A popular form of Duct flute, inexpensive and easy to play, which is mostly used for traditional music. It has six finger-holes; the mouthpiece either has an inset wooden block or is made entirely of plastic. It has a compass of two octaves and three notes. It is usually made in the key of D, but whistles in other keys are also produced. It is essentially a diatonic instrument, although accidentals may be obtained by partially covering the finger-holes. The name ‘tin whistle’ is largely a misnomer. The Clarke Pennywhistle and ‘Sweetone’ are the only types actually made of tinplate. In the late 1970s the Shaw Co. (who originally made bagpipes) began making copies of the Clarke Pennywhistle using nickel silver instead of tinplate. Both the Clarke and Shaw instruments have wooden blocks and conical bores. Several other makes are available but all have cylindrical bores, made in a variety of other materials and with plastic mouthpieces. Some of these are erroneously called pennywhistles or tin whistles, but most are called whistles or flageolets. The conical types have a robust tone as well as the bite and responsiveness called ‘chiff’ by organ builders. The conical shape of the bore gives a flute-like quality, especially in the lower octave. Cylindrical instruments have a lighter, relatively clear tone.
The whistle’s popularity owes much to its use in Irish traditional music. Irish players have incorporated traditional pipers’ ornaments (cuts, rolls etc.) into their playing to give it its characteristic style. A recent low whistle, pitched in D, has a particularly warm tonal quality, which is especially effective for playing slow airs. Whistle playing has been taken up in France, Germany, Italy, Hungary, the Netherlands, Spain, Australia, Hong Kong and the USA by those who enjoy Irish music. The Clarke Co. exports instruments to all those countries. Its popularity in the USA is probably due to the influx of Irish emigrants during and after the potato famine; Clarke Pennywhistles were being sold in Ireland in the 19th century and would certainly have been taken by emigrants to the USA. The whistle has also been adopted in parts of Africa, especially by players of kwela music (see Kwela).
For bibliography see Pennywhistle.
NORMAN DANNATT