Modern Improvers
Clinton patented yet another flute, to a great extent retaining the old fingering and closed holes.
Pratten tried various experiments, and about the year 1856 brought out his "Perfected Flute." He objected to take up the Böhm, and endeavoured toPratten adapt the old fingering to the cylinder flute with large holes, with the result that his flute had in the end seventeen keys in place of the original eight! It need hardly be added that this instrument did not justify its name, and is now completely relegated to oblivion.
Two other modifications of the Böhm which are still largely used deserve notice. R. S. Rockstro, after many attempts, in 1864 produced the modelRockstro known by his name. The principal features are the full adoption of the open-keyed system, the uniform diameter of the finger-holes, their increased size, and an extra F♯ key. Many of the keys are perforated. He subsequently placed a tiny tube at right angles at the C′′♯ hole to improve the tone. Mr. J. Radcliff also devised a new model—the nearestRadcliff approach to the old eight-keyed fingering. Its principal features are that it has not the open D, and that it has a closed G♯ also the B♭ key is closed by the first finger of the right hand by a separate lever. Radcliff advocates a mouth-hole which is almost square, such as Drouet used.
Mr. W. L. Barrett, Mr. Collard, Mr. Colonieu, and others have all brought out flutes with minute changes of fingering, etc. All these are very unimportant,71
