Woodwinds · Edge-blown · Flute family
Flute
Non-transposing: written pitch is concert pitch.
Quick facts
| Family | Woodwinds — Edge-blown |
|---|---|
| Hornbostel–Sachs | 421.121.12 |
| Pitched in | C |
| Transposition | Sounds as written (non-transposing) |
| Written range | C4 – C7 |
| Sounding range | C4 – C7 (261.63 – 2093 Hz) |
| Clef | Treble |
| Inventor | Theobald Boehm |
| Origin | Germany |
| Other names | Boehm flute, C flute, Querflöte (Böhmflöte), concert flute, flauta de concierto, flûte traversière, silver flute |
Player's notes
- Non-transposing: written pitch is concert pitch.
- An open cylindrical tube with a parabolic head-joint taper; overblows at the octave.
- A B-foot extends the range to B3 and adds the 'gizmo' key for a cleaner C7.
- Theobald Boehm's 1847 design still defines the modern instrument.
About the flute
The Western concert flute can refer to the common C concert flute or to the family of transverse (side-blown) flutes to which the C flute belongs. Almost all are made of metal or wood, or a combination of the two. A musician who plays the flute is often called a "flautist" in British English and a "flutist" in American English.
This type of flute is used in many ensembles, including concert bands, military bands, marching bands, orchestras, flute ensembles, and occasionally jazz combos and big bands. Other flutes in this family include the piccolo, the alto flute, and the bass flute. A large repertory of works has been composed for flute.
Text adapted from the Wikipedia article “Western concert flute”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Listen
Recordings from Wikimedia Commons, found via Openverse.
Notable repertoire
- Piano Concerto No. 15 — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1784)
- Turandot — Giacomo Puccini (1921)
- Piano Concerto No. 4 — Sergei Prokofiev
- Symphony No. 4 — Franz Schubert (1816)
- Le merle noir — Olivier Messiaen (1951)
- Youth — Leoš Janáček (1924)
- Serenade No. 9 — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Adagio in E for Violin and Orchestra — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1776)
- Partita in A minor for solo flute — Johann Sebastian Bach
- Iron Foundry — Alexander Mosolov (1926)
- Wind Quintet — Arnold Schoenberg (1924)
- Flute Sonata — Francis Poulenc (1956)
Frequently asked questions
What is the range of the flute?
The practical written range of the flute is C4 to C7, which sounds C4 to C7 (261.6 Hz to 2093 Hz at A4 = 440 Hz).
Is the flute a transposing instrument?
No. The flute sounds at written pitch (concert pitch).
What clef does the flute read?
The flute reads treble clef.
How is the flute classified?
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system the flute is classified as 421.121.12.
Historic examples in museums
Museum →
Walking-Stick Flute/Oboeca. 1750–57 · The Met
End-blown Flute (Hitoyogiri)late 1800s · Cleveland Museum of Art
Courting flute (siyotanka)ca. 1850–1900 · The Met
Piccolo Banjo1870–80 · The Met
Transverse Flutelate 19th century · The Met
Flutelate 19th century · The Met
Flutelate 19th century · The Met
Flutelate 19th century · The Met 
