The Flute
Sheriza Mohamed
Symphonic Band Pd. 2
10/13/16
Flute Essay
The Flute
The flute. A beautiful instrument with a range of sound. As a woodwind instrument it’d be expected to be made out of actual wood or have wood somewhere inside like a reed but sure enough it’s made out of a metal. Flutes produce a sound by vibrating air when you blows air against an edge of embouchure hole on the headjoint, so it doesnt need a reed to make a sound as well as piccolos which is basically a smaller flute with an octave higher than the flute.
Fragments of a fute were found in the caves of Germany back in 2008 made from mammoth tusks. In another one of those caves a broken flute was found that was made from the wing bone of a vulture. This is the Ice Age Flute and is believed that it was made from the first people that came to Europe 35,000 to 40,000 years ago. A four-holed flute made from femur bone from a bear was also found in a cave in France.
Now, flutes are made of different types of metal. Student flutes are made of silver-plated metal such as yellow brass. Which is 70% copper and 30% zinc. This gives a flute a mellow sound.Unlike student flutes, professional flutes are made from solid silver, gold, and even platinum. The flute is in the key of C and can cover three octaves.
Sir James Galway is a well known famous flautist. He has collaborated on film soundtracks such as The Lord of the Rings. Marcel Moyse is another french famous flautist. Born on May 17, 1889 and died on November 1, 1984. He wrote several books of exercises and studies, but his main focus was on tone and romantic musical expressions.
I think everyone should try out the flute because its an amazing instrument with a sound that can be so beautiful. Of course there are