The Flûte octaviante triangulaire: Because Now there Really is Such a Thing

I sometimes assign myself a project in the workshop for no other reason than I find something about its design or construction thought-provoking.

 

These design studies assist me in developing woodworking methods for more essential projects, such as the one I describe here, which proved far more involved than I had initially expected. About a year before the pandemic, I set out to better understand wood organ pipes made with triangular cross sections by building one after seeing a rank of triangular flutes up in the pipe chambers at Northrop Auditorium. I attempted construction elements typical of the late nineteenth century, such as sunken blocks and inverted mouths. Those pipes were my first introduction to building triangular organ pipes from wood. One year later, I began a follow-on project to explore the effect of base angle and scale on tonal results.

 

The triangular pipes I built in my shop led to an unanticipated yet noteworthy outcome. I doubled the length of a pipe I made, not knowing what to expect. Surprisingly, it effortlessly became harmonic at lower wind pressure. This discovery opens up possibilities. A harmonic flute that overblows on lower wind pressure introduces a new and valuable tone color to the tonal design of a small cabinet or continuo organ. Furthermore, triangular pipes nest efficiently, potentially making room for another stop within the same footprint and enhancing the instrument's versatility.

 

I know no documented example of a harmonic stop whose pipes are made of wood with a triangular cross-section. Let me, therefore, introduce you to the Flûte octaviante triangulaire, as it might have been named had it come from the shop of Aristide Cavaillé-Coll.