Flute c. 1590 - 1596

Curator: Alright, let's see... Editor: This is a wooden flute, made sometime between 1590 and 1596. It's currently held in the Rijksmuseum and the artist is, alas, anonymous. What I immediately notice is its deceptive simplicity; it's just a tube with holes, but I imagine the music that once flowed from it must have been anything but simple. What catches your eye? Curator: The beautiful silence held within it, if you like. I imagine the stories this little piece of wood could tell about the music it made, about the hands that held it, about the people who danced or dreamed to its melodies... Makes me wonder, did it soothe someone's worries or soundtrack a joyous celebration? We are essentially holding the potential for so much untold sound here. It's a real paradox isn't it – a silent song. Editor: Absolutely. It also brings up so many questions. Like, what kind of wood? Was it a common material or something more exotic, chosen specifically for its acoustic properties, maybe? What does that signify? Curator: Exactly! Every mark, every slight imperfection in the wood, every precisely placed hole - it's all a part of the music's story. It could be any number of woods they commonly had at their disposal. But even something seemingly humble could be used to create a kind of magic. Maybe magic isn’t quite the right word though – what do you think? Editor: No, magic does sit right with me. This flute gives me goosebumps! Curator: There you go. Even after all these centuries, it holds that power, that silent, potential energy. You can almost feel the musician pouring themselves, their joy, their melancholy into it. Editor: I'll never look at a musical instrument the same way again. I can almost hear a song on it, now, in my head. Thanks for helping me dig a little deeper!