The

transverse

flutes made by

Carlo Palance (ca. 1690-1783),

Bassoonist and instrument maker from

Turin, are well known for their very open and

direct sound plus their extraordinarily good intonation.

The original, on which my copy is based, is an ebony flute in a private collection in Frankfurt. The sound of the instrument is decidedly elegant and agile.

When using other types of wood the flute’s character changes distinctly. Boxwood makes the tone slightly softer and more colourful. Made with grenadilla, Palanca flutes are fantastically suited for orchestral work, as it requires above all a sustainable, strong sound.

With its oval embouchure-hole and its very even intonation, especially with the use of fork-fingering, a Palanca flute is often favoured by flutists used to a Boehm flute, as they rapidly feel at home with this instrument.

The Palanca flute is a very versatile instrument, on which the whole baroque and part of the early classical flute repertoires of the 18th century can be played without problems.

Carlo Palanca, Torino, ca.1750

ebony, grenadilla or boxwood

with silver key,

a= 415/440 Hz

Photo: Ulrich Ehret

Fridtjof Aurin   Transverse Flutes   Düsseldorf