What is the Enigma?
The mystery of the flageolet is the question of why the flageolet is studied, played and collected so little. Compared to almost any other instrument, the flageolet is less understood, less played today and has fewer pieces of literature written about it. In particular there are no scholarly texts about the flageolet (whilst, for example, the Trumpet Marine has a massive and comprehensive two-volume work by Cecil Adkins) and except for one or two web-sites, little effort to make a change. There are no revival societies and I do not believe that the flageolet is ever heard in a concert apart from as a novelty. This means that we have to ask one question:
Why is this the case?
The flageolet’s main problems stem from it being a late instrument. It only became widely popular and played outside France in the 19th Century. During this period it was associated far more with popular music than with art music. This has had an effect of distorting peoples’ attitudes towards it. Despite having a history going back to the 16th Century and, almost certainly, far beyond it, the flageolet has become perceived as an 19th Century contraption and has thus been missed by the whole “Early Music Revival” revolution. Ironically, the recorder, who’s history is held in parallel with the flageolet up until the 19th Century when it died out, thus became seen as a “true” early instrument whereas had it, like the recorder, carried on in its existence, it would have probably also not had such a revival. A second question should therefore be asked:
What can be done?
In the first instance, a greater interest in the flageolet needs to start. Unless people want to revive the instrument, then it will stay “dead”. This could start with more web-sites, discussion groups etc. about the instruments, but it should also include people who own these instruments playing them or passing them on to others to play. As much music as is available for the instrument needs to be published as do the tutors. All of the literature is over 100 years old so it is far out of copy-right. Therefore everyone who has copies of pieces and tutors should make efforts to get them freely distributed on the internet. Finally comes the tricky part. There need to be new instruments. Tin Whistle manufacturers should start to make Tin Whistles with French flageolet style fingering. They already do this for the Tabor Pipe so the Flageolet would not be an entirely crazy idea. In this way, far more people could learn the mysterious French flageolet fingering and would be more likely to request new, proper instruments, from makers. Both the pre-19th Century and 19th Century instruments should be made and the pre-19th Century instruments should be able to cover for the recorder in almost all circumstances. Therefore, if you play in an early music group on the recorder, why not replace the sopranino recorder part with that of a flageolet? In this way, I believe that life could be breathed into the flageolet but remember: it starts with everyone who owns a flageolet breathing into their own instrument.
