Flute – Benedict PENTENRIEDER

Flutes

This is a stunning and rare flute by the Bavarian and Munich-based master instrument maker, Benedict PENTENRIEDER (1809-1849). Pentenrieder’s life story and that of his immediate family is quite a sad one. He lived a very short life… dying at the age of just 40. He worked at the same time and location as other instrument makers, such as Boehm, but is still rather undiscovered. He is famous mainly for the flutes and clarinets he made.

The boxwood employed to create this instrument is incredibly beautiful with its tiger-like markings. It features seven brass keys and an F-lever. The rings are made of horn. Pentenrieder even provided markings on the flute so that it could be put together properly [no excuses for forcing parts into the wrong places! ]. The case is original and quite lovely to admire.

In terms of condition, the flute was previously restored, yet the pads seem to be the original ones. There is also an old repair to a crack on the right-hand joint. Its pitch is around a=448 Hz, which was a normal pitch at that time in Munich. The flute has a bright, light and warm sound and is well in tune.

An exquisite flute indeed!

LIBRARY OVERVIEW

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G-sharp key

Open/closed G-sharp key
The open G-sharp key was promoted by Theobald Boehm. So, G-sharp is fingered like a G on the modern-day flute and G is fingered like the modern-day G-sharp. The open G-sharp key mechanism avoids having an additional second G-sharp tone hole, which is not optimal in acoustical terms.
The closed G-sharp key is the regular mechanism on modern day instruments as well as traditional conical wooden more-keyed flutes. G-sharp is obtained by pressing the G-sharp lever. G is produced by pressing down all four fingers of the left hand.
Theobald Boehm’s open G-sharp was not successful in the end and is no longer used in flute-making, with some exceptions.