FLUTE, in music, a popular instru ment, the use of which, under various forms, may be traced to the most remote ages. Of its origin no direct account can be given. In its primitive state the flute was played like the modern flageolet, with a mouth-piece at the upper end; and from the shape of this mouth-piece, which resembled the beak of a bird, it received the name of flute a bee. In this form, with slight alterations, it continued until the beginning of the 18th century, when it was gradually superseded by the flauto traverso, or transverse flute, so called from its being blown at the side, and con sequently held in a horizontal position. At its introduction this instrument was about 18 inches in length, and had but one key. Shortly after, a movable head joint was invented, its length being in creased, and more keys added, some flutes at the present time having more than a dozen keys, and a few less than six. By means of these they are able to execute any music, however chromatic, if within their compass, which extends from C below the treble to C in altissimo.
In December, 1832, a flute of an entirely new construction was invented by Mr. Bcehm, of Munich. It, however, remained in obscurity until 1837, when it was adopted and introduced to the French professors by Mr. Cadmus; but they con sidered its adoption would be attended with too much trouble, in consequence of its having an open G-sharp key. This, however, was soon afterward remedied by Mr. Dorus, who put a shut G-sharp key in its place. It now became univer sally adopted.
In architecture, an upright channel on the shaft of a column, usually ending hemispherically at the top and bottom. Their plane or horizontal section is some times semicircular, or segmental, or ellip tical, as in some examples of Grecian architecture. The Doric column has 20 flutes round its circumference; the Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite have respec tively 24.