I had a short conversation today with the first flute of one of the local professional orchestras. The player plays on a gold Brannen-cooper flute, an American brand I did not know.

I am curious about this brand. And what about their headjoints?

Any comments?

Brannen is very commonly well known in America. Like everything else, people who love them, love them. People who don't love them, don't love them.

http://www.brannenflutes.com/flutes.html

Joe B

My friend plays a solid silver Brannen flute made in the early 90's. She has attended some pretty prestigious music schools, including Juilliard, Oberlin, and Yale.
She sounds fantastic, but she sounds fantastic on a student Yamaha as well.

Another friend has a daughter who had a newer Brannen (built after 2000), with Brogger mechanic. Friend says these were Flute Nirvana, though I haven't heard or tried one.

They're exceptional flutes, pretty much. I haven't actually played a Brannen HJ long enough to see what I really thought of it, with some practice. I would encourage you to give one a try, by all means, if you have the chance.

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Looking at Joe's comment above, I would add the caveat: Just because one or two of my own experienced/advanced flute playing friends really , really like the flutes, does not mean that you will feel the same way about them, or that everyone should own one.

brannen flutes and piccolos are one of the best american brands.
if you are going to get one, go for it

Great flutes, great headjoints.

Brannen does not make piccolos though.

Thank you. I am not planning to buy one, they are well beyond my resources. I am curious and try to educate myself in different brands and models, just in case...

I still keep the hope alive about buying a Nagahara HJ some day, but I am not pressed now.

Brannen are excelent flutes today because of a british man who in the last decade influenced very much their makes (and many others around the world), mostly the headjoint design and the scale. His name is Albert Cooper.

I can tell you about Nagahara HJ. I own a 14K one, with platinum riser. It's a joy. It was worth the money (lots of...) I expended. Now my dream is a complete flute from them...

If envy was not a bad feeling, I would confess it...

Sooner or later your right time will come :-)

Kara wrote:

"Brannen does not make piccolos though."

That's true today. But Brannen Brothers did make superb piccolos, with James Keefe one of the primary piccolo builders at Brannen. I believe that the Brannen line of piccolos was sold to Keefe when he started his own company that makes only piccolos.

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You can occasionally find used Brannen Brothers piccolos for sale by searching the Internet.

Yes, I was aware that they used to make them, but I was speaking about the present. Thanks for the clarifying though It is a shame they don't make piccs anymore.

Brannen flutes have probably one of the top three most accurate scales as well as several innovations that make them very reliable.

But they are pricey. Very. They also make a quarter-tone capable model as well($20K!!!). I'd say they are the U.S. equivalent to Powell or maybe even a step above that - just below the small craftsman type firms.

But wow the prices are a bit silly. If you can locate one used for a reasonable price, though, seriously consider it.

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Edit - yes I know where Powell are made - it's Monday... heh.

note - I'd probably get a small maker like Landell instead since the $13K entry point on a plain basic Brannen is a bit steep.

Brannen is excellent, but the reason some don't like them is that, because they play so easily, the palette of colors is limited, although a lot of that is up to the player

I was extremely lucky to receive a gift of a silver Brannen flute this time last year.Upon going to there factory in Boston I tried many of their headjoints and picked there newer 'modified cooper' (they also have cooper and modern cooper styles) The modified has a bit more resistance and is possibly little more difficult to play than the modern cooper in the beginning but after getting used to it I can say for me it is a very colourfull headjoint(gold riser helps)and works fantastically in orchestras and solos/concertos.Everyone in our National Orchestra(I play with them occasionally) plays Brannen flutes. I LOVE them and they are well worth the investment,keeping there value and very easy to maintain.But thats just my experience of them.

Thank you all for your very interesting comments.