Professional Flutes & Headjoints, custom made by hand in precious metals: Gold, Platinum and Sterling Silver.
What makes the Emanuel Flute different?
We are innovators utilizing modern technology in the service of art.. Our goal is to combine traditional flute sonority (inspired by the sound of Louis Lot and other famous French flute makers of the Nineteenth Century) with the best most modern scales, functional key work and easy playability. We do this by crafting each flute individually for a client, setting the highest technical standards in the industry.
Traditional sound
Inevitably, the way a flute sounds – reflects both its design and the way an care with which it’s made. Every detail, from how the keys are made and tone holes silver-soldered, to oiled pivots, contributes to its acoustic and aesthetic whole. This results in a round, warm tone, full with harmonics.
The Emanuel Flute, played in many of the world’s top orchestral halls and opera houses, is designed to produce a complex, warm sound with great projection and tone color palette. Few others today strive for the traditional sonority we prize, in an instrument that adapts to each player. Others strive to make great flutes as well, but our guiding principle has been to build flutes to 21st Century highest technical standards, with a sonority inspired by the great French and American Flutes of the past. While we cannot vouch for any science behind it, many of our customers report that their flutes seem to improve and grow more responsive and resonant as they play them over time.
Modern technology
Our flutes are made to the highest possible precision (.0001” tolerance) between steel rods and mechanism tubing. This insures long wear and enhances the feel of the instrument in the player’s hands. The design of the key work is extremely important for the comfort of the player. Our mechanism is unusually compact, with optimized cup openings, and a design which minimizes the distance the players’s fingers have to travel.
Traditional pads
The pads on Emanuel flutes, after much experimentation with many types, are the best we could find. With great sonority, playability and stability they in general require minimal maintenance (once a year in most climates depending on the weather). The pads on average last more than 12 years before they need to be replaced. The pads we use are softer than some, producing for most players a very good feel, enhancing the flute’s playability, with the warm and expressive sound that is our hallmark.
Headjoint taper design
Crucial to the sonority of any flute is the headjoint taper. The sonority of the Emanuel Headjoint is thus deeply affected by its headjoint taper design. Our goal is to make headjoints with expressive and malleable sonority, great projection yet easy playability for a wide range of players of all levels.
Scales
Emanuel Flutes are available with either of two scales: Albert Cooper’s masterpiece or William Bennett’s scale. Many players prefer the Cooper Scale, claiming it to be best suited to their playing. Others insist on the Bennett Scale. Many flutemakers offer variants on both scales, but we are not aware of other flutemakers who offer a choice .
