Theobald Böhm and the Böhm Flute

Brief Biography

Theobald Böhm was a German acclaimed flautist, composer and flute maker who changed the course of flute history in several ways. Born in Munich, Bavaria in 1794 he was a man of various valences who lived a full and accomplished life.

Flautist

Böhm is one of the many virtuoso flautists of the nineteenth century. He started learning flute by himself. Only with sixteen years old he began his apprenticeship with the court musician J. N. Capeller. At the young age of eighteen he became flautist at the Royal Isartortheatre. Then in 1818 he was appointed first flautist of the Bavarian Court Orchestra in Munich. Starting in 1821, Böhm undertook vast concert tours through Europe. He went from Germany to Austria and Czech Republic. Then from 1823-1824 he went to Berlin and Hannover with the violinist Bernard Molique. During 1825-1826, Switzerland was his main stage. Then came tours of Austria and Northern Italy. And after another tour in Switzerland in 1830 came the last great tour which took him to Paris and London. He was and still is to this day one of the best and most applauded German flautists.

Composer

Böhm composed around 54 pieces for flute in his lifetime. Being a flautist himself his works are very well written regarding the technical flute aspect. They are mostly intended for high level virtuosity and technical dexterity of flute playing. Besides the concertos, variations, rondos, fantasies and arrangements of other pieces for flute, Böhm’s études to this day are an essential part of any flautist daily practising and repertoire. His compositions were for the most part published by Falter or Aibl in Munich and in Mainz by Schott.

Pedagogue

Theobald Böhm besides his virtuosic playing he was also a great flute teacher. With more than a hundred students in his lifetime. As a pedagogue and theorist he published two very important books about flute making and flute playing. Those are: “An essay on the construction of flutes” and “The flute and flute-playing in acoustical, technical, and artistic aspects”.

Flute Maker

Being a son of a goldsmith, Böhm learned his father’s trade early in life. He built his own first flute developing interest in flute making. In order to learn more about acoustics he studied at the University of Munich then applying his knowledge to the construction of flutes Besides his significant role in flute making he was also associated with the iron industry, machinery and train construction from 1834 until 1845.

Böhm Flute

In the beginning of the nineteenth century a new and improved flute was created. Böhm fueled by his curiosity and ambition, developed a flute that would modify the history of the instrument. One of the experiences that stimulated his work as flute designer was in London, in his last big tour in 1831 when he heard the British virtuoso flautist Charles Nicholson. Böhm was amazed and inspired by his big and powerful sound and so because of the desire to do the same or more he embarked on a mission to create an improved flute. This fact can be confirmed in a letter sent by Böhm to W.S. Broadwood (an English friend). ^[1]

“I did as well as any continental flautist could have done in London in 1831, but I could not match Nicholson in power of tone, wherefore I set to work to remodel my flute. Had I not heard him, probably the Böhm flute would never have been made.” Theobald Böhm

This letter demonstrates the ambition of Böhm to improve the instrument and to broaden the possibilities of the flute. In 1831 Böhm played on an eight-keyed flute.

From 1832 until 1847 Böhm embarked on a journey to develop the flute’s acoustical models, mechanical aspects and fingering in order to improve intonation, tone quality, technical possibilities, projection and sound. Firstly, still in London he devised a model with interlinked rod-axles that transmit the motion of fingers to remote holes. This was the first step, separating the physical possibilities with ten fingers to being able to place each key on the most perfect and intonated place possible. Then in Munich he designed the Ring-key or conical Böhm flute. This flute although it became popular it was also target of criticism. One of the significant innovations in this flute was the addition of ring keys.

The second model design in 1847 included some of the biggest changes. The tube changed from conical to cylindrical and the material of the tube became metal.

The Böhm system changed flute history to this date. Furthermore, this incredible system was then applied to the variety of flutes. Böhm still reconstructed the system of the Alto flute but then the piccolo, the bass flute and others were done years after his death in 1881.

This system also inspired other constructors, becoming the starting point to several woodwind systems.

To this date the Böhm flute is still used in construction and played with. Even though it suffered small changes it is still similar to the first. Being a great system it allows many colours, stable intonation, technical dexterity, flexibility through tonalities and a powerful and full sound. It is amazing that to this day what Böhm was looking for and found is still what contemporary flautists are looking for.

References

BOHM, Theobald - An essay on the construction of flutes. Leipzig: Oppenheimer Bros., 1847.

BOHM, Theobald - The flute and flute-playing in acoustical, technical, and artistic aspects. Cleveland: D.C. Miller, 1908.

Flute History.com - Boehm-system flutes. 2000. http://www.flutehistory.com/Instrument/Boehm.php3

GALWAY, James - Flute. 1st edition. London: Macdonald & Co Ltd, 1982;

HENRIQUE, Luís - Instrumentos Musicais. 9th Edition. Lisboa: Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, 2018;

POWELL, Ardal – The Flute. 1st edition. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2002;

The Babel Flute - History of Theobald Böhm and correct spelling. 2022. https://thebabelflute.com/history-of-theobald-bohm-and-correct-spelling/

TOFF, Nancy – The Flute Book: A Complete Guide for Students and Performers. 3a edição. New York: Oxford University Press, 2012;

VENTZKE, Karl - Boehm Woodwinds: Part I. Frankfurt am Main: Verlag Das Musikinstrument, 1982;

VM Collectables - The conical ring-key flute – game changer of 1832. 2022. https://vmcollectables.com/historical-background/conical-ring-key-flute-1832/