Mr Handler is an Austrian man in his eighties, who produces Nasenflöten very near the perfection. In the 1980's, he rediscovered the 1930's Styrian nose flute, studied archives and photos, began to test and improve them, and then created his own models.
I received 2 flutes bought at
Steirisches-Volksliedwerk, the "large" and the "small" models.
Both flutes were protected in very nice little pouches, made by Mrs Handler, and accompanied with a notice beginning by a little poem. Everything looks like having been made with the heart, a lot of care, and a precise craftsmanship.
The large model is rather built on the same technical specifications than the small one : same air duct length (2.2 cm), same very thin mouth hole (1.8 cm x 0.3 cm), and an air entrance quite similar, but a bit narrower on the small flute.
Only the mouth cap is longer on the large model, where the air duct cover is made in 3 parts, two of them following the sides all the flute long.
The large model :
The small model :
All Handler's Nose flutes are hand-free models, with a long horizontal drilling through the air duct cover, with gently tapered ending holes, allowing to pass a leather or elastic cord.
Handler's flutes are made of fruit tree wood, but also in maple or yew. Some are two colored wood mixed.
They wear the Heinrich Handler's monogram : a capital H between two points.
The precision of the work (sharp and neat labium) allied to sharp technical specifications (very narrow mouth hole) and quality woods, lead to high quality nose flutes, with a great rich wood sound, precise in response and very handy and confortable to play.
Here is a sound sample (thanks to
the Nosy Diva Miss Birdy K.) :
