The flute comes in four main varieties that form a family: the flute proper (or large flute), the small flute (piccolo flute), the alto flute, and the bass flute. Also existing, but much less commonly used, are the large E-flat flute (Cuban music, Latin American jazz), the octobass flute (contemporary music and flute orchestra) and the hyperbass flute. Flutes of a lower range also exist as prototypes.

A large flute has a straight head, but there are also curved heads - on children's instruments, as well as on alto and bass flutes, to make the instrument more comfortable to hold. The head can be made of various materials and their combinations - nickel, wood, silver, gold, platinum. The head of a modern flute, in contrast to the body of the instrument, is not cylindrical, but conical-parabolic in shape. At the left end inside the head there is a plug, the position of which affects the overall action of the instrument and should be checked regularly (usually using the opposite end of a cleaning rod). The shape of the head bore, the shape and bend of the jaws have a great influence on the sound of the entire instrument. Often performers use sockets from a different manufacturer than the main instrument manufacturer. Some flute manufacturers - like Lafin or Faulisi - specialize exclusively in the manufacture of flute heads.

The range of the flute (large flute) is more than three octaves: from h or c 1 (B small octave or C first) to c 4 (up to fourth) and higher. Playing higher notes seems difficult, but there are pieces that use the notes “D” and “E” of the fourth octave. Notes are written in treble clef according to their actual sound. The timbre is clear and transparent in the middle register, hissing in the lower register and somewhat harsh in the upper register. The flute is available in a wide variety of techniques, and is often assigned orchestral solos. It is used in symphony and brass orchestras, and also, along with the clarinet, more often than other woodwinds, in chamber ensembles. A symphony orchestra uses from one to five flutes, most often two or three, and one of them (usually the last in number) can be changed during performance to a small or alto flute.

The structure of the flute body can be of two types: "inline" - when all the valves form one line, and "offset" - when the salt valve protrudes. There are also two types of valves - closed (without resonators) and open (with resonators). Open valves are most widespread because they have several advantages over closed ones: the flutist can feel the speed of the air stream and the resonance of the sound under his fingers; with the help of open valves, intonation can be adjusted, and when performing modern music, it is practically impossible to do without them.

For children's or small hands, there are plastic plugs that, if necessary, can temporarily close all or some of the valves on the instrument.

There are two types of knee that can be used on a large flute: a C knee or a B knee. On a flute with a knee of C, the lower sound is up to the first octave, on flutes with a knee of B - B of the small octave, respectively. The B knee affects the sound of the third octave of the instrument, and also makes the instrument slightly heavier in weight. On the B knee there is a “gizmo” lever, which must additionally be used in fingerings up to the fourth octave.

Many flutes have what is called an E action. It was invented at the beginning of the 20th century simultaneously, independently of each other, by the German master Emil von Rittershausen and the French master Jalma Julio in order to make it easier to play and improve the intonation of the E note of the third octave. Many professional flutists do not use the E-mechanics, since good mastery of the instrument allows them to easily play this sound without its help. There are also alternatives to the mi-mechanics - a plate covering half of the internal hole (the second paired) solenoid valve, developed by Powell, as well as a reduced-size double solenoid valve, developed by Sankyo (not widely used mainly due to aesthetic reasons). On German system flutes, the E-mechanics are not functionally required (the paired G valves are initially separated).

According to the method of sound production, the flute is classified as a labial instrument. The flutist blows a stream of air onto the leading edge of the embouchure hole. The air flow from the musician's lips crosses the open embouchure hole and hits its outer edge. Thus, the air stream is divided approximately in half: into the instrument and out. Some of the air that gets inside the instrument creates a sound wave (compression wave) inside the flute, spreads to the open valve and partially returns back, causing the tube to resonate. Part of the air that gets outside the instrument causes light overtones such as wind noise, which, when staged correctly, are audible only to the performer himself, but become indistinguishable at a distance of several meters. The pitch of the sound is changed by changing the speed and direction of air supply from the support (abdominal muscles) and lips, as well as fingering.

Due to its acoustic properties, the flute tends to be lower in pitch when played on the piano (especially in the lower register) and higher in pitch when played on the forte (especially in the upper register). The temperature of the room also affects intonation - lower temperatures lower the tuning of the instrument, higher temperatures, respectively, increase it.

The instrument is tuned by extending the head from the body of the instrument (the more you extend the head, the longer and, accordingly, lower the instrument becomes). This method of tuning has its disadvantages compared to stringed or keyboard instruments - when the head is extended, the relationship between the holes of the instrument is upset and the octaves stop building with each other. When the head is extended more than a centimeter (which lowers the tuning of the instrument by almost a semitone), the sound of the flute changes timbre and becomes similar to the sound of wooden baroque instruments.

The flute is one of the most virtuosic and technically agile instruments from the wind group. Her performance is characterized by gamma-shaped passages at a fast tempo, arpeggios, and jumps at wide intervals. Less often, the flute is assigned to long cantilena episodes, since the breath on it is consumed faster than on other woodwinds. Trills sound good throughout the entire range (with the exception of a few trills at the lowest sounds). The weak point of the instrument is its relatively small dynamic range - the difference between piano and forte in the first and second octaves is about 25 dB, in the upper register no more than 10 dB. Flutists compensate for this deficiency by changing the colors of the timbre, as well as by other means of musical expressiveness. The range of the instrument is divided into three registers: lower, middle and upper. The lower register is relatively easy to play piano and legato, but forte and staccato require mature skill. The middle register is the least rich in overtones, often sounds dull, and therefore is rarely used for cantilena-type melodies. It is easy to play the forte in the upper register; mastering the piano in the third octave requires several years of training on the instrument. Starting from the fourth octave to sharp, quiet production of sounds becomes impossible.

The color of the timbre and the beauty of the sound on the flute depend on many factors in the performance and skill of the performer - an open throat, a sufficiently open hole in the head of the instrument (usually 2/3), the correct position of the head of the instrument in relation to the lips, the exact direction of the air stream, plays an important role. as well as skillful control of the amount and speed of air supply using the “support” (a set of abdominal muscles, part of the intercostal muscles and part of the back muscles that affect the work of the diaphragm).

The flute has a wide range of playing techniques. Double (syllables tu-ku) and triple (syllables tu-ku-tu tu-ku-tu) staccato is used throughout. Since the late 19th - early 20th centuries, the frulato technique has been used for special effects - playing an instrument simultaneously with the pronunciation of a sound, such as "trr" using the tip of the tongue or throat. The frulato technique was first used by Richard Strauss in the symphonic poem Don Quixote (1896 - 1897).

In the 20th century, many additional techniques and techniques were invented:

Multiphonics - extracting two or more sounds simultaneously using special fingerings. There are special tables of multiphonics to help composers and performers, for example, in the books of Pierre Yves Artaud or Robert Dick.

Whistle tones - resembles a quiet whistle. It is produced with the embouchure completely relaxed and the stream directed over the place where the desired sound is usually found.

"Tangram" is a short sound resembling a clap. It is extracted when the embouchure of the instrument is completely closed with the lips using a quick movement of the tongue. It sounds a major seventh lower than the fingering used by the performer.

"Jet whistle" is a sounding stream of air (without sound), quickly changing pitch from top to bottom or bottom to top, depending on the composer's instructions. It is extracted when the embouchure of the instrument is completely closed with the lips, with a strong exhalation and pronunciation of a syllable similar to “fuit”.

There are other methods of modern techniques - knocking with valves, playing with one tenon without sound, singing at the same time as producing sound, and others.

(Italian - flauto, French - flute, German - Flote, English - flute)

The flute is one of the most ancient wind instruments. Its predecessors appeared during the period of primitive society. Instruments were made from shells, bone or reed pipes. There were both longitudinal and transverse (oblique) flutes.

In longitudinal flutes, air was sent directly into the open part of the barrel, while transverse ones had a special hole for sending air, which was located on the side, which determined the horizontal position of the instrument during performance.

An important step in the evolution of the flute was the invention of playing holes. At first, the holes appeared in the lower part of the instrument, at the bell, then, as their number increased, they were located upward along the tube. Among the most ancient instruments there were already flutes with 4 and even 5 playing holes. The sound production mechanism has also gradually improved. A sharpened edge of the barrel appeared on the longitudinal flutes, then a whistle device appeared. The beak-shaped tip made it much easier to produce sound: more comfortable for the lips, it at the same time formed a narrow slit, which made it possible to accurately direct air to the edge of the cross-section of the outer side of the instrument.

The flute became most widespread in Europe in the Middle Ages. The longitudinal straight flute with a beak-shaped tip was the predecessor of the German Schnabelflote (Blockflote), Schwegel and Ruspfeif. The double longitudinal flute (Doppel-Blockflote), consisting of two parallel barrels with a single sound production mechanism - a whistle device, was also popular. The Pan flute was used in folk music practice.

Germany became the European birthplace of the flute, which is why it received the name German. The instrument was a cylindrical beech tube with a hole for sending air on the upper side and 6 playing holes. The narrow bore bore facilitated sound production and added brightness to the timbre of the instrument. The transverse flute was used in folk music; later it became one of the favorite instruments of the Minnesingers (German medieval poet-singers) and military musicians.

At the end of the 16th century. The barrel of the transverse flute was given a conical shape to achieve cleaner intonation and ease of sound production. The flute head began to be made movable, which made it possible to adjust the tuning of the instrument.

In the second half of the 17th century. The barrel channel of the transverse flute received a reverse-conical shape, which significantly improved the timbre of the instrument. The flute barrel began to be made of three parts. This made it possible to adjust the component parts when adjusting the tuning.

Due to improvements, the transverse flute at the end of the 17th century. began to displace at the end of the 18th century. finally replaced the longitudinal one from the orchestra. The advantage of the transverse flute was also due to the fact that it had a different sound character in different registers. The longitudinal flute had a gentle but monotonous sound.

At the beginning of the 18th century. The design improvement of the transverse flute continues. To achieve accurate adjustment, as well as for ease of drilling the channel, the middle elbow of the tool was divided into two parts. By the middle of the century, valves F, G-sharp, B-flat and C were introduced, which made it possible to extract a complete chromatic scale on the instrument without the use of complex fingering combinations. The range of the flute was two and a half octaves (D first - A third). The invention of a ring device dates back to the same time, which made it possible, together with the ring, to close an additional adjusting hole. This ends the development of the simple (German) flute.

Since 1847, a flute designed by the German virtuoso flutist and composer Theobald Böhm, who began making instruments from metal (often silver), became widespread in Europe. The flute of its design has a cylindrical bore and a head that is more elongated than a simple flute. Precise determination of the scale length of the instrument and a significant expansion of the playing holes led to the emergence of a unique system of valves located under the fingers so conveniently that the performer could easily cope with the most difficult technical passages. These improvements made it possible to produce a strong and intonationally clear sound on the flute, as well as freely reproduce sounds of the third octave. The flute still exists in this form today.

Big flute, or simply - a flute is a cylindrical tube about 700 mm long, about 15-20 mm in diameter, made of metal or ebony. The instrument consists of three parts - the head, middle and lower parts, or two - the head and the body. There is an embouchure hole in the head, and in the lower part there is a screw with a plug for adjusting the instrument. Sound production on a flute occurs by sending a stream of air to the edge of the embouchure hole.

The sounds B minor, C and D flat of the first octave are extracted by turning on additional valves. The chromatic scale from D of the first to C-sharp of the second octave is reproduced by alternately opening the playing holes, starting from the mouth. The chromatic scale from D of the second to C-sharp of the third octave is obtained by means of octave blowing. Sounds above C-sharp of the third octave are produced using complex fingerings. The flute is a non-transposing instrument. Range and characteristics of registers (see example).

In terms of technical capabilities, the flute surpasses all other woodwind instruments. It can easily perform diatonic and chromatic scales, arpeggios, leaps and trills, and various passages in different strokes. The flute can easily perform fine staccato techniques and perform double and triple attacks of sound. A specific frullato technique is also possible. Somewhat limit the fluency of the fingers of keys with a large number of key signs. Trills are difficult to perform on the highest sounds, and on the three extreme sounds of the lower register they are generally impossible to perform.

Varieties of flute.

Piccolo(piccolo flute, Italian - flauto piccolo, French - petite fluto, German - Kleine Flote, English - piccolo). It became widespread in the second half of the 18th century. Its size is half the size of the large one. Consists of two parts - head and body. This is the highest sounding wind instrument. The small flute is notated in the treble clef and sounds an octave higher than what is written. Range and characteristics of registers (by letter, see example).

The technical data of the small flute are the same as those of the large flute, but in terms of artistic capabilities it is inferior to the main instrument. In an orchestra, the piccolo flute is most often used to extend the scale of other woodwind instruments upward and add shine to the overall sonority. It is often used as a solo instrument.

Alto flute(Italian - flauto contralto, French - fluto alto, German - Altflote, English - alto flute). It differs from the main instrument only in the slightly larger length and diameter of the tube. The fingering of the alto flute is identical to the grand flute. The alto flute is a transposing instrument (in G tuning), sounds a perfect fourth lower than written. Occasionally there is an alto flute in F, which sounds a perfect fifth below what is written. Range and characteristics of registers (by letter, see example).

The alto flute has a full, wide sound. The most beautiful and valuable is the lower register of the instrument, which, in comparison with the same register of a large flute, has a denser color. The technical capabilities are the same as those of a large flute.

Flute d'amore building la. It sounded as a minor third below the major flute and differed from the latter only in its slightly larger size. It was very popular from the middle of the 18th to the beginning of the 19th century.

Bass flute(albiziphone, Italian - flauto basso, French - flute basse, German - Bassflote, English - Basso flute). Invented at the beginning of the 20th century, but until now it has received almost no application. The instrument was designed in two types - longitudinal and transverse flutes. The tube of a bass flute is twice as long as a large one. In terms of the method of sound production and fingering, the instrument is similar to a large flute. Notated in treble clef, sounds an octave lower than written (see example).

Musical Instrument: Flute

This amazingly virtuosic instrument with a light, airy, seemingly “fluttering” sound, reminiscent of birdsong, belongs to the group of woodwinds. According to ancient Greek myths, its 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 in appearance, but also in the method of sound production.

History flutes and read many interesting facts about this musical instrument 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, pure and transparent. It is not without reason 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 a flute in the hands of an experienced musician can not only give aesthetic pleasure, but also simply enchant us with its expressive and piercing music, which seems to go straight to our hearts. The soft and melodic sound of a flute can sweeten our ears, soften our hearts, and evoke the kindest and brightest feelings.

A flute or a simple pipe, as a rule, becomes one of the very first musical instruments that children may encounter, and they are even able to make it themselves from available 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 dull, but one cannot help but notice its softness, warmth and spiritual penetration, and the upper row of notes sounds piercing, with a sharp whistle.The peculiarity of the flute's acoustics is that when playing the piano, the pitch of the sound decreases slightly, while playing the forte raises the sound.

The nature of the pitch of sounds can be changed by adjusting the strength of the air stream as you exhale, and of course, using the valve mechanism that closes the holes on the instrument.

Flute range occupies the interval from the note “C” of the first to the note “C” of the fourth octave.

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Interesting Facts

• An example of the largest transverse flute is an instrument created by Indian master Bharat Sin in Jamnagar in 2014. The length of this flute was 3.62 meters. The national anthem was sung with her participation.
• Flutes are made from more than a hundred different materials, including bone, wood, metal, glass, crystal, plastic, and others. There is even a chocolate flute that can be used to 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 flute players in an ensemble of 3,742 participants gathered in Japan on July 31, 2011, at the 400th anniversary of Hirosaki Castle.
• The longest continuous performance by a flautist lasted 25 hours 48 minutes and was achieved by Catherine Brookes in Bedworth, UK, on ​​17-18 February 2012. Catherine repeated the 6-hour program several times, containing 92 different works, from classical to contemporary music styles.
• The flute is the only orchestral instrument on which air is blown across the holes. And you should know that a flutist’s air consumption is much greater than on any other wind instruments, including such large ones 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 - 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 flutes, which are produced in almost fifty countries around the world.
• Outstanding personalities played the flute. 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 valued his crystal flute with gold elements.
• In Vietnam, in the mountainous district of Yen The, during the rebel peasant movement, the flute was used not only as a musical instrument, but also as a bladed weapon. They were given alarm signals and killed their enemies at the same time.
• According to researchers, practicing the flute has a positive effect on the intellectual development of children, immunity, and has a preventive effect against respiratory diseases.

Popular works 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. Ibert - Concerto for flute and orchestra Allegro scherzando (listen)

Flute design

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

The overall pitch of the sound is changed by extending the head from the body of the instrument; the more the head is extended, the lower the sound will be.

Average flute weight – 600 grams.

Modern concert large flute makes up 67 cm long, and the length of the piccolo is only about 32 cm.

Varieties of flute

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

Piccolo flute- among wind instruments the most sounding instrument. The structure is the same as that of a large flute, the difference lies in the size - it is half as long as an ordinary one and sounds an octave higher. The harsh tone of the piccolo flute easily drowns out the sound of an entire orchestra. In the play Rimsky-Korsakov "The Tale of Tsar Saltan" she is given the theme of a squirrel crunching nuts. In Act 1 Bizet's opera "Carmen" a pair of piccolos accompanied a chorus of boys marching boldly behind the line of soldiers.

Alto flute. They resemble an ordinary concert flute, but are slightly larger in size and with a different structure of the valve system. The range is from “G” of the small octave to “D” of the third octave.

Bass flute- in the range from “si” of the major octave to “fa” of the second octave

It is worth mentioning much more rarely used samples - d "Amour, double bass, octobass and hyperbass.

Application and repertoire

The expressive 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 technical capabilities, 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 around the world indifferent to this day. Masterpieces of the flute repertoire include works G.F. Handel , K.V. Gluck, I. Haydn , W.A. Mozart, L.V. Beethoven . The charming “Melody” is the most popular solo in the opera “ Orpheus and Eurydice ” demonstrated the sensually expressive aspect of flutes. The flute received a significant place as a solo instrument in the works of V.A. Mozart . A real understanding of timbre and virtuoso capabilities was revealed by L. Beethoven, who in his own way introduced it into the symphony orchestra; an example is the overture to the opera “Leonora”.

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

IN jazz Drummer and jazz bandleader Chick Webb was one of the first to use flutes in the late 1930s. Frank Wess was among the first notable jazz flutists in the 1940s.

Jethro Tull is probably the best known rock band to regularly use the flute, played by band leader Ian Anderson. The alto flute can be heard in the Beatles song, "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away", played by John Scott. Also in the composition "Penny Lane".

Game techniques

There are a variety of techniques used when playing the flute. Often, musicians use double and triple staccato and the very effective frulato technique, which was first used in the symphony-poem “Don Quixote” by R. Strauss. Subsequently, the ingenuity of the flutist performers had no limits:

Multiphonics - two or more sounds are produced simultaneously.
Whistle tones - soft whistle.
Tangram - sounds similar to clapping hands.
Jet whistle - jet whistle.

Knocking of valves, playing with a spike without sound, sounds produced 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, which were used to whistle at first. Nowadays they are simply called pipes, which can be made from any suitable object, such as a pen or a cocktail pipe. Then people realized that if holes were cut in the tubes that could be blocked 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 a tool in the arsenal of shepherds who used her to control animals, and then her status increased to such an extent that she took part in spiritual rites.

Samples of the transverse type flute appeared a very long time ago, back in ancient China, in the 9th century BC, then in India, Japan, and Byzantium. It spread to Europe 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 appearance 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 holes for the fingers according to acoustic principles, and also began to use metal in production, which made it possible to enhance the brilliance of the sound of the flute. Since those times, this instrument has hardly changed, and it is difficult to add something truly original to a musical instrument that is laconic 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 is also distinguished by a uniquely wide range of uses. This is due to the fact that it is 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 begins to win the hearts of people, enchanting us with its soulful and exciting sound, which reverberates 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, can create a whole unique universe filled with continuous amazing sound that you want to listen to endlessly.

Video: listen to the flute

FLUTE

Flute- a wind musical instrument from the group of wooden ones (since these instruments were originally made of wood). Unlike other wind instruments, the flute produces sounds by cutting the air stream against an edge, instead of using a reed. A musician who plays the flute is usually called a flutist.

D
the oldest form of flute seems to be whistle. Gradually, finger holes began to be cut into the whistle tubes, turning a simple whistle into a whistle flute, on which musical works could be performed.

Longitudinal flute was known in Egypt five thousand years ago, and it remains the main wind instrument throughout the Middle East. A longitudinal flute, which has 5-6 finger holes and is capable of octave blowing, provides a complete musical scale, individual intervals within which can change, forming different modes by crossing the fingers, closing the holes halfway, as well as changing the direction and force of breathing.

Transverse flute(often just a flute; Italian flauto from Latin flatus - “wind, blow”; French flûte, English flute, German Flöte) - a woodwind musical instrument of the soprano register with 5-6 finger holes was known in China at least at least 3 thousand years ago, and in India and Japan - more than two thousand years ago. In Europe during the Middle Ages, mainly simple whistle-type instruments (predecessors of the recorder and flageolet) were common, as well as the transverse flute, which penetrated into Central Europe from the East through the Balkans, where it still remains the most widespread folk instrument. The pitch of the sound on the flute changes by blowing (extracting harmonic consonances with the lips), as well as by opening and closing the holes with valves. In Greek mythology, Ardalus, the son of Hephaestus, is considered the inventor of the flute. The oldest form of flute appears to be the whistle. Gradually, finger holes began to be cut into the whistle tubes, turning a simple whistle into a whistle flute, on which musical works could be performed. The earliest depiction of a transverse flute was found on an Etruscan relief that dates back to one hundred or two hundred years BC. At that time, the transverse flute was held to the left; only an illustration to a poem from the 11th century AD first depicts the manner of holding the instrument to the right. The first archaeological finds of Occidental transverse flutes date back to the 12th-14th centuries AD. One of the earliest images from this time is contained in the encyclopedia Hortus Deliciarum. Apart from the one above-mentioned 11th-century illustration, all medieval European and Asian images show performers holding the transverse flute to the left, while ancient European images show flute players holding the instrument to the right. Therefore, it is assumed that the transverse flute temporarily fell out of use in Europe, and then returned there from Asia through the Byzantine Empire. In the Middle Ages, the transverse flute consisted of one part, sometimes two for “bass” flutes. The tool was cylindrical in shape and had 6 holes of the same diameter.

As for the longitudinal or simply flute, the syringa and aulos were also common among wind instruments of Ancient Greece.

Avlos- An ancient Greek reed wind instrument. It was a pair of separate cylindrical or conical tubes made of reed, wood, bone, later made of metal with 3-5 (later more) finger holes.

The length of the aulos varies, usually about 50 cm. It was used by professional performers to accompany solo and choral singing, dancing, during funeral and wedding ceremonies, religious, military and other rituals, as well as in the theater. The right aulos made high sounds, and the left made low sounds. This instrument was equipped with a mouthpiece and vaguely resembled an oboe. It was not easy to play, because both aulos had to be blown at the same time. The aulos was considered an instrument whose sound and viscous melody excite a person more than others and arouse passionate feelings in him. Various types of aulos (bombix, borim, kalam, gingr, niglar, elim), syringa (one-, two- and multi-tubular) and pipes (salpinga, keras and others) are known.

Syringa or syrinx (Greek συριγξ) has two meanings - the general name of the ancient Greek wind instruments (reed, wooden, flute type (longitudinal), as well as the ancient Greek shepherd's multi-barreled flute or Pan flute.

F leita pan- This is a multi-barrel flute. The instrument consists of a set of reed, bamboo and other tubes of different lengths, open at the upper end, fastened with reed strips and a rope. Each tube produces 1 main sound, the pitch of which depends on its length and diameter. consisting of several (3 or more) bamboo, reed, bone or metal. Pipes range in length from 10 to 120 cm. Large panflutes, as well as double-row ones, are played by two people. The name of the Pan Flute comes from the name of the ancient Greek god Pan, the patron saint of shepherds, who is usually depicted playing a multi-barrel flute. Pan is known for his passion for wine and fun. He is full of passionate love and pursues nymphs. One day, the goat-footed Pan fell in love with a nymph named Syringa (literally “pipe”).

Pan chased after her in order to take possession of her,

Arthur Wardle Pan Flute A maybe just confess his love. The nymph Syringa fled in fear of Pan and rushed to the Ladon River. Syringa turned to her father, the river god, with a request to save her from encroachment, and her father turned her into a reed, which made a plaintive sound when the wind blew. Pan cut that reed and made himself a pipe from it, which bore the name of the nymph, and the instrument was later called a flute. Pan is a connoisseur and judge of shepherds' competitions in playing the pipe. Pan even challenged Apollo to a competition, but was defeated by him, and King Midas, the judge of this competition, who did not appreciate Apollo, grew donkey ears as punishment. True, Apollo’s rival, according to another legend, had a different name. There is also a legend about Marcia, a satyr who picked up a flute invented and abandoned by Athena. Marsyas achieved extraordinary skill in playing the flute and, becoming proud, challenged Apollo himself to a competition. The daring rivalry ended with Apollo, playing the cithara, not only defeating Marsyas, but also skinning the unfortunate man.

R There are many types of panflute: samponya (samponyo, also known as samponi, Indian flute - single-row or double-row); Moldavian ney (nay, muskal); Russian kugikly (from “kuga” - reed), they are also kuvikly, kuvichki; Georgian larchemi (soinari); Lithuanian miss you; chipsan and polyanyas of the Komi people, in Great Britain - panpipes or pan-flute, etc. Some call the Pan flute a pipe. The popularization of the Pan flute in modern European musical culture was contributed mainly by Romanian musicians - especially those who toured widely since the mid-1970s. Gheorghe Zamfir.

Kuvikly(kugikly)- Russian version of the “Pan flute”. The Russians were the first to draw attention to the flute of Pan Gasri, who gave a very inaccurate description of it under the name flute or svirelka. Dmitryukov wrote about kuvikla in the Moscow Telegraph magazine in 1831. Throughout the 19th century. In the literature, from time to time there is evidence of playing the kuvikla, especially in the territory of the Kursk province. The area of ​​distribution of kuvikl in Rus' is located within the modern Bryansk, Kursk and Kaluga regions. Cuvikles are a set of 3-5 hollow tubes of various lengths (from 100 to 160 mm) and diameters with an open upper end and a closed lower end. This tool was usually made from the stems of kugi (reeds), reeds, bamboo, etc., with the stem knot serving as the bottom. In Russian kuvikla, each pipe has its own name. In the Kursk region, the pipes, starting from the large one, are called “guden”, “podguden”, “medium”, “pyatushka” and the smallest “pyatushka”; in other regions the names may differ. Such names allow performers to exchange remarks during the playing process, telling them how to play.

The repertoire is usually limited to dance tunes. When playing, someone sings from time to time, or more often pronounces the text. Kugikly are good when combined with other folk instruments: zhaleika, pipe, folk violin. Pan flutes are constructed differently among different peoples. Most often, the individual flute tubes are firmly attached to each other. But with samponyo they are simply connected in two rows, and any tube that fails can be easily replaced.

Earliest depiction of a transverse flute was found on an Etruscan relief that dates back to one hundred or two hundred years BC. At that time, the transverse flute was held to the left; only an illustration to a poem from the 11th century AD first depicts the manner of holding the instrument to the right. The first archaeological finds of Occidental transverse flutes date back to the 12th-14th centuries AD. One of the earliest images from this time is contained in the encyclopedia Hortus Deliciarum. Apart from the one above-mentioned 11th-century illustration, all medieval European and Asian images show performers holding the transverse flute to the left, while ancient European images show flute players holding the instrument to the right. Therefore, it is assumed that the transverse flute temporarily fell out of use in Europe, and then returned there from Asia through the Byzantine Empire. In the Middle Ages, the transverse flute consisted of one part, sometimes two for “bass” flutes. The tool was cylindrical in shape and had 6 holes of the same diameter.

François Boucher Bacchante playing the pipe 1760

During the Renaissance, the design of the flute changed little. The instrument had a range of two and a half octaves or more, which exceeded the range of most recorders of that time by an octave. Famous original Renaissance flutes are kept in the Castel Vecchio museum in Verona.

Joseph Marie Vien. Allegory of Music.

The transverse flute was used mainly in ensemble playing - flute quartets, trios for voice, flute and lute, in consorts, ricercars and other music by composers Aurelio Virgiliano, Claudio Monteverdi, Hieronymus Pretorius and others. At the end of the 17th century, the transverse flute began to be used at the French court, mainly as part of an opera orchestra (the first use was in Lully's opera Isis in 1667), and some time passed before the transverse flute gained greater popularity. At the beginning of the 18th century, more and more performers on wind instruments appeared in Germany, England, and Italy, at first mainly oboists, then flutists. In 1718 - 1719 the famous flautist and composer Joachim Quantz complained about the paucity of the repertoire for the transverse flute. Since 1700, collections of suites and pieces for solo flute and with basso continuo accompaniment by composers Jacques Hautetter, Michel de la Barre, Michel de Monteclair and others have been published in France. Beginning in 1725, sonatas and trio sonatas and other works for flute by French composers Joseph Boismortier, Michel Blavet, Jean-Marie Leclerc and others appeared. Representatives of the Italian Baroque style of this period, such as Arcangelo Corelli, Francesco Veracini, Pietro Locatelli, Giovanni Platti, wrote sonatas where the transverse flute could be replaced by a violin or recorder. In 1728, Antonio Vivaldi became the first composer to publish concertos for transverse flute, followed by G. F. Telemann, D. Tartini, and later Pierre-Gabriel Buffardin, Michel Blavet, André Grétry, C. F. E. Bach. The first major changes to the design of the flute were made by the Otteter family at the end of the 17th century. Jacques Martin Otteter divided the instrument into three parts: the head, the body (with holes that were closed directly with the fingers) and the elbow, on which, as a rule, one or more valves were located.

Subsequently, most transverse flutes of the 18th century consisted of four parts - the body of the instrument was divided in half. Otteter also changed the drilling of the instrument to a conical one to improve intonation between octaves. Possessing a more expressive sound and high technical capabilities, the transverse flute soon replaced the longitudinal flute (recorder) and by the end of the 18th century it took a strong place in the symphony orchestra and instrumental ensembles. At the end of the 18th century, more and more valves were added to the transverse flute - usually from 4 to 6 or more. Important innovations in the design of the transverse flute of that time were made by Johann Joachim Quantz and Johann Georg Tromlitz. In Mozart's time, the single-valve transverse flute was still the most common instrument design.

Adolf von Menzel Flute Concerto performed by Frederick the Great at Sansoussi 1852

An important center for the development of the flute school of that time was Berlin, where at the court of Frederick II, who himself was a flutist and an outstanding composer, the transverse flute acquired particular importance. Thanks to the monarch's undying interest in his favorite instrument, many works for transverse flute by Joachim Quantz (court composer and teacher of Friedrich), C. F. E. Bach (court harpsichordist), Franz and his son Friedrich Benda, Karl Friedrich Fasch and other.

In the second half of the 18th century, Johann Christian Bach, Ignaz Pleyel, François Devien, Johann Stamitz, Leopold Hofmann, and Franz Hofmeister wrote for the flute in the post-Baroque and early classicism styles. The masterpieces of this period include the works of W. A. ​​Mozart, who wrote the Flute Concertos in G and D major, the Concerto for flute and harp in C major, 4 quartets and several early sonatas, as well as the Serenade for flute, violin and viola by Ludwig Beethoven.

At the beginning of the 19th century, more and more valves were added to the design of the transverse flute, as music for the instrument became more and more virtuosic and additional valves made it easier to perform difficult passages. In France, the most popular was the transverse flute with 5 valves, in England with 7 or 8 valves, in Germany, Austria and Italy there were the largest number of different systems at the same time, where the number of valves could reach 14 pieces or more, and the systems were named after their inventors: “Meyer”, “Schwedler flute”, “Ziegler system” and others.

Flutist Theobald Böhm gave the transverse flute a modern look. His innovations differed from numerous others in that he prioritized acoustic research and objective sound parameters, rather than the convenience of the performer. The flute of the Boehm system did not immediately find a response among performers - in order to switch to the new system, it was necessary to completely relearn the fingering and not everyone was ready to make such a sacrifice. Many also criticized the sound of the instrument. Between 1832 and 1847 Boehm improved the instrument, which has changed relatively little since then. He introduced the following most important innovations: 1) he arranged the large finger holes in accordance with acoustic principles, and not with ease of execution; 2) equipped the tool with a system of valves and rings that helps close all holes; 3) used the cylindrical bore of the old days, but with a parabolic head, which improved intonation and equalized the sound in different registers; 4) switched to using metal to make the instrument, which, compared to a wooden instrument, increased the brilliance of the sound. In France, the instrument gained popularity faster than other countries, mainly due to the fact that the professor of the Paris Conservatory, Louis Dorus, became a dedicated popularizer and taught it at the conservatory. In Germany and Austria, the Boehm system did not take root for a very long time. Flutists passionately defended their preferences for one system or another, and numerous discussions and disputes arose about the disadvantages and advantages.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the transverse flute repertoire was replenished with works by Karl Czerny, Johann Hummel, and Ignaz Moscheles. A special place in the repertoire of this time belongs to the numerous works of Friedrich Kuhlau, who was called the flute Beethoven.

Masterpieces of the romantic style in the flute repertoire include Variations on the Theme of Dried Flowers by Franz Schubert, Sonata Ondine by Carl Reinecke, as well as his concerto for flute and orchestra (written by the composer at the beginning of the 20th century in old age). Early works for flute by Frederic Chopin and Richard Strauss are also known.

The flute repertoire of the 19th century is dominated by virtuoso salon works of composer-flautists - Jean-Louis Thulou, Giulio Briccialdi, Wilhelm Popp, Jules Demerssmann, Franz Doppler, Cesare Ciardi, Anton Fürstenau, Theobald Böhm, Joachim Andersen, Ernesto Köhler and others - written by the authors mainly for your own performances. More and more virtuoso concertos for flute and orchestra are appearing - Vilem Blodek, Saverio Mercadante, Bernard Romberg, Franz Danzi, Bernard Molik and others.

Robert Sterl Flutist in Peterhof 1908

In the 20th century, the flute became one of the most popular instruments in music. Most flutists switched to the Boehm system, although other systems were occasionally encountered until the 1930s. Most flutes were still made from wood, but metal instruments began to become increasingly popular.

Willie Was Different

The high level of performers of the French flute school, such as Paul Taffanel, Philippe Gobert, Marcel Moise, and later Jean-Pierre Rampal, makes France a flute center and a forge of masterpieces of the flute repertoire. In the first half of the 20th century, works for the flute were written by composers, representatives of French impressionism in music and their followers - Edgard Varèse, Claude Debussy, Gabriel Fauré, Henri Dutilleux, Albert Roussel, Francis Poulenc, Darius Milhaud, Jacques Ibert, Arthur Honegger, Cecile Chaminade, Lily Boulanger, Georges Yu, Eugene Bozza, Jules Mouquet, George Enescu and others.

In the second half of the 20th century, interest in transverse flutes of baroque design arose again, and many performers began to specialize in authentic performances of baroque music on original instruments.

The flute finally wins the hearts of major composers from different countries and styles, masterpieces of the flute repertoire appear one after another: sonatas for flute and piano by Sergei Prokofiev and Paul Hindemith, concertos for flute and orchestra by Carl Nielsen and Jacques Ibert, as well as other works by composers Boguslav Martinu, Frank Martin, Olivier Messiaen. Several works for flute were written by domestic composers Edison Denisov and Sofya Gubaidulina.

Flutes of the East

Di(from the Old Chinese henchui, handi - transverse flute) - an ancient Chinese wind instrument, a transverse flute with 6 playing holes.

In most cases, the trunk of the di is made of bamboo or reed, but there are di made of other types of wood and even stone, most often jade. Near the closed end of the trunk there is a hole for blowing air, next to it there is a hole covered with the thinnest reed or reed film; 4 additional holes located near the open end of the barrel serve for adjustment. The flute barrel is usually tied with thread rings coated with black varnish. The method of playing is the same as on the transverse flute.

At first it was believed that the flute was brought to China from Central Asia between 140 and 87 BC. e. However, recent archaeological excavations have unearthed bone transverse flutes dating back about 8,000 years, very similar in design to modern di (albeit without the characteristic sealed hole), supporting the hypothesis that the di was of Chinese origin. Legend has it that the Yellow Emperor ordered his dignitaries to make the first flute from bamboo.

There are two types of di: qudi (in the musical drama orchestra of the kunqu genre) and bandi (in the musical drama orchestra of the banzi genre in the northern provinces). A type of flute without a hole to be sealed is called mendi.

Shakuhachi(Chinese chi-ba) - a longitudinal bamboo flute that came to Japan from China during the Nara period (710-784). There are about 20 varieties of shakuhachi. The standard length - 1.8 Japanese feet (54.5 cm) - determined the very name of the instrument, since “shaku” means “foot” and “hachi” means “eight”. According to some researchers, the shakuhachi originates from the Egyptian sabi instrument, which traveled a long way to China through the Middle East and India. The instrument originally had 6 holes (5 in front and 1 behind). Later, apparently based on the longitudinal xiao flute, which also came from China during the Muromachi period, modified in Japan and became known as hitoyogiri (literally “one knee of bamboo”), it took on its modern form with 5 finger holes. The butt part of the madake bamboo (Phyllostachys bambusoides) is used to make shakuhachi. The average diameter of the tube is 4–5 cm, and the inside of the tube is almost cylindrical. The length varies depending on the tuning of the koto and shamisen ensemble. A difference of 3 cm gives a difference in pitch of a semitone. The standard length of 54.5 cm is used for shakuhachi playing solo compositions. To improve the sound quality, craftsmen carefully coat the inside of the bamboo tube with varnish, just like the flute used in gagaku in Noh theater. The plays of the honkyoku style of the Fuke sect (30-40 plays have survived) carry the ideas of Zen Buddhism. Honkyoku of the Kinko school uses the repertoire of fuke shakuhachi, but gives greater artistry to the manner of their performance.

P Almost simultaneously with the appearance of shakuhachi in Japan, the idea of ​​the sacredness of music played on the flute arose. Tradition connects its miraculous power with the name of Prince Shotoku Taishi (548-622). An outstanding statesman, heir to the throne, an active preacher of Buddhism, the author of historical works and the first commentaries on Buddhist sutras, he became one of the most authoritative figures in Japanese history. Thus, in written sources of the early Middle Ages it was said that when Prince Shotoku was playing the shakuhachi on the way to the temple on the mountainside, the heavenly fairies came down to the sounds of the flute and danced. The Shakuhachi from Horyuji Temple, now on permanent display at the Tokyo National Museum, is considered to be the unique instrument of Prince Shotoku that began the path of the sacred flute in Japan. Shakuhachi is also mentioned in connection with the name of the Buddhist priest Ennin (794-864), who studied Buddhism in Tang China. He introduced the shakuhachi accompaniment during the readings of the sutra dedicated to Amida Buddha. In his opinion, the voice of the flute not only embellished the prayer, but expressed its essence with greater penetration and purity. Zhukoay. Flute fairy in red

A new stage in the formation of the tradition of the sacred flute is associated with one of the most outstanding personalities of the Muromachi period, Ikkyu Sojun (1394-1481). A poet, painter, calligrapher, religious reformer, eccentric philosopher and preacher, at the end of his life the abbot of the capital's largest temple, Daitokuji, he influenced almost all areas of the cultural life of his time: from the tea ceremony and the Zen garden to Noh theater and shakuhachi music. Sound, in his opinion, played a big role in the tea ceremony: the noise of boiling water in a pot, the tapping of a whisk when whipping tea, the gurgling of water - everything was designed to create a feeling of harmony, purity, respect, silence. The same atmosphere accompanied the playing of the shakuhachi, when the human breath from the depths of the soul, passing through a simple bamboo tube, became the breath of life itself. In a collection of poems written in the classical Chinese style "Kyounshu" ("Collection of Crazy Clouds"), permeated with images of sound and music of the shakuhachi, the philosophy of sound as a means of awakening consciousness, Ikkyu writes about the shakuhachi as the pure voice of the universe: "Playing the shakuhachi, you see invisible spheres, in the whole universe there is only one song."

Around the beginning of the 17th century. Various stories about the venerable Ikkyu and the shakuhachi flute circulated. One of them told how Ikkyu, together with another monk Ichiroso, left Kyoto and settled in a hut in Uji. There they cut bamboo, made shakuhachi and played. According to another version, a certain monk named Roan lived in solitude, but was friends and communicated with Ikkyu. Worshiping the shakuhachi, producing sound with one breath, he achieved enlightenment and appropriated the name Fukedosha or Fuketsudosha (following the path of wind and holes) and was the first komuso (literally "monk of nothingness and emptiness"). The flute, which, according to legend, was played by the mentor, has become a national relic and is located in the Hoshunin Temple in Kyoto. The first information about wandering monks playing flutes dates back to the first half of the 16th century. They were called monks komo (komoso), that is, “monks of the straw mat.” In the poetic works of the 16th century. the melodies of the wanderer inseparable from the flute were likened to the wind among spring flowers, recalling the frailty of life, and the nickname komoso began to be written in hieroglyphs “ko” - emptiness, non-existence, “mo” - illusion, “co” - monk. XVII century in the history of Japanese culture became a new stage in the history of the sacred flute. The daily activities of komuso monks were centered around playing the shakuhachi. In the morning, the abbot usually played the melody "Kakureisei". It was a wake-up play to start the day. The monks gathered around the altar and sang the melody "Teka" ("Morning Song"), after which their daily services began. During the day, they alternated between playing the shakuhachi, sitting zazen meditation, practicing martial arts, and begging. In the evening, before starting zazen again, the play “Banka” (Evensong) was played. Each monk was required to go begging at least three days a month. During the last of these obediences - the pilgrimage for alms - tunes such as "Tori" ("Passage"), "Kadozuke" ("Crossroads") and "Hachigaeshi" ("Return of the Bowl" - here referring to the begging bowl) were played. ). When two komuso met on the way, they had to reproduce "Yobitake". This was a kind of call performed on the shakuhachi, which meant “Call of the Bamboo.” In response to the greeting, one had to play “Uketake,” the meaning of which is “to accept and pick up the bamboo.” On the way, wanting to stop at one of the temples of their order, scattered throughout the country, they played the play "Hirakimon" ("Opening of the Gates") in order to be admitted for the night. All ritual plays, alms begging performed on the shakuhachi, even those works that seemed more like monastic entertainment, were part of the Zen practice called suizen (sui - “blowing, playing a wind instrument”).

Among the major phenomena of Japanese music that influenced the formation of the honkyoku tonal system are the theory and musical practice of Buddhist chants shomyo, the theory and practice of gagaku, and later the traditions of ji-uta, sokyoku. XVII-XVIII centuries - time of increasing popularity of shakuhachi in the urban environment. The development of gaming technology has made it possible to play music of almost any genre on the shakuhachi. It began to be used for the performance of folk songs (mingyo), in secular ensemble music-making, by the 19th century, finally displacing the bowed instrument kokyu from the most common ensemble of that time, sankyoku (koto, shamisen, shakuhachi). Shakuhachi has varieties:

Gagaku shakuhachi is the earliest type of instrument. Tempuku - it is distinguished from the classic shakuhachi by a slightly different shape of the mouth opening. Hitoyogiri shakuhachi (or just hitoyogiri) - as its name indicates, is made from one knee of bamboo (hito - one, yo - knee, giri - pronounced kiri, cut). Fuke shakuhachi is the immediate predecessor of modern shakuhachi. Bansuri, bansuri (Bansuri) is an Indian wind instrument, there are 2 types: classical transverse and longitudinal flute, used in Northern India. Made from bamboo or reed. Usually has six holes, but there has been a tendency to use seven holes to increase flexibility and correct intonation in the high registers. Previously, bansuri was found only in folk music, but today it has become widespread in the classical music of India. A similar instrument common in South India is Venu. Z
my flute(Serpent Flut) is an Indian reed wind instrument made of two pipes (one is a bourdon, the other with 5-6 playing holes) with a resonator made of wood or dried pumpkin.

The snake flute is played in India by traveling fakirs and snake charmers. When playing, continuous, so-called permanent (chain) breathing is used.

Bleuror Gamba- Indonesian longitudinal flute with a whistle device. It is usually made of ebony, decorated with carvings (in this case in the form of a dragon), and has 6 playing holes. Used as a solo and ensemble instrument.

Malaysian flute- longitudinal flute in the shape of a dragon, with a whistle device. Made from mahogany. It is used in religious ceremonies to pacify the spirit of the dragon - a sacred creature revered in Malaysia.