FLUTE (OF. fleiite, flaiitc,lt. //auto, from OF. Hubne•, to play the flute, from Lat. fhdas, blast, from pare, to blow; connected with 011G.
(ler. When, AS. bluwan, Eng. blow). one of the oldest wind instruments, well knOWII to tin' ancient Greeks and Ilehrews. It has a soft and pleasant quality of tone, is an important instrument in orchestral music, and, in consequence of its easy treatment, is much in favor with amateurs. The flute is commonly made of boxwood or ebony, but sometimes of ivory or silver. Its form is that of a taper tube, made in four pieces. with six holes for the fingers, and with from 1 to 1-1 keys, which cover or open other holes. The sound is produced by blowing into the embouchure, an oval kind of hole at one side of the thick end, so that the air in its passage from the mouth is broken against the opposite edge of the hole, which causes the column of air inside the tube to vi brate. The notes of the gamut are produced by
the opening or shutting of the holes by the fingers of both hands. The compass of the flute is from b to el.
In the modern orchestra there are always two, and often three flutes. When three are required, the third flute is generally the small flute or piec0/0 (q•v.). Its tones are very shrill and can be employed effectively only in fortissimo passages. Before Bain had perfected the modern flute the flute a bee was used extensively. This instro merit had a mouthpiece like the clarinet, and was played in a vertical position. (See FLAGEo LET.) If in scores written before the middle of the eirlyteenth century the name flu occurs, it is always the tlfite it bee that is meant.