Here it is Christmas eve .. I’m sure that Santa is not going to bring me this, but I’m interested in reading books about the history of the Irish flute. Anyone already know what’s available?
Happy holidays everyone,
Lesl
Is Hammy Hamilton’s book still out of print? I’ve heard it goes into it some. Fintan Vallely’s Timber: The Flute Tutor gives a brief, whimsical overview of the Irish flute’s history.
you’re not likely to find a history of Irish Flute since the flutes we use were of the classical realm.
Great history to read include Rockstro’s Treatise on The Flute (c.1899) and “A Word or Two on the Flute” by WN James (I got my copy two Christmases ago…and still love to read it!).
It explains a lot about many things.
Now, the history of how ornaments came to be and things as that…can be culled from a very cool book called “Last Night’s Fun,” a tribute to what is Irish music. Very intrinsic and intimate stuff. Worth the read.
Sit with some nice hot port and read out loud! 
If you mean a history of the flute in Irish folk music then I second Hammy’s book, Fintan’s is more of a tutor, and a very nice, quirky one too.
There is a lot more to be written about marching band flutes and fifes in Ireland IMO, but that’s probably (up to a point) a different, if related, story.
O’Niell was almost certainly not just talking about low or lowish pitch instruments when he said that the flute was the most popular instrument in his Ireland.
Regards,
Harry.
Hammy’s book is out of print at the minute, details and next edition email list here:
http://homepage.tinet.ie/~hammie/book.htm
Was talking to him recently and he mentioned another run of 'em.
ATB,
Harry.
Grey Larsens book has got the most in depth history of the irish flute I’ve read (which doesn’t say a lot reall, but still…)
Good book all in all, great tool. Many will agree, some will disagree.
Hello Lesl,
I just ran across some good historical information on Terry McGee’s website. I had forgotten about it, since I hadn’t been there for a while, but he gives quite a good bit of information there also, and it’s free!
I’ll have to put my reading glasses on too, and learn a bit myself!
Thanks Terry!
Happy Holidays to all!
Hi all,
A somewhat related historical title is Nicholas Carolan’s “A Harvest Saved: Francis O’Neill and Irish Music in Chicago”. O’Neill was one of the great collectors of Irish music, done in the U.S. among Irish immigrant musicians. The flute connection is that O’Neill himself was a flute player. Material on the history of the Irish flute isn’t the focus, but there’s a little here and there. But the book as a whole is quite interesting.
I agree with the reccomendation for Grey Larsen’s book.
I’d recommend “The Companion to Irish Traditional Music”, an pricey volume edited by Fintan Vallely. A pretty decent encyclopedia reference of a lot of the characters etc. involved in Irish Music, so quite a bit of history. Open to any page and learn something useful. 6 pages just on the 'flute" entry. Hard-bound, published in the U.S.A. by New York University Press, ISBN 0-8147-8802-5
Kevin Krell
Looks like a nice read.
They have it on Amazon.com;
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0814788025/qid=1135502785/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i2_xgl14/002-5935047-8384001?n=507846&s=books&v=glance
You know, I don’t doubt it’s worth the $60 list price, but I bought mine on eBay for a bit less than Amazon’s price, being a frugal shopper.
Kevin Krell
Now, that sounds like a good book. I have always wondered about that. Also the fact that it is named after one of my favorite tunes isn’t making me want it less.
Oh as usual I worded my question wrongly. Thank you all however for all these replies. I’m sure it will make a useful reference.
What I was actually meaning, was a book about the history of the concert flutes we use, on the lines of what David Migoya was saying. I’ve been re reading the web treatises written by Terry McGee and Michael Robinson lately. Its cool to learn the history of the Rudalls and Pratten’s. Sort of like a geneological flute tree.. how the Pratten flute evolved from the one before it and so on.
Lesl,
You’ve probably seen Rick Wilson’s pages, but here’s the link anyway http://www.oldflutes.com/
Seems he has a bibliography page that might tbe useful.
Byron
I posted a mini-review a while back.
Gee wiz. What I meant on Christmas eve, is Robert Bigio’s book here:
