Page:The story of the flute (IA storyofflute1914fitz).djvu/87



Böhm is the groundwork of all modern flutes. Since the inventor's day it has undergone many changes and experiments, but, with very few exceptions, these have not made any substantial improvement. Böhm himself wrote in 1878, "Alterations can be made ad infinitum, but nothing has as yet been better than my system, which will very likely remain the best. I never dispute with others about their improvements." Between 1848–9 Messrs. Rudall and Rose alone made ten different attempts at "improvement" (all subsequently discarded) for various would-be inventors. Most of these attempts were based on no sound theory, others were merely new applications of old contrivances. If they remedied some old defects, they substituted other new ones. As Skeffington says, "Flute-players were divided, and flute-makers were worked up to a great pitch of rivalry and contention. Systems of mechanism were advocated