A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Gordon, W.

GORDON, W., a Swiss of English descent, born about the end of the 18th century. In his youth he studied music as an amateur, and was a pupil of Drouet, the celebrated flutist. After the fall of the first French Empire he obtained a captain's commission in one of the regiments of Swiss Guards in Paris. In 1826 he began his improvements in the construction of the flute. The Swiss Guards being disbanded after the revolution of 1830, Gordon devoted his whole attention to his favourite object. In 1833 he went to Munich, where he had some flutes made on a novel plan. He circulated prospectuses of his invention in Germany, Paris, and London. He came to London in the hope of finding a large demand for his instruments, but was doomed to disappointment, and returned to Lausanne. In 1836 he became deranged, and (with the exception of a short interval in 1839) remained so until his death. His modifications were carried out by Boehm, and resulted in the flute which bears that name. [Boehm; Flute, 536b.]

[ W. H. H. ]