The flute is big. Flute: history, video, interesting facts, listen

Musical Instrument: Flute

This amazingly virtuoso instrument with a light, airy, as if "fluttering" sound, reminiscent of birds singing, belongs to the group of woodwinds. According to ancient Greek myths his invention is the merit of the son of Hephaestus - Ardal. Perhaps no other instrument has undergone such transformations and improvements. Initially, there were two varieties - transverse and longitudinal, but later the first version replaced the longitudinal one and took its rightful place in the orchestra. These two types are very different from each other not only externally, but also in the way of sound production.

history flutes and many interesting facts about this musical instrument, read on our page.

flute sound

The sound of the flute is reminiscent of magic. Amazingly beautiful sounds are born in the middle register - unusually clear, clean and transparent. It is not for nothing that the flute occupies a special place in the folklore and fairy tales of many peoples; it is often endowed with mystical properties. The melodic sound of the flute in the hands of an experienced musician can not only give aesthetic pleasure, but also simply fascinate with its expressive and penetrating music, which seems to hit us right in the heart. The soft and melodic sound of the flute can sweeten our ears, soften our hearts, evoke the kindest and brightest feelings.

A flute or a simple pipe is usually one of the first musical instruments that children may encounter, and are even able to make their own from improvised objects of a suitable shape.

It is worth saying a few words about the peculiarities of the sound of the flute.The lower register is slightly deaf, but one cannot fail to notice its softness, cordiality and spiritual penetration, and the upper row of notes sounds piercingly, with a sharp whistle.The peculiarity of the acoustics of the flute is that when playing the "piano" the pitch decreases slightly, and playing the "forte" raises the sound.

The nature of the pitch of sounds can be changed by adjusting the strength of the air stream on exhalation, and of course with the help of the valve mechanism that closes the holes on the instrument.

flute range occupies the interval from the note “Do” of the first to the note “Do” of the fourth octave.

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Interesting Facts

• An example of the largest transverse flute is an instrument created by the Indian master Bharat Sin in Jamnagar in 2014. The length of this flute was 3.62 meters. The national anthem was performed with her participation.
• Flutes are made from over a hundred different materials, including bone, wood, metal, glass, crystal, plastic, and others. There is even a flute made of chocolate on which you can play music.
• The title of the most expensive flute according to the Forbes rating belongs to an instrument created by Powell in 1939. This platinum flute is now valued at $600,000.

• The largest number of flutists in an ensemble of 3,742 members gathered in Japan on July 31, 2011 for the solemn celebration of 400 years of Hirosaki Castle.
• The longest uninterrupted performance by a flutist lasted 25 hours and 48 minutes and was achieved by Katherine Brookes in Bedworth, UK on February 17-18, 2012. Katherine repeated the 6-hour program several times, containing 92 various works, from classic to modern trends in music.
• The flute is the only orchestral instrument on which air is blown across the holes. And you should know that the flutist's air consumption is much greater than on any other wind instruments, including such a large-sized one as tuba .
• The oldest flute was discovered in Ljubljana, Slovenia, in 1998. The musical instrument, made from the bones of a cave bear, contains four holes. Paleontologists believe that this flute is 43,000 to 82,000 years old.
• The main deity of Hinduism, Krishna, is depicted with a bamboo flute. It was said that Krishna created the world through the beautiful sound of the flute, which also preaches love and freedom.

• There are 30 varieties of flute, which are produced in almost fifty countries of the world.
• The flute was played prominent figures. Leonardo Da Vinci, John II, Martin Luther, Emperor Nicholas I, Enrico Caruso, Woody Allen, M. Glinka , and many others.
• It is known that at the court of the English King Henry the Eighth V, a whole collection of flutes was collected - 72 pieces.
• US President G. Cleveland greatly appreciated his crystal flute with golden elements.
• In Vietnam, in the mountainous district of Yienthe, during the insurgent peasant movement, the flute was used not only as musical instrument but also melee weapons. They were given alarm signals and at the same time killed enemies.
• According to researchers, playing the flute has a positive effect on the intellectual development of children, immunity, and has a preventive effect on respiratory diseases.

Popular pieces for flute

I. Bach - Scherzo (Joke) from suite for flute and string orchestra No. 2 (listen)

V.A. Mozart - Concerto for flute and orchestra in G major (listen)

J. Hiber - Concerto for flute and orchestra Allegro scherzando (listen)

flute design

The transverse flute is an elongated cylindrical tube with a valve system that closes 16 holes. One end of it is closed, it has a hole where lips are applied to blow in air. Modern types flutes include a three-part structure: head, body and knee. Unlike other tools wind type, the sound of the flute is formed due to the directed air flow to the edge of the lip plate. A huge role in the correct playing technique belongs to the shape of the lips or the “ear pad”. You can subtly change the sound of the instrument by changing the degree of tension and the shape of the lips.

The overall pitch is changed by moving the head out of the body of the instrument, the more the head is extended, the lower the sound will be.

Average flute weight - 600 grams.

The modern concert great flute composes 67 cm long, and the length of the piccolo is only about 32 cm.

Flute Varieties

The transverse flute, in addition to the main large concert flute, has three main varieties: , alto and bass.

Piccolo flute- among wind instruments sounding instrument. The structure is the same as that of a great flute, the difference lies in size - it is two times shorter than an ordinary one and sounds an octave higher. The sharp tone of the piccolo flute easily overrides the sound of an entire orchestra. In the play Rimsky-Korsakov "The Tale of Tsar Saltan" she is given the theme of a squirrel chewing nuts. In the 1st act Bizet's opera "Carmen" a pair of piccolos joined the choir of boys boldly marching behind the line of soldiers.

Alto flute. They resemble an ordinary concert flute, but are somewhat larger in size and with a different structure of the valve system. The range is from "salt" of a small octave to "re" of the third octave.

bass flute- in the range from "si" of a large octave to "fa" of the second octave

Mention should also be made of much more rarely used samples - d "Amour, double bass, octobass and hyperbass.

Application and repertoire

The expressiveness of the sound of the flute attracted the attention of the greatest composers.

A. Vivaldi wrote 13 concertos for flute and orchestra. I.S. Bach, who is well aware of the technical possibilities, composed a huge number of works with the participation of the flute, his sonatas are especially beautiful, and the sparkling "Joke" and the unusually touching "Siciliana" do not leave music lovers all over the world indifferent to this day. The masterpieces of the flute repertoire include works G.F. handel , K.V. glitch, I. Haydn , W.A. Mozart, L.V. Beethoven . Charming "Melody" - the most popular solo in the opera " Orpheus and Eurydice ”demonstrated the sensuous and expressive aspect of flutes. significant place solo instrument flute received in the works V.A. Mozart . A real understanding of timbre and virtuoso capabilities was revealed by L. Beethoven, in his own way, introducing it into Symphony Orchestra, an example is the overture to the opera "Leonora".

The age of romanticism was also marked by the development of the performing skills of playing the flute. During this period, the repertoire of flute players was enriched by the masterpieces of such masters as K.M. Weber, F. Schubert , D. Rossini, G. Berlioz, C. Saint-Saens .

IN jazz one of the first to use the flute was a drummer and leader jazz orchestra Chick Webb in the late 1930s. Frank Wess was among the first noteworthy jazz flute players in the 1940s.

Jethro Tull is probably the most famous rock band regularly using a flute played by bandleader Ian Anderson. The alto flute can be heard on the Beatles' song, "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away", played by John Scott. Also on the song "Penny Lane".

Game techniques

The flute is played in a variety of ways. Often, musicians use double and triple staccato and a very effective frulato technique, which was first used in the symphony-poem "Don Quixote" by R. Strauss. In the future, the ingenuity of flutists-performers had no limits:

Multiphonics - two or more sounds are simultaneously extracted.
Whistle tones - a low whistle.
Tangram - sounds similar to clapping hands.
Jet whistle - jet whistle.

Knocking valves, playing with a thorn without sound, sounds are extracted at the same time as singing and a variety of other techniques.

History of the flute

The history of the flute takes us back to primitive times. It all started with tubes, on which they whistled at first. Now they are simply called pipes, which can be made from any suitable object, such as a pen or a cocktail pipe. Then people guessed that if holes were cut out in the tubes that could be covered with fingers, then it would be possible to perform musical works that were more complex in structure - numerous tunes and melodies.

The flute is very diverse in its functions. Initially, she was an instrument in the arsenal of shepherds who controlled animals with her, and then her status rose to such an extent that she took part in spiritual rites.

Samples of a transverse type flute appeared a very long time ago, back in ancient China, in the 9th century BC, then in India, Japan, Byzantium. In Europe, it spread only in the Middle Ages and arrived from the East. In the 17th century, the flute, which gained great popularity, was modified by the French master J. Otteter, after which it began to occupy worthy positions in instrumental ensembles and opera orchestras.

We owe the modern look of the flute to the German master and composer T. Boehm, who lived in the 19th century. He complements the flute with a system of valves and rings, placed large finger holes according to acoustic principles, and also began to use metal in production, which made it possible to enhance the brilliance of the flute's sound. Since that time, this instrument has hardly changed, and it is difficult to add something really original to a musical instrument that is concise in design, capable of introducing new features into a familiar form.

Flute for all its apparent simplicity, it not only has a rich and glorious history, but also has a uniquely wide range of uses. This is due to the fact that it belongs to one of the most ancient, if not the most ancient instruments, with which our primitive ancestors tried to create music tens of thousands of years ago. Since the Stone Age, the flute has begun to win the hearts of people, charming us with its soulful and exciting sound, which echoes not only in the heart, but also in the most deeply hidden genes inherited from our distant ancestors. A modest wooden or bone flute, lovingly carved by a master, is able to create a whole unique universe filled with continuous amazing sound that you want to listen to endlessly.

Video: listen to the flute

Flute- a common name for a number of musical wind instruments from the woodwind group. It is one of the oldest musical instruments in origin. Unlike other wind instruments, flute sounds are formed as a result of cutting the air stream on the edge, instead of using the reed. A musician who plays the flute is commonly referred to as a flutist.

Types

The head of the flute family is the Great Flute. Each of the members of this instrumental family is nothing more than a reduced or enlarged copy of it. There are the following types:

• Block flute(German: Blockflöte - a flute with a block) - a kind of longitudinal flute. This is a woodwind musical instrument from the whistle family. The design of the head part uses an insert (block). Related Instruments: flute, sopilka, whistle. The recorder differs from other similar instruments by the presence of 7 finger holes on the front side and one on the back - the so-called octave valve. The two lower holes are often made double. 8 fingers are used to close the holes when playing. To take notes, the so-called. fork fingerings (when the holes are closed not in turn, but in a complex combination). Among the varieties of the longitudinal flute, the recorder is defined as the most important. In European countries, it has been spreading since the 11th century; subsequently, the popularity of this instrument increased, as a result of which, in the period from the 16th to the 18th century, the recorder was the most actively used and frequently encountered variety of flute. The instrument is characterized by a soft, warm, cantilena (i.e. melodious) timbre, but at the same time it has limited possibilities in terms of dynamics. The recorder is often used in the musical works of such composers as J. S. Bach, A. Vivaldi, G. F. Handel, etc. Due to the fact that the sound of the recorder is rather weak, its popularity gradually decreased due to the spread of the transverse flute. However, this variety is currently enjoying some interest for several reasons; among them - the trend towards the revival of early music and the possibility of using the recorder as a teaching instrument (since the technique of playing it is relatively simple)
• transverse flute(often just a flute; Italian flauto from Latin flatus - “wind, breath”; French flûte, English flute, German Flöte) is a woodwind musical instrument of the soprano register. The pitch on the flute changes by blowing (extracting harmonic consonances with the lips), as well as by opening and closing holes with valves. Modern flutes are usually made of metal (nickel, silver, gold, platinum), less often - from wood, sometimes - from glass, plastic and other composite materials. The name is due to the fact that during the game the musician holds the instrument not in a vertical, but in a horizontal position; the mouthpiece, respectively, is located on the side. Flutes of this design appeared quite a long time ago, in the era of late antiquity and in ancient China (9th century BC). The modern stage of development of the transverse flute begins in 1832, when the German master T. Boehm improved it; over time, this variety replaced the previously popular longitudinal flute. The transverse flute is characterized by a range from the first to the fourth octave; the lower register is soft and deaf, the highest sounds, on the contrary, are piercing and whistling, and the middle and partly upper registers have a timbre that is described as gentle and melodious.
• Piccolo flute(often called simply a piccolo or small flute; Italian flauto piccolo or ottavino, French petite flûte, German kleine Flöte) is a woodwind musical instrument, a kind of transverse flute, the highest sounding instrument among wind instruments. It has a brilliant, in the forte - a piercing and whistling timbre. A small flute is half as long as an ordinary one and sounds an octave higher, and it is impossible to extract a number of low sounds on it. The piccolo range is from d² to c5 (re of the second octave - up to the fifth octave), there are also instruments that have the ability to take c² and cis². Notes for ease of reading are written an octave lower. Mechanically, the piccolo flute is arranged in the same way as a regular one (except for the absence of “D-flat” and “C” of the first octave) and, therefore, is characterized by the same performance features. Initially, within the framework of the orchestra (starting from the second half of the 18th century), the small flute was intended to amplify and extend upward the extreme octaves of the grand flute, and it was recommended to use it rather in opera or ballet than in symphonic works. This was due to the fact that in the early stages of its existence, due to insufficient improvement, the small flute was characterized by a rather sharp and somewhat rough sound, as well as a low degree of flexibility. It should also be noted that this type of flute is quite successfully combined with ringing percussion instruments and drums; in addition, the piccolo can be combined in an octave with the oboe, which also gives rise to an expressive sound.
• Syringa(Greek σῦριγξ) is an ancient Greek musical instrument, a kind of longitudinal flute. The term first occurs in Homer's Iliad (X,13). There were single-barreled syringa (σῦριγξ μονοκάλαμος) and multi-barreled syringa (σῦριγξ πολυκάλαμος); the latter was later assigned the name of Pan's flute. Russian translators traditionally render σῦριγξ with the somewhat indistinct word "pipe". Greek word served as the anatomical name for the vocal organ of birds (see syrinx). Syringa is known as a traditional wind instrument of shepherds and peasants in antiquity. This variety often appears in ancient Greek poetry; was also used for musical accompaniment stage performances, including in ancient Rome. Subsequently, the instrument also penetrated into later European folk music.
• Pan flute(panflute) - a class of woodwind instruments, a multi-barreled flute, consisting of several (2 or more) hollow tubes of various lengths. The lower ends of the tubes are closed, the upper ones are open. The name is due to the fact that in the era of antiquity the invention of this type of flute was mythologically attributed to the deity of forests and fields, Pan. When playing, the musician directs the flow of air from one end of the tubes to the other, as a result of which the air columns enclosed inside begin to oscillate, and the instrument produces a whistle of a certain height; each tube produces one basic sound, acoustic characteristics which depends on its length and diameter. Accordingly, the number and size of the pipes determine the range of the panflute. The tool may have a movable or fixed stopper; depending on this are used various ways its fine tuning.
• Di(笛, 笛子, from the old Chinese hengchui, handi - transverse flute) is an ancient Chinese wind instrument, a transverse flute with 6 playing holes. In most cases, the di stem is made of bamboo or reed, but there are di made from other types of wood and even from stone, most often jade. Di is one of the most common wind instruments in China. It is assumed that this type of flute entered the country from Central Asia in the II-I centuries BC. e. The hole for blowing air is located near the closed end of the barrel; in the immediate vicinity of the latter there is another hole, which is covered with a thin film of reeds or reeds (there is, however, a variant without a film, which is called "mandi"). For adjustment, the remaining four holes are used, which are located at the open end of the barrel. Playing on this instrument is performed in the same way as on a transverse flute. Depending on its application in works of certain genres, two types of di are distinguished: quidi and baidi.
• Irish flute(English Irish flute) - a transverse flute used to perform Irish (as well as Scottish, Breton, etc.) folk music. It is a transverse flute of the so-called. a simple system - its main 6 holes are not closed by valves; when playing, they are closed directly by the performer's fingers. The Irish flute is found in versions with valves (from one to ten), and without. Despite the appropriate name, irish flute by its origin has no direct connection with Ireland. In essence, it is an English version of a transverse wooden flute, which for quite some time extended period time was known as the "German flute"; the British subjected it to certain modifications, and the most significant of them were introduced by the English inventor and performer C. Nicholson Jr. Many classical and some modern variations on this flute include the use of metal valves and additional tone holes to achieve a partial or full chromatic scale.
• Kena(Quechua qina, Spanish quena) is a longitudinal flute used in the music of the Andean region of Latin America. Usually made from cane. It has six upper and one lower finger holes. Usually made in G tuning. The quenacho flute (quechua qinachu, Spanish quenacho) is a lower-pitched variant of the quena, in D tuning. . In most cases, the instrument was used in specific song compositions, however, individual groups, such as Illapu, for example, resorted to its capabilities regularly. Subsequently, in the 1980s and 1990s, kena was also used by rock bands such as Soda Stereo or Enanitos Verdes. The instrument is also found in ethnic music.
• Svirel- Russian wind instrument, a kind of longitudinal flute. Sometimes it can be double-barreled, with one of the trunks usually having a length of 300-350 mm, the second - 450-470 mm. At the upper end of the barrel there is a whistle device, at the bottom there are 3 side holes for changing the pitch of sounds. The barrels are tuned to each other in a quart and generally give a diatonic scale in the volume of a seventh. In addition, the flute can also be understood as an outdated wind instrument, which was characterized by a double tongue inserted into a special cup; subsequently, on its basis, by some simplification of the design (in particular, the refusal to use a cup), an oboe was developed. In this sense, the flute correlates with the bombarda, a woodwind instrument that was the forerunner of the bassoon. The flute was historically the first and smallest of its kind.
• Pyzhatka- Russian folk musical instrument, a wooden flute, traditional for the Kursk region of Russia. It is a wooden tube with a diameter of 15-25 mm and a length of 40-70 cm, at one end of which is inserted a wooden cork (“wad”) with an oblique cut that directs the blown air to the pointed edge of a small square hole (“whistles”). The term "pyzhatka" can also be considered as a synonym for the concept of a sniffle - a type of longitudinal whistle flute, which is also a traditional Russian folk wind instrument, the most ancient of those that were in circulation among the Eastern Slavs. This variety was characterized by a diatonic scale and a range of up to two octaves; by changing the strength of the air flow and using special fingering, a chromatic scale was also achievable. It is actively used by amateur groups both as a solo and as an ensemble instrument.
• whistle(from English tin whistle, literally translated “tin whistle, pipe”, pronunciation options (Russian): whistle, whistle, the first is more common) - a folk longitudinal flute with six holes on the front side, widely used in folk music Ireland, Scotland, England and some other countries. The most popular are small whistles in the key of D. They are tuned an octave higher than other wind instruments (a regular flute, for example, or bagpipes), and notes for them, respectively, are written an octave lower. However, the popularity of the so-called. low whistle - a longer modification of the instrument, which sounds approximately in the same range as a regular flute. Whistles also exist in other keys; they are defined as being transposed (that is, all whistles are considered instruments in the key of D, even if they actually sound higher or lower).
• Ocarina- an ancient wind musical instrument, a clay whistle flute. It is a small egg-shaped chamber with four to thirteen finger holes. Multi-chambered ocarinas may have more holes (depending on the number of chambers). Usually made in ceramic, but sometimes also made of plastic, wood, glass or metal.

Story

The flute is one of the oldest musical instruments official sources date its appearance 35 - 40 thousand years BC. But perhaps this amazing musical instrument is much earlier.
The prototype of the flute is an ordinary whistle, the sound in which appears when an air stream of air vibrates, which is cut against the sharp edge of a tree or other material.
The whistles were different types, they were made of clay, stone, wood. They existed among most peoples as various signaling devices, children's toys and as musical instruments.
Later, holes were cut in the whistle tube, clamping which it was possible to adjust the pitch of the sound. Chromatic frets were formed with the help of finger combinations and by closing the holes by half or a quarter. Raising the sound by an octave occurred with the help of an increase in the strength and / or direction of breathing. Gradually, the whistle tube became longer, and there were more holes. The sound range expanded, melodies and playing techniques became more complicated.
The period of the Middle Ages is characterized by the appearance of instrumental ensembles at courts. The longitudinal and transverse flutes were in fashion. During the Renaissance, Venice and Bologna made the best wind instruments. Until the end of the 16th century, performers used longitudinal flutes different sizes- treble, alto, tenor, bass. Their range ranged from 2 to 2.5 octaves. Their sound was pleasant, soft, but very weak, inexpressive, uneven in strength and not always accurate in pitch. The reason was that the playing holes were located where it is convenient to close them with your fingers, and not based on acoustic requirements. The flutes formed ensembles of 20 people.
In the 17th century, the first orchestras arose. Monteverdi in the opera "Orpheus" introduced only one small flute into the group of wind instruments of the orchestra, which played serene shepherd tunes, creating a pastoral flavor for a number of scenes. As the orchestra developed, the role of flutes increased, and in operas German composer G. Schutz, they not only accompanied singing, as in others, but enriched it, supplemented and competed with it. There is an assumption that the transverse flute originated in Germany. It was made from one piece of wood, had 6 holes covered with fingers and one for blowing air. The old German flute covered 2.5 octaves - from D first to la third. The bore was conical, tapering towards the end, so that the sound was soft, gentle, but not strong (although louder than that of the longitudinal one), and most importantly, more expressive. The lowest sound was obtained by shaking the air column in the flute tube, other shortening it, i.e. all sounds corresponded to the main holes, and intermediate "chromatic" steps were obtained using "forked fingering" or "fork grip". The drilling of the tube of the old German flute had a reverse-conical drilling, in which the largest span of the diameter fell on the "head" of the flute, and the smallest - on its "foot", i.e. the drilling tapered towards the bottom of the instrument, which made it possible to comfortably place the fingers on the surface of the flute. In England during the Renaissance, the theater orchestra used the flute in wedding scenes. Then for the first time famous English composer Purcell wrote the Flute Sonata.
The most significant works for flute at the beginning of the 12th century were created by J.S. Bach. He wrote a large number of works for the flute and with its participation. The composer perfectly knew the technique of playing the flute, its timbre and color possibilities, loved its light, silvery, singing tone. The flute sonatas of J.S. Bach, written under the influence of the famous virtuoso flutist Johann Joachim Quantz, who introduced Bach to all the techniques of playing the flute, stand out.
Working on improving the flute. Quantz made an adjusting screw for the plug of the head of the tool. In 1770, P. Florio made an additional valve, and he was so afraid that someone would find out about this that he covered this part of the flute with a case. Additional valves for the flute were invented in different times and other masters (D. Tessit in England. I. Tromlitz in Germany P. Pegersen in Denmark, etc.). This made it possible to obtain semitones, making it easier to play, but did not save the flute from the shortcomings that still exist: inaccurate intonation, uneven sound in different registers.
The 19th century became a huge laboratory for the constructive improvement of the flute, which affected the development of performance, pedagogy and repertoire. This was also facilitated by the emergence of professional orchestras in the United States and Western Europe.
The most significant figure in the field of flute playing in the 19th century was Theobald Böhm (1794-1881). A famous German musician, he toured extensively in Europe and his performances were a great success. Böhm is the author of many compositions (for example, 24 capriccio etudes) and teaching aids for flute. His musical talent combined with passion and ingenuity. Once in London, Boehm met with the English flutist W. Gorden, who impressed him with his playing. It turned out that Gorden developed a new flute design, but failed to bring it to the end. This is what Boehm did, proposing in 1832 new model equipped with ring valves. But the designer himself did not like it, because. was imperfect. Second model (1846-1847). embodied everything. what was required of the flute in terms of its acoustic, expressive and virtuoso data. Boehm made a revolution in the design: he replaced the conical bore (reverse conical drilling) with a cylindrical one, improving the quality and fidelity of sound, greatly expanding the boundaries of the instrument to three full octaves or more, positioned the playing holes in strict accordance with the acoustic calculation, made their diameter large ( on an old flute, the holes were very small), and all the holes were provided with conveniently located cymbal and ring valves, which made it possible to achieve evenness of sound and the ability to more easily perform various complex gamma-shaped and arpeggiated passages, trills, tremolo. Now, by closing one valve, you can open the auxiliary port at the same time. A complex system of valves made it possible to close several holes at once by pressing the lever of one valve. Boehm based his calculations not on the convenience of the arrangement of holes and valves, but on the “acoustic principles of better resonance”, precisely setting the scale (the ratio of the length to the diameter of the tube). The performer's finger now did not completely cover the holes, which resulted in an ingenious system of valves so conveniently located that it was possible to cope with the most difficult technical formations.
Although until now the flute has not been freed from some annoying flaws in its device, due to only partial use of the proposals of outstanding master flute players. But these shortcomings are not so significant - a few unexecutable trills and especially difficult moves. Supporters of the old German flute complained that the Böhm flute destroyed the beauty of sound inherent in the old flute (and this is partly true). But the sound of the Boehm flute is fuller, juicier, rounder, the most complex technical patterns are accessible to it, which it overcomes with amazing ease and outward lightness. Its sound is crystal clear, melodious, but cold. As a result of all the improvements, the flute received even greater recognition from the largest composers, enriching their work, decorating orchestral scores with new timbre colors.
The main ways of development of the history of performance determined famous works for flute G. Faure ("Fantasy"). S. Shaminad ("Concertino"), A. Dvorak ("Serenade") and others.

The flute is a truly amazing wind musical instrument, indispensable in any orchestra. It has a long history dating back to ancient times. The first mention of this tool appeared in Greek mythology, and its inventor, according to the myth, is the son of Hephaestus Ardal. Today, centuries later, it does not lose its positions, and playing it is a whole art.

What are flutes

To date, in music world there are a large number various kinds this amazing musical instrument. Moreover, many peoples have their own variety, and sometimes more than one. However, if you collect and structure all the views, you can distinguish two main types - longitudinal and transverse. The first of them - longitudinal - the musician usually holds straight in front of him. Longitudinal flutes can be open or whistle. In the first case, air is blown obliquely into the open hole from above. In the second case, a whistle device is additionally installed in the inlet.
Perhaps more familiar to us is transverse flutes. They are used in classical orchestras. By tradition, they belong to woodwind instruments, because they were originally made from wood. Of course, in our time they are made mainly of metal, and in some cases of ceramics or glass. Valves, which appeared on the transverse flute as early as 1832, help control the pitch. The transverse is also valued due to its great possibilities for virtuosic performance of even the most complex works V fast pace: trills, arpeggios, etc. A multifaceted game is achieved thanks to the richness of timbre, a large range and various shades of sound.

What flutes are played by professionals and beginners

How to understand all the variety of flutes and make for yourself right choice? It all depends on your skills and musical style, for which you will need this tool. So, for example, simple and light classical music sounds great on one of the simplest varieties of this musical instrument. Its timbre is quite simple, its range is about two. That is why it is an excellent choice for beginners. orchestral flute with a range from the first to the fourth octave - the instrument is already more complex and copes well with both classical music, so with modern styles- rock or jazz. The material from which the instrument is made also affects the characteristics of the sound. So, metal modifications have a more sonorous, piercing and clear sound, while models made, for example, from reed, are characterized by a more “empty” and low sound, poor in overtones.

It is also important to know how the range of a flute is determined. It primarily depends on the length and diameter of the instrument: the larger these figures, the greater the air consumption during performance and the lower the extracted sound.
Today, there are several leading manufacturers of flutes in the musical instrument market. Among them are BRAHNER, Maxtone, Flight, Yamaha and HOHNER. You can trust these brands and be sure of the quality of the musical instruments they produce. See here for more details -

In folk, and then in professional music, many more varieties of flutes are used. Get to know some of them and listen to their great sound.

or small flute; (Italian flauto piccolo or ottavino, French petite flûte, German kleine Flöte) is a kind of transverse flute, the highest sounding instrument among wind instruments. It has a brilliant, in the forte - a piercing and whistling timbre. A small flute is half as long as an ordinary one and sounds an octave higher, and it is impossible to extract a number of low sounds on it.

- an ancient Greek musical instrument, a kind of longitudinal flute. The term first occurs in Homer's Iliad (X,13). There were single-barreled and multi-barreled syringas.

The latter was later assigned the name of Pan's flute.

(panflute) - a class of woodwind instruments, a multi-barreled flute, consisting of several (2 or more) hollow tubes of various lengths. The lower ends of the tubes are closed, the upper ones are open.
The name is due to the fact that in the era of antiquity the invention of this type of flute was mythologically attributed to the deity of forests and fields, Pan.

Di(from the old Chinese hengchui, handi - transverse flute) - an old Chinese wind instrument with 6 playing holes. In most cases, the di stem is made of bamboo or reed, but there are di made from other types of wood and even from stone, most often jade. Di is one of the most common wind instruments in China.

(English Irish flute) - a transverse flute used to perform Irish (as well as Scottish, Breton, etc.) folk music. The Irish flute is found in versions with valves (from one to ten), and without. Despite the appropriate name, the Irish flute has no direct connection with Ireland in its origin. In essence, it is an English modification of the transverse wooden flute, which for quite a long time was known as the "German flute".

(Quechua qina, Spanish quena) is a longitudinal flute used in the music of the Andean region of Latin America. Usually made from cane. It has six upper and one lower finger holes. In the 1960s and 1970s, kena was actively used by some musicians who worked within the nueva canción direction.

- Russian wind instrument, a kind of longitudinal flute. Sometimes it can be double-barreled, with one of the barrels usually having a length of 300-350 mm, the second - 450-470 mm. At the top end of the barrel there is a whistle device, at the bottom there are 3 side holes for changing the pitch of sounds. The barrels are tuned to each other in a quart and generally give a diatonic scale in the volume of a seventh.

- Russian folk musical instrument, wooden flute. It is a wooden tube with a diameter of 15-25 mm and a length of 40-70 cm, at one end of which a wooden cork ("wad") is inserted.

- a kind of longitudinal whistle flute, which is also a traditional Russian folk wind instrument, the most ancient of those that were in circulation among the Eastern Slavs. This variety was characterized by a diatonic scale and a range of up to two octaves. It is actively used by amateur groups both as a solo and as an ensemble instrument.

(from English tin whistle, literally translated “tin whistle, pipe”, pronunciation options (Russian): whistle, whistle, the first is more common) - a folk longitudinal flute with six holes on the front side, widely used in the folk music of Ireland, Scotland, England and some other countries.