1984. 1986 was the year I obtained “aantekening” Baroque oboe with support of Ku Ebbinge. …

The first ten years the activities were mostly aimed at the building of recorders. Since 1990 the interest has increasingly shifted to baroque oboe, because I wanted to make what I played most in concerts. Because of that I have build solely baroque oboes for several years.

Since 1984 I have worked at many orchestras as baroque oboist and sometimes as a recorder player. Some of these orchestras are “Les Musiciens du Louvre”, “The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra”, “Wiener Akademie”, “Les Arts Florissant”, Concerto Köln and many others. Important ensembles are Ottetto Amsterdam and baroque ensemble "Les Echos". At the moment, part of my activities besides building and playing oboes is the organisation of the Baroque Orchestra Florilegium Musicum which has specialised in the accompaniment of choirs. We play approximately 40 concerts a year. These activities in the organisation and the playing of baroque oboe could have the consequence that the planned delivery time of orders has to be postponed.”

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Nov 24, 2011 | Hits: 191

“I started making bassoons in 1977, later collaborating with bassoonist, Mr. Danny Bond, to develop some models of 18th and early 19th century bassoons. Danny is one of the leading performers on historical bassoons and is principal bassoon of The Orchestra of the 18th Century, and The Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra in San Francisco. With Mr. Bond I first made rconstructions of bassoons by Prudent Thierriot, Paris (c.1770,) Heinrich Grenser (Dresden c. 1810),and a contrabassoon after A. Eichentopf (Germany, 1714). Many of these replicas found their way to musicians all over the world.
    
Together with Mr. Marc Vallon and later also with mr. Sergio Azzolini we did a project to reconstruct a German baroque bassoon from the period of J.S. Bach. Mr Vallon is principal bassoon of both the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra and the Orchestre de Champs Elysiis. He also is professor early bassoon in the Paris CNSM. In 1995, 1996 and 1997 Mr. Vallon and I visited the musical instrument collections of Prague, Leipzig, Neurenberg and Linz to examine the bassoons made by the german makers I. Poerschman and J.H. Eichentopf, both working in Leipzig during the first half of the 18th century. This research resulted in a reconstruction of a Eichentopf bassoon that we finished in the summer of 1998. Many important bassoonists have ordered this instrument already.

After intensive research, together with Mr. Sergio Azzolini, we recently finished the first reconstruction of a four-keyed bassoon. The instrument is tuned to a=440 Hz., the Venetian pitch standard at the time of Vivaldi. The instrument possesses a special timbre that is perfectly suited to the language of Vivaldi.”

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Nov 24, 2011 | Hits: 210

"I am Peter van der Poel and I make wooden wind instruments: recorders, clarinets and oboes. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 23, 2008 | Hits: 435

" ... Graduated from high school in 1960 (or was it 61) went, no not to a conservatory, but to University to study Mathematics. I have been a math's teacher some years and then worked as a mathematician in research in Industry . In my thirties I started trying to play the Traverso. Some sixteen years ago I did the evening joiners education. Bought a lathe. And from one thing to another I found that flute making was a professional vocation for me. ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: May 04, 2008 | Hits: 383

“Leif Eriksson's combination of true workmanship and a steady sense for style and instrument building knowledge is unique. Leif is one of the Swedish folk instrument makers' veterans. The interest for the newborn Swedish bagpipe is largely due to Leif and would be unthinkable without his pioneering work.

Leif Eriksson also makes hurdy-gurdies, nyckelharpas and other instruments.

He has satisfied customers not only in the Nordic countries but also in the rest of Europe, the US and even in Japan...“

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jul 29, 2009 | Hits: 341

Anthony Arnold, Baroque Recorders and Flutes. Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: May 04, 2008 | Hits: 552

"Supplying Highland, Border and small pipe ferrules and ferrule sets, in plain and beaded formats in Brass, Nickel alloy and Sterling silver, also horn dowelling and antler pieces for small & provincial pipe sizings.    Huge stock holding, catering to pipe trade in Scotland and North America. Visit related site: Highland Horn Ltd."

Added on: Jul 15, 2011 | Hits: 214

" Eric Moulder and Tony Millyard have combined their research and manufacturing facilities to develop Baroque Bassoons at A=415hz. After a number of years of research and development we have produced two instruments which we are pleased to offer. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 20, 2008 | Hits: 443

"Chris Wilkes is a painstaking flute maker whose objective in working is to constantly improve and try to combine good playing characteristics and superior tone with fine craftsmanship, aesthetic design and ergonomic keywork. He is self taught and has been making flutes for the last 20 years based on master instruments of the early to mid-nineteenth century. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: May 04, 2008 | Hits: 367

"Christopher Monk was amongst the first to make reconstructions of the cornett (or cornetto), the highly regarded virtuoso wind instrument whose top players commanded higher fees than any others in the early seventeenth century. He put cornetts in the hands of the late David Munrow and, largely through Munrow’s Early Music Consort of London, the cornetto began to regain its former popularity. It is now played at amateur and professional levels across the world from New Zealand to New York, heard with increasing frequency at major music festivals and enjoys excellent and increasing representation on recordings. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 08, 2008 | Hits: 400

“ .. . In the 1930s Carl Dolmetsch completed the upper end of the family with the sopranino as well as producing recorders at modern pitch - until then all production had been at low pitch. Production at low and modern pitch continues side by side to the present day. The company continued making many kinds of hand-made early musical instruments (viols, lutes, harps, rebecs, harpsichords, spinets, clavichords, recorders, pipes and tabors, tambourin, psalteries, and so on). A delightful, though not wholly uncritical, description of the Dolmetsch workshop (as it was in 1947) is given by Frank Hubbard who, in that year, joined the firm as an apprentice.

The first Dolmetsch plastic recorders were manufactured in 1947, establishing the name in the area of educational musical instrument manufacture. More recently the Company has formed manufacturing and design associations with other manufacturers (including Coolsma in Holland - owned by Aafab b.v.) to broaden the range of instruments bearing the Dolmetsch name. However, the family (Jeanne Dolmetsch, Marguerite Dolmetsch and Brian Blood) continues to this day to play a central role designing, promoting and making, setting the standard of craftsmanship and reliability for which the company is justifiably famous. ..“

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jul 29, 2009 | Hits: 294

"I started making wooden flutes in 1994 and my interest rapidly expanded to include wooden whistles, low whistles and recorders. My thirst for information on woodwind instruments and their making led me to Matthew Dart's evening classes at the London Furniture College (now the London Guildhall University). Having had some 30 years experience in mechanical engineering, my progress was rapid, and very soon the new dicipline had completely taken over my life.

Today I make woodwinds of the flute family (Transverse flutes, recorders, whistles and low whistles) for customers all over the world. I make instruments based on originals from as early as the 13th century, including my own versions of the Gottingen recorder and Dordrecht recorder, I also make flutes and recorders based on those from the Renaissance period as well as my own designs of flute, whistle,low whistle and recorder for use by todays traditional musicians. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 20, 2008 | Hits: 437

Handmade flutes and headjoints in wood and precious metals.

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: May 02, 2011 | Hits: 251

"Saunders Recorders is an independent retail store managed by John Everingham F.T.C.L. The business was founded by Gordon Saunders, (who is now enjoying retirement in sunny Spain) some twenty-nine years ago.

The high street shop is now closed but the business continues.

You will find a very comprehensive listing of recorders and music, mostly available for immediate delivery. " See website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 08, 2008 | Hits: 476

“This is the website of Mark W Venn and is concerned principally with early music in various manifestations. Current sections of the site deal with:

• Handmade renaissance woodwind instruments. Principal instruments made are the crumhorn and the cornamuse.
• Handmade recorder stands / other instrument stands
• Maintenance and minor repair work of instruments.
• Cotswold Early Music Festival (formerly the Cirencester Early Music Festival),
• The "Mozart"™  music software for developing high quality music scores,
• "The Waites of Gloucester", a renaissance consort, that also performs as "Her Majestie's Pleasure" ..“

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 17, 2010 | Hits: 388

"I promised in The Keyed Flute by Johann George Tromlitz (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1996, p. 261) to make available the index of flute information I compiled for that study. You are welcome to make use of it, as long as you send me new material and correct any mistakes you find. Please note that I am not systematically updating or improving the database: it's presented here, for what it's worth, in form and content already 10 years out of date. If anyone would like to make an ongoing project of it, please contact me.

The database file contains listings for about 1800 instruments, with details of attribution, maker's mark, materials, keys, and reports in the literature. (My own copy also lists drawings made by other researchers, and materials (drawings, photos, mouldings) in the collection of Folkers & Powell.) " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 08, 2008 | Hits: 402

Daniel Deitch Historical Woodwinds. Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: May 04, 2008 | Hits: 461

“I study, make, and play historical transverse flutes, and write about the history of the flute and flute-playing.

After studying English at Magdalene College, Cambridge and baroque flute at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, I was a co-founder of Folkers & Powell, Makers of Historical Flutes in 1984. I received my Ph.D. in music from Cambridge University in 2004.

My research interests involve applying recent work in the sociology of culture and of technology (especially that done in Science and Technology Studies and empirical sociology) to questions in music history, with a particular focus on musical performance, instruments, and taste. My specialization is the history of the flute and flute-playing, particularly in the baroque and classical periods, and I have published studies of the writings and instruments of J. G. Tromlitz (1725-1805), a writer on flute-playing and an innovative flute maker as well as a noted virtuoso and a composer.

My work has been supported by awards including a Fellowship for College Teachers and Independent Scholars from the National Endowment for the Humanities, and published in several books and a number of articles listed in detail on on another page.“

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Dec 06, 2009 | Hits: 238

"Folkers & Powell make professional-quality baroque flutes and other historical transverse flutes closely modeled on excellent original designs from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries.

We believe that music, instruments, and playing styles are all interconnected, so that music has the best effect when realized with sympathy, using instruments and performance conventions current when it was created.

For this reason we make every effort to capture the unique qualities of tone and intonation in the original instruments we copy. Since our partnership began in 1984 our flutes have earned a worldwide reputation for uncompromising accuracy and faithfulness of spirit. Our customers range all the way from beginners on the baroque flute to the world's leading exponents.

Research on contemporary music and playing styles also plays a large part in our work. We have built a separate educational site at flutehistory.com to give information on historical matters not directly related to the flutes we make.

If you are new to the world of historical flutes, begin at our start page. If you would like help staying in touch with the latest ideas and research, we suggest you subscribe to the quarterly newsletter TRAVERSO. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jun 22, 2005 | Hits: 855