A nice picture of an Ocariflute

Several times, we have published posts about the Ocariflute (which used to be named "Oclariflute" at its beginnings), notably when we heard of its existence through advertisements, about its Silver Medal at Concours Lépine in 1923, when it was played on french TV or when we found the great (and too short) footage showing Jean Dubuffet and his Ocariflute in 1961...
So, we partly knew this french nose flute, but had never seen one in detail... until I found this beautiful picture coming from the Scenkonstmuseet (Swedish Museum of Performing Arts), based in Stockholm.



There is no doubt this instrument is an Ocariflute: the very typical shape of the heel is an evidence. What is interesting to notice, is that this nose flute was not stamped by a trademark or a name, contrarywise to any known and trademarked nose flutes we know. I have an hypothesis... as usual :)



On the advertisement above, the text "Instruments Brilhault - BT SGDG" (a not the name Ocariflute!) appears on an oval white background: it could be because the flute is not stamped but only got a sticker on the heel. And why not a stamping? Remember there was another instrument that was called Ocariflute at this time. "Ocariflute" was probably a better name than "Oclariflute", but was already in use. So Brilhault chose "Oclariflute" in 1922. But we know than after 1930, the nose flute finally got the name "Ocariflute" (Did Brilhault buy the trademark? Or was the name not renewed by he Ullmann company?). So, in the 20's, why would you have built a stamping machine with a trademark that you don't want to keep (Oclariflute) or are not yet allowed to use (Ocariflute). Better to glue a sticker, no?

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The Scenkonstmuseetpossess also in its collection another metal nose flute, which appears to be a German no-name Nasenflöte, and look very similar to the German one I bought... in Danmark.



Mine:

End of Summer Crop

The Summer ending seems to be favorable to nose flute video making... Here is a new nice crop.

Ukeval received a Handler flute from the Nosy Diva at the RAOUL of Pied-Pouzin has adopted it! Look :



Nosefluter makes a come back with a Charango :



The SNOR back on TV! The Swedish Nose Flute Orchestra (Sveriges Näsflöjts Orkester) is back on your screen with a triplet of näsflötists (kind of nose flute boys band). On the Lidztroom channel.



Dwayornoway, a band from Vancouver, trying a nose flute duet accompanied by a guitar :



Monster09904, newcomer on Youtube, plays some Jazz in his car :



A new video by Guns'n'Noses, La Réjouissance by Handel, with Bocarina^™ :



And a Japanese video about a tatami for iPhone, beginning with 3 notes of nose flute, on Jetdaisuke channel :

Father and Son!

Video featuring Janne Bengtsson (aka "Jan Francisco") from the Lars Vegas Trio (see this post) playing the nose flute, accompanied by his father Börje at the accordion. The quality of the video is not at the best, but the music is good!

Janne Bengtsson and his kilt

Janne Bengtsson is a swedish comedian and musician. He is member of the band Lars Vegas Trio in which he hold the drums, sings and dances, but also, sometimes, plays the nose flute.
There are numerous videos on YouTube showing him, wearing a kilt with the band or in a formal suit during a stand up performance, interpretating what looks to be his greatest hit : El Condor Pasa. In this show, he hardly whistles the peruvian song, but plays with the nose flute ability to make funny noises when speaking.

Here are our 2 selections (chosen for the image quality), but you can check other versions here, here, here, here, and here!

The Swedish Nose Flute Orchestra

The Sveriges Näsflöjts Orkester is a virtual orchestra of almost 40.000 members. It was created in 2006 as a tribute to David Gouthro, founder of the (now defunct) Vancouver Nose Flute Ensemble, and with his participation, with a double goal : (virtually) gather nose flute players all around Sweden and create a commercial buzz for the launching of a new nasal spray : Zycomb.

« Since we did not have the financial resources market leaders have at their disposal, we chose to try to create commitment. By using PR and the internet, we launched the Sweden Noseflute Orchestra (SNOR) with the help of David Gouthro, founder of the Vancouver Noseflute Ensemble. »

But the vision includes a part of philosophy. For Gouthro, nose flute playing is a metaphore of taking advantage and growing from a failure. David Gouthro is a consultant in management who uses the nose flute to teach his clients this philosophy. On the Vancouver Noseflute Ensemble website, he wrote :

« The Vancouver Noseflute Ensemble (VNE) is a virtual organization (or should that be 'virtually an organization'?) with a passion for encouraging anyone who wishes to learn and grow-particularly when there is a risk of making mistakes. »

« The VNE uses the Noseflute (a musical) as a physical metaphor for life! "You learn faster if you're willing to blow it" this is true of the Noseflute and any other opportunity for growth. »

Even if you are not attracted by the "serious side" of the nose flute, you'll find great videos on the site.

The Sveriges Näsflöjts Orkester website in Swedish
The Swedish Nose Flute Orchestra website translated by Google
The multimedia page, with lots of videos and music.

The Vancouver Noseflute Ensemble website
Zycomb Commercial videos featuring David Gouthro.