The Flute Network
Albert Cooper’s legacy is that he was the greatest influence on flute design since Theobald Boehm. He set a standard for mechanical excellence, redesigned our scale, gave makers new ideas and suggested additional keys. Born in Hull, England, he apprenticed at the famous London flute maker Rudall Carte & Co until the outbreak of WWII, when he was called up to join the army. After the war, he returned to Rudall Carte, married Olive McLewee, and after a time, moved to Clapham, where he remained for the rest of his life. This is the location of the now famous workshop, pictured below. This workshop was in reality a small shed in the garden where he sat working. Visitors only had room to stand at the door to watch him. Elmer Cole and William Bennett both contributed to Albert’s search for a true scale on which to build the modern flute and were in fact largely responsible for the calculations that resulted in what became known as the Cooper Scale. As “the scale” developed and players offered their opinions, Cooper updated his figures and gave the latest revision to anyone who asked for it. Over time, he gave different scale figures to different makers. His constant search for excellence and his dogged determination to give flute players a reliable scale, resulted in a mounting reputation until his skills became legendary. Albert could often be seen at flute conventions discussing the latest in key design or mechanism with flute makers from all over the world. He was always willing to help advise or offer figures to anyone who asked for them, often to the astonishment of his flute making rivals.
(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and Flute Talk, March 2011, By Trevor Wye)
In my own experience with Albert Cooper he was not only known for this new scale, which started in the Brannen flute factory, but had done a lot of work with the cut of flute headjoints. Not experimenting so much with metals, but with the shape of the embouchure hole. For a period of time you could only buy a “Cooper Scale” flute or Cooper headjoint from Brannen Brothers Flutes in Woburn, Massachusetts.
Flutes by Albert Cooper:
- C flutes – 80
- Alto flutes – 8
- Piccolos with C foot – 2
- Bass flute – 3
- Flute in B – 1
