Flutes model Ganassi
Soprano, Alto and Tenor
The Fontegara Silvestro Ganassi, published in Venice in 1535, is the first Italian treatise on decreases and the flute. In the title the author dedicates his work to the Doge of Venice, Andrea Gritti, for which serving as a virtuoso on the viola da gamba and recorder.
The treaty has an extraordinary importance both for the complex formulas of ornamentation contained herein, which reflect a refined practice of improvisation, and both by reports of the flute technique: articulation of sounds, issuance and fingerings.
In chap. III, Rule belonging to all the voice it instrumento, the author gives the fingerings for the thirteen root notes of the bass flute, tenor and soprano, respectively extension is-king ‘, do-the “e-Sol’ me'” . But the novelty introduced by Ganassi consists in the possibility, described in Chap. IV, to broaden the flute extension of an octave, from Sol’-me ” to Sol’-me ‘ “.
The fingerings for the seven high notes are arranged, inside the Fontegara, in three intavoloture, each referring to a different tool, designed by different manufacturers. The three flutes sopranos in G are diversified by three symbols: an A, a clover and one B.
[…] But first I must remark that recorders made by different craftsmen vary one from another, not only in their measurements but also in the bore itself and in the shape and position of the finger holes. Also, as this or that master may not hear alike, and consequently plays differently, they voice their instruments differently, and their flow of breath may also vary considerably.”
(Fontegara, Chapter IV)
Despite the physical differences described here, the opportunity to play beyond the traditional range must be attributed to a common feature of these recorders that distinguishes them from other Renaissance models.
“I must tell you, Gentle Reader, that for a great many years I have studied and taken great delight in playing the recorder, and in getting to know all the best recorder players of my time and in making music with them. Nevertheless, I have not yet met anyone proficient in this art who could play more than the usual notes, except perhaps one more note, or at most two. “(Fontegara, chapter IV)
Ganassi was very likely one of the few recorder players, or perhaps the only recorder player, who could play with ease the notes beyond the traditional instrumental range.
The Treatise
In 1991 the Italian Recorder Society, with the contribution of the Hortus Musicus (Rome), published a facsimile edition of the Fontegara treatise by Silvestro Ganassi. Luca de Paolis was the curator and the author of the introduction, a guide to reading and ti tge understanding of the teatise as well as its historical and cultural placement in the Neo-Platonism of the Italian Renaissance period.
The work closes with diminutions, according to the rules of “Sonar artificioso”, of two songs: “Per fuggir d’amor le punte” by Marco Cara and of “De tous bein playne” by Hayne van Ghizeghem.
The following PDF files relating to the publication are available:
Flauti modello Ganassi
Soprano, Alto e Tenore
Caratteristiche tecniche
Per diversi anni, il cosiddetto flauto modello Ganassi è stato un enigma da risolvere in quanto nessuno fra gli strumenti originali rinascimentali conservati rispondeva alle caratteristiche richieste. La soluzione si deve al geniale costruttore Fred Morgan che, partendo da un flauto in sol’ (conservato presso il Kunsthistorisches Museum di Vienna) al quale nessuno aveva fino ad allora prestato molta attenzione in quanto danneggiato al voicing, riuscì a riprodurre, apportando le dovute modifiche, un flauto perfettamente corrispondente alle caratteristiche descritte da Ganassi. Dopo Morgan tutti gli altri costruttori si sono dedicati alla realizzazione di flauti modello Ganassi cercando ognuno le forme e le proporzioni ideali.
Il flauto modello Ganassi è caratterizzato da un canneggio interno essenzialmente cilindrico con uno svasamento finale di circa il 25% del diametro principale. Questo svasamento permette di innalzare la nota fondamentale in modo che risulti intonata con il quarto armonico. Questa è la ragione per cui la XV ha come diteggiatura 0 123 4567, con il foro n 2 leggermente aperto. Per lo stesso motivo la XIV si ottine come secondo armonico della VII. Il flauto Ganassi è caratterizzato da un diametro interno decisamente più grande rispetto agli altri modelli rinascimentali, il rapporto fra lunghezza (L) e diametro massimo interno (D) oscilla fra 20 e 21,5.
Il voicing è caratterizzato da una finestra abbastanza larga.
Ensemble La Selva
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Carolina Pace: Flauto dolce soprano “mod. Ganassi” – Hz 440
Diana Fazzini: Viola da gamba
Michele Carreca: Tiorba
Andrea Falconieri (1585 – 1656)
“Lo spiritillo brando”
Sonata II G. B. Fontana