Thursday, December 24, 2009

Historical Elements Of The Flute

The flute is the oldest musical instrument to be firmly dated. The flute's earliest probable history dates back to approximately 900 B.C. They are the earliest known musical instruments and is one among the three celebrated musical instruments of India (the other two are veena and mridanga).

Flutes are of different kinds and their lengths and number of holes vary. Flutes in the baroque and early classical periods had few keys. It is a musical instrument of the woodwind group and has also always been an essential part of Indian culture and mythology. The cross flute, believed by several accounts, to originate in India as Indian literature from 1500 BCE has made vague references to the cross flute.

It made it's first appearance in Europe after having been a favorite instrument in India and China. Todays flute, thanks to Boehm, born in 1794, the son of a goldsmith, is responsible for the flute of today.

The flute is made in the form of an open cylindrical air column about 66 cm long and has a series of 16 openings in the tube wall, 11 of which can be closed directly by seven fingers and one by the left thumb.

The flute can usually be disassembled into three sections: the head joint (which includes the mouthpiece), the middle joint, and the foot joint. The flute family is also the most widespread aerophone family, with representatives in more Non-Western music traditions around the world than any other non-percussion instrument.

The instrument is held in a horizontal position with a slight downward inclination. It is played parallel to the ground on the right side of the musician. The flute is the only woodwind instrument held crosswise, parallel to the shoulders.

It is also a very versatile musical instrument, it can play solo or be responsible for carrying the melody. The flute family is a large family of instruments that includes widely-recognized instruments such as the orchestral flute and piccolo, panpipes, and recorders, as well as unusual instruments such as nose flutes and ocarinas.

The flute dropped the name 'transverse' when it became the universally used instrument of its family in orchestras, chamber ensembles and for solo works. The flute sound has fewer types of harmonic vibration than almost any other instrument, and this is the main factor in the production of its distinctive tone.

The flute, a woodwind, is atypically a metal instrument. It can be found in orchestras sharing melodies with the violin, but the flute will always be a solo instrument at its best. It is the smallest and highest pitched beginning band instrument.

It is also a member of the wind ensemble, woodwind ensemble, and the woodwind quintet, in which it performs along with clarinet, oboe, bassoon, and French horn. The flutes are the oldest category of woodwind instrument. It is sometimes called a woodwind and sometimes called a brass instrument.
Author: JacSan Records

Jackie Spivey is the Author of this Article. He is an artist who has a very creative, eclectic collection of music that is available for your listening pleasure. You can listen to and/or download his songs at JacSan Records.

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