FLUTE

History:
The flute can be traced to China in the 9th century BC and by the late 12th century it appeared in Europe. In 1831 Boehm, who was a goldsmith together with flautists, designed a new system of key mechanisms giving the players greater dexterity and consistency of tone. The Boehm system is still used on the modern flute.

Technique:
The flute is unique in the Woodwind Family as it does not use a reed to produce its tone but rather, is a side blown instrument. The tone is produced by blowing air across a hole in the head joint. This is the same principle as blowing air across the top of a bottle.

Scoring:
In the orchestral score, the flute part is at the head (except when there is a piccolo part this appears first). Orchestral music usually requires two flutes.

PICCOLO

History:
The piccolo first appeared in the orchestra in the 18th century and like the flute benefited from the development of the Boehm system.

Technique:
Like the flute the piccolo is unique in the Woodwind Family as it does not use a reed to produce its tone but rather, is a side blown instrument. The tone is produced by blowing air across a hole in the head joint. This is the same principle as blowing air across the top of a bottle.

Scoring:
In the orchestral score, the piccolo part appears at the head, above flutes. In orchestral music usually only one piccolo is required.

OBOE

History:
A double reed instrument developed from the ancient shaum, it was very basic with only two or three keys. The oboe was named from the French hautbois meaning "high wood". It became very popular in England during the 17th century through composers like Purcell.

Technique:
The player blows through the opening between the reeds, applying pressure so that the reeds vibrate together. A system of keys operated by the fingers alters the pitch.

Scoring:
As its tuning is the least variable, the oboe is used to give the pitch to which the band tunes to before a performance.

COR ANGLAIS

History:
English composer Purcell used the tenor oboe during the 17th century and it became known as the English horn or cor anglais, although it is neither a horn nor English! Confusion may have arisen with the word angle, meaning bent and referring to the mouthpiece.

Technique:
The player blows through the opening between the reeds, applying pressure so that the reeds vibrate together. A system of keys operated by the fingers alters the pitch. Its sound has a plaintive quality.

Scoring:

CLARINET

Construction:
CLARINET
Now usually made of African blackwood or ebonite the clarinet has three distinct registers, each producing a unique sound- low register, mellow and smooth:- middle register, clear and bell-like- high register, can be shrill and piercing A single reed is attached to the mouthpiece of this instrument by a ligature.
BASS CLARINET
The bass clarinet also has a single reed but sounds an octave lower than the Clarinet. It has a crook and a larger reed is attached to the mouthpiece of this instrument by a bore and bell than that of the clarinet.

History:
The clarinet developed from an earlier instrument, the chalumeau, which dates back to the 15th century. It joined the orchestra in the late 18th century. The entire clarinet family ranges from soprano (E flat) to contrabass. The most commonly heard in the orchestra are the B flat, A and bass clarinets. The other clarinets are the High Eb Clarinet, High D Clarinet, Alto Clarinet - in Eb & F, and the Contrabass Clarinet. There are also three obscure modern instruments related to the clarinet family due to possessing a single reed and they are the Clarina, the Heckelclarina or Heckelclarinette, and the Holztrompete.

Technique:
When the player blows into the mouthpiece the air makes the reed vibrate, this in turn makes the tube vibrate to produce a sound. A system of keys operated by the fingers, alters the pitch.

SAX

History:
While experimenting in 1840 with mixing a clarinet with a metal tube, Adolphe Sax a Belgian who lived in Paris, invented the concept of the saxophone. Sax developed a family of 8 saxophones, ranging from the sopranino to contrabass.

Technique:
The technique used on the saxophone is very similar to the clarinet. When the player blows into the mouthpiece the air makes the reed vibrate. A system of keys operated by the fingers, alters the pitch.

BASSOON

History:
The bassoon evolved from two ancient instruments, the curtal and the racket. The German instrument maker, Heckel designed a key system that allows the player to leap between high and low notes very quickly. Early contrabassoons were used in Handel's Fireworks Music, but it remained a military band instrument until Beethoven's Fifth and Ninth Symphonies where it boosts the sound of the double basses. Mahler and other 20th century composers used the contrabassoon to great effect.

Technique:
The player blows between the double reed that is much wider than the Oboe's. A system of keys are operated by the fingers to alter the pitch. To support the Bassoon, the player uses a sling or seat strap. The Contrabassoon rests on the floor between the player's legs.