Bassflöte

As Printed on a Score

Labels the bass flute in German scores, abbreviated Bassfl.; the older orthography is Baßflöte. The bass flute in C is written in treble clef an octave above the sound. Be careful with older English scores, where “bass flute” meant the flute in G, today’s Altflöte.

Abbreviations: Bassfl.

Also spelled: Baßflöte

How Composers Use It

The flute in C an octave below the concert flute, down to C3: soft, hollow and breathy, best in sustained, slow lines over very light accompaniment, and often amplified in an orchestral setting. It is a modern color, more common in new music and film scores than in the standard orchestra. Check that a player and instrument are available, and avoid fast articulation on its lowest notes, which speak slowly.

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