For the purpose of accommodating to those keys which are most easy on other instruments, various sizes of clarinets are made ; chiefly C • and B flat, but some times they are made in D; and for the purpose of playing the upper parts of melodies, the principal performers in mi litary bands are provided with some in E flat: there being a minor third above the instruments in C, and a major fourth above those in B flat, raise the music greatly ; of course the parts are transpos ed accordingly.
The Flute is one of our most common instruments, and affords more varieties than any of the foregoing. We shall first treat of the common flute, or flute a-bec ; so called from its embouchure bearing some little resemblance to a beak. It is, by many, supposed to be of English invention, but we cannot admit such to be the case, since it appears to resemble the old calamus, or shepherd's pipe, more than any other of this species. The sound is generated by blowing through a slit into the bore ; the super. fluous wind passing out at a vent made on the top, clime to the upper end ; there are seven finger holes above, and one for each thumb below ; some have only one thumb-hole, others two small ones, like the G on a hautboy, for the purpose of making a semitone. All the flageolet tribe, which are of various sorts and sizes, belong to this species. The common flute is also made of various dimensions, thence assuming various designations of second, third, fourth, &c. according as it diminishes in size, and becomes shriller in tone. The common flute yields a very soft, agreeable sound, and is very appro priate to little artless airs ; but having very little power, is by no means adapted to join in a band. The flageolet is, how ever, introduced, on many occasions, into dramatic orchestras, and finds a place in some bands ; its very piercing notes may be at all times distinguished.
The German Flute, or Traversa, so call ed from its being placed cross-wise. When this mode of blowing the instru ment was first introduced we cannot say, for the generality of medals, statues, &c. of very ancient date, exhibit performers on the avena, common pipe, such as our English flute above described. The au letes, or Grecian flute players, and the Roman tibicines, who performed on dou ble flutes, one fingered by the right, the other by the left hand, thence called dex tre and sinistrz, all played on instruments a-bee, and not traversa. The recorder was of the same form ; and the still more antiquated monauchos was made of a horn originally, (though afterwards of wood) consequently we are to suppose it also was blown a-bec. The instrument called
the zuffolo, or, in French, the soufflet, is but a diminutive flageolet, used for teach ing birds. We may, from these premi ses, safely conclude that the German flute is a very modern invention : its name points out the quarter whence it origi nated.
In lieu of a few simple notes, such as were afforded by the avena, or oaten-straw, and by the calamus, or reed, our flutes have attained to the compass of near ly three octaves, commencing with the tenor, C, and reaching up to double B flat in alt, including every chromatic, in various degrees of intonation. Flute playing is now absolutely a science, and, properly speaking, demands some know ledge of the theory ; for to accompany well requires an acquaintance with the intended effect of particular keys, and to form an accompaniment from an arpeg gio, or other such passages as a flutist must often do at sight, includes a familia. rity with the general rules of counter point. We have now flutes with no low than eight keys. From them the various notes are formed, aided by the six holes appropriated to the regular fingering of the instrument, as originally invented ; viz. with only one key, appropriated to the little finger of the right hand. We have flutes with extra joints, patent slides, patent metallic plugs, &c. ; yet, strange to say, it is absolutely a very rare thing to hear a flute in perfect tune. The fault, however, not unfrequently lies with the performer, who should possess an excellent ear: for, though the notes are supposed to be ready made, according to the directed fingerings, yet so much de pends on his embouchure, and his man• ner of blowing, that there remains almost as much for him as for the violin player, towards producing truly correct intona tions. The sweet mellow tone of the German flute adapts it admirably to those passages requiring tender expression ; its swell renders it capable of yielding an ef ficient and a graceful holding note ; while the warbling of its shake seems to rival the feathered songster. We regret often to hear these qualities most egregiously misapplied, and, indeed, neglected, to make way for a very uncharacteristic frit tering of the notes, in hurried succession, and in a very absurd style : the promis cuous applause of a wondering audience is frequently bestowed on a performer, whose quibbles on this instrument should rather be discountenanced. What the flute can do should be reserved for solos on that instrument.