Question about James Madison's crystal flute

[jmowreader]

Was Madison a flautist himself?

[samnsara]

1. ..and was the flute actually crystal?

[AZSkiffyGeek]

2. It is actual crystal per the LoC

I’d guess Madison wasn’t a flautist because Lizzo was the first person to play it, and I can’t imagine a musician not playing that flute if they had the opportunity.

[Nittersing]

3. She was the first person to play it, EVER???

I missed that little tidbit. It sounded lovely when she played it, but I wonder how it compares tone-wise and all that. I'm not a musician, but I imagine that the material the instrument is made of would greatly effect the sound that comes out of it.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

4. That's what they're saying

It might be first to play it in public.

[malthaussen]

8. Flute players usually prefer the precious metals...

... flutes are typically made of cupra-nickel, silver, gold, or platinum (in ascending price range). Then there are wooden flutes, but I'd never heard of a crystal one until this recent foofraw. The tone would be different from one made of metal or wood, surely. Anyway, some players feel that the tone gets better as you ascend the metals list, others prefer gold or silver. It's pretty-universally agreed that the nickel ones are the poorest. How much of that is simple snobbery? I wouldn't venture to say.

-- Mal

[wishstar]

5. No, Madison never played flute

[Paladin]

6. He owned 100 slaves that required his attention.

Didn't leave him enough time to master that crystal flute.

[LudwigPastorius]

7. Was Madison a flautist himself?

If my sources are correct, he was more of a R&B singer.