Flautino Italian Flautina (corruption)

An open flute stop, usually of 2' pitch, but occasionally found at 4' or 1' pitch. The name Flautino is the correct one, Flautina being a corruption of the proper Italian. It seems to have first appeared in the 19th century. While some sources consider it to be synonymous with Flageolet, others maintain that the Flautino is somewhat softer in tone. Maclean equates it with the Flageolet, Hellpfeife, Octavin, and Piccolo.

Irwin claims that on unit organs the name Flautina is used for a 2' Tibia Clausa. Strony, a more reliable source, states that the name indicates a 2' Concert Flute.

Examples

Osiris contains 112 examples of Flautino, all at 2' pitch except for three each at 1' and 4' pitch, and 29 examples of Flautina, all at 2' pitch. The earliest examples are given below.

Flautino 4', Manual II; Dom, Schwerin, Germany; Ladegast 1871.

Flautino 2', Swell; Albanian Orthodox Cathedral, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Hook 1873.

Flautina 2', Choir; Ulster Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland; Hill 1861.

Flautina 2', Great; Ryton Parish Church, Ryton, England; Lewis 1885.

Bibliography