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Adams Flute Centre is very proud of being dealer for Brannen Brothers flutes for the entire Benelux region.
Since Brannen Brothers was founded in 1978, they have earned a worldwide reputation for unsurpassed excellence. There is no doubt about their place in the market; discerning flutists have placed Brannen squarely at the top. Throughout the flute community, Brannen Brothers is known as the company that leads the way in innovation and standard setting. Every flute and headjoint bearing the Brannen Brothers name is handmade to exacting standards of craftsmanship, and every one displays the most advanced mechanical design and acoustic technology available in the world today. THE BRANNEN-COOPER FLUTES The Millennium flute is always made from sterling silver. It differs from our other flutes in that it has drawn, rather than soldered toneholes. All keywork is sterling silver. No plating is ever used on Brannen Brothers instruments. This increases both the value and durability of the flute. It also facilitates repairs should the flute become damaged. The .016" Sterling silver, Brannen-Cooper headjoint is available in any of our headjoint styles. Headjoints in 10K and 14K gold and platinum may be custom ordered with the Millennium flute at an additional cost. The Millennium flute is available with a choice of the following specifications: Sterling silver body tubing: .016" (standard) or .018" (special order),Flute pitched at A-442 or A-444,French model (open hole) with inline or offset G keys, Plateau model (closed hole) with offset G keys,B or C footjoint. The following popular options are also available: D# roller, C# trill key,Split E mechanism (only with offset G),Insert in lower G tonehole to improve the 3rd octave E.The Millennium flute is truly Brannen-Cooper excellence at a more affordable price! From July 2010 Brannen-Brothers stopped the production of Millennium flutes. We still have some in stock, with different options. Call or mail for availability. The Brögger flute The Brögger flute is a Boehm system flute that uses a major mechanical modification developed by the Danish flutemaker, Johan Brögger, about 20 years ago. While Boehm flutes have proven themselves remarkably reliable for 150 years, there have always been two problems associated with them that frequently require maintenance:
The Brögger Mekanik™, with its use of non-rotating shafts and full-size back connectors for all main line keys, effectively eliminates these common problems. The resulting flute is noticeably quieter with reduced friction and far less wear to its moving parts. There are two additional advantages to the Brögger Mekanik™. First, the flutemaker now has the ability to regulate the spring tension of each key independently of any other, thus allowing for a much more even feel for the performer. The second, equally important feature is the increased strength of the mechanism, especially as it applies to accidents in which the flute is dropped. We have now had 15 years of experience with this mechanism, and our experience bears out this statement in the most remarkable fashion. NEW!!! The 15/85 Brögger Flute We are pleased to announce the newest flute available from Brannen Brothers Flutemakers, Inc. – the 15/85 Brögger Flute! This flute is made from an alloy of 15% gold and 85% silver; it offers a unique playing and hearing experience emanating from the world-renowned work of Headjoint Maker Rainer Lafin. Mr. Lafin has used this alloy for many years to create his fine headjoints, and now Brannen-Cooper flutes are available in the same material. Even before the first 15/85 Brannen flute was made, we knew there was a strong possibility that the 15/85 material would make a beautiful flute. During the testing process, our staff flutists played the flute extensively, both alone and for each other. Their response was overwhelming…an amazing new Brannen-Cooper flute was born! This flute offers more than just a silver/gold hybrid experience. It has its own distinct character, best described as providing the ease of playing silver with the rounder, fuller body of playing gold – unusually smooth, flexible, and very responsive. As a participant in our play testing trials, Mr. Lafin said that the 15/85 Flute is "warm and charming;" it has a "secret something" about it. The Kingma System Flute
The revolutionary Brannen-Cooper Kingma System flute is the result of extensive collaboration between the Dutch flutemaker, Eva Kingma, and our company President, Bickford Brannen. This is the first C concert flute to offer a full quartertone scale, as well as complete multiphonic venting, for the modern flute repertoire. Moreover, flutists can also use this flute to play all of the traditional literature just as they would on any flute. The Kingma System flute is, in all respects, a Boehm system flute with a C# trill. All of the normal touch pieces and fingerings are where you would expect them to be. This flute uses the highly stable Brannen variation of the traditional, pinned mechanism that players have found to be extremely dependable through the years. What makes this flute so unique is that, in addition to the standard Boehm mechanism, there are six extra keys. These are made possible through the use of Ms. KingmaÌs patented key-on-key system that she has used successfully on her alto and bass flutes for many years. These keys are used to produce six of the seven quartertones and multiphonic vents which are "missing" on the normal French model flute. The seventh "missing" quartertone is achieved by using the C# trill key together with the normal C key. The other five quartertones are produced by using the normal, open hole keys. Options: All options listed below are available on the Brögger Flute.
Keys and Mechanism Tubing:
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Many people have asked about the C# trill and what it does. The very name of the key causes confusion. Actually, this mechanism is one of the most useful on the flute. Basically, it moves several left hand movements to the right hand and simplifies a number of trills. It also provides an additional vent which clarifies several notes and octaves. The following examples will illustrate some of its many functions.
TRILLS |
B to C# in the first and second octaves: Simply finger B and trill the C# trill key. The intonation is better and a two-finger trill is eliminated. |
High F# to G#: Finger high F# and trill the C# trill key. Anyone who has played "The Grand Canyon Suite" will appreciate this one. |
C to C#, both octaves: This is a faster trill and allows for a more comfortable feel. |
High G to A-flat: Better in tune, and far more comfortable. |
High G to A: Finger high G and trill the C# till and the upper trill key. This trill alone is worth the price of the key. |
High A-flat to B-flat: This trill, which shows up in many Mahler symphonies, is played by fingering high Ab and trilling both trill keys and the C# trill key. The trill will be in tune. |
Tremolos and Shakes: First octave C, B, B-flat, A, A-flat, and G can be tremoloed with C# by just using the C# trill key. The same note can be tremoloed with D natural by using the C# trill and first trill key, in combination. These notes may require some pitch adjustment, but there is no easy way to do these effects. |
The use of trill keys and the C# trill in combination can produce many startling effects, and experimentation can be very rewarding. |
SPECIALTY NOTES |
Pianissimo high A-flat: How many of us have tried to play this note softly and keep pitch and sonority? Play middle A-flat with all the left hand keys depressed, and the C# trill and the high Ab will appear softly, and in tune. |
Debussy C#: The middle C# which opens "L뭓pres-midi d뭫ne faune" is often raw and hard to color. Use the C# trill while fingering B natural, and you will get a C# which is full and able to be colored without losing pitch, since the resistance of the note is increased. |
A word about the mechanism is probably in order. Since this key has its own rod, it will not interfere or complicate the existing mechanism. The placement of the key lever is not clumsy, since it is above and to the left of the B-flat shake. A few moments of playing will convince the player of the ease of operation of both keys. |
Careful comparison of identical flutes, with and without C# trill keys, have convinced us that the additional hole does not affect the tone. |
There are many other effects which the C# trill could produce, and the ingenuity of flutists and composers will create and fulfill new demands. The modern flutist would do well to consider the C# trill an integral part of the instrument. |
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