Is the flute German

Answer 1

Flutes in general are very ancient. It is believed by scholars that the transverse flute, with the player blowing across a hole in the side of the tube, migrated to Europe in the 11th century, settling in France and the German states. The Germans made much use of this variety of flutes in military bands, possibly because of the difficulty of playing recorders (the 'other' flute) outside in even the lightest breeze. It is known variously as Transverse flute (because the player blows across the tube and holds it across their body), Piffari/Piffaro, German flute, French flute, and by the names of the inventors and innovators in its fingering and keying systems, such as Bohm flute.

Since the 11th century time, the term "German flute" has been applied to specific sub-categories of flutes. Because the instrument developed separately in France and Germany, it has a dual history between those nations. In the Baroque, while the French were making much of the Oboe as a primary instrument and the recorder and transverse flute as 'obvious' secondaries, the Germans were focusing on the transverse flute. During the time of Fredrick II of Prussia, for instance, JJ Quantz, Fredrick's flute tutor, was elevated to the position of "the only man in Prussia who was allowed to criticize Fredrick's playing." Quantz left a volume devoted to the flute, its technique, and the music of the time, a treasure-trove to modern and historically-minded flutists, today!

In the 19th century, different fingering systems led to the title "French flute" and "German flute" being applied to different wooden flutes. The french flute maintained the open holes without any keys near the holes, while the German flutes used keying. Modern flutes fall into these categories, still, with open-hole systems (using keypads with holes in the middle for the finger to be able to 'shade' notes if needed) and closed-hole systems exist today, with the open-hole flutes generally reserved to professional and more advanced players.

There is another French-German nomenclature matter with flutes: the materials flutes are made from today. German silver (also called nickle-silver, an alloy of only 1.25% silver, 63% copper and additional components of nickel, zinc and lead) is often used for flutes, but some are made from French silver (95% sliver, 5% copper). Additionally, Brittainia silver (95.8% silver), Sterling sliver (92.5% Ag) coin silver (90% silver) and other mixtures are used.

But in no way was the transverse flute originated solely in Germany!