Douglas MacMillan 
The Flageolet in England, 1660-1914 

The flageolet occupies a unique niche in musical history, and this book traces its history from its beginnings to its peak of popularity in the nineteenth century..


The flageolet is a recorder-like instrument whose history may be traced back to the seventeenth century. Predominantly an instrument of the amateur, the flageolet seldom featured in the orchestra but nevertheless occupied a smallbut unique niche in musical history. Mac Millan traces the history of the instrument from its origin through to its heyday in England in the nineteenth century. The book is centred on an organological study of the flageolet, coupled with discussion of its repertoire, pedagogy, and place in musical society. It will be of interest to woodwind organologists, players of the flute and recorder, and to those who study the integration of musical instruments and their repertoire in relation to societal aspects of musical practice.


DOUGLAS MACMILLAN is an organologist and music historian living in Guildford, UK. He holds doctoral degrees from the University of Oxford and the Royal College of Music.

Table des matières

The flageolet prior to 1660

The flageolet in the seventeenth century

The flageolet in the eighteenth century

The English single flageolet 1800 ? 1850

The English single flageolet 1850 ? 1914

The double flageolet

The triple flageolet and the flute-flageolet

The French flageolet

The flageolet in music and society

Appendix 1. Checklist of instruments illustrated

Appendix 2. Bibliographic data on tutors

A propos de l’auteur

DOUGLAS MACMILLAN is an organologist and music historian living in Guildford, UK. He holds doctoral degrees from the University of Oxford and the Royal College of Music.