Flûte

As Printed on a Score

Flûte (plural Flûtes) labels the flute staff in French scores, abbreviated Fl. When flute and piccolo must be told apart, French scores say Grande flûte for the flute and Petite flûte for the piccolo, and Flûte en sol for the alto flute. It is written at sounding pitch in treble clef.

Abbreviations: Fl., Fl

Also spelled: Flûtes, Grande flûte, Grandes flûtes

How Composers Use It

French composers from Berlioz to Debussy and Ravel treated the flute as a principal solo voice: Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune opens with an unaccompanied flute in its low register, and Ravel writes long, supple flute lines in Daphnis et Chloé. Use its velvety low register in quiet textures and its agility for arabesques; French scoring often pairs flutes with harp or muted strings for transparency.

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