Subcontrabass flute

The subcontrabass flute is a member of the Western concert flute family. With tubing measuring over 15 feet (4.6 m) long, it is the third largest instrument of the family after the hyperbass flute and double contrabass flute.[1]

For the flute in the key of C, pitched three octaves below the concert flute, and sometimes also known as "Sub-contrabass flute", see double contrabass flute.
Subcontrabass flute
Maria Ramey playing an Eva Kingma subcontrabass flute in G
Woodwind instrument
Classification Transverse flute
Hornbostel–Sachs classification421.121.12-71
(Side-blown Aerophone with tone holes and keys)
Playing range
{ \new Staff \with { \remove "Time_signature_engraver" } \clef treble \key c \major \cadenzaOn c'1 ^ \markup "written" \glissando c'''1 \tweak font-size #-2 g'''1 \finger \markup \text "poss." \hide r1 \clef bass g,,1 ^ \markup "sounds" \glissando g1 \tweak font-size #-2 d'1 \finger \markup \text "poss." }
The G subcontrabass flute, notated in treble clef, sounds two octaves and a fourth below written. The tessitura is G1–G3.
Related instruments
Flutes:

The instrument is made either in the key of G (pitched a fourth below the contrabass flute in C and two octaves below the alto flute in G) where it known as the double contra-alto flute or in F (pitched a fifth below the contrabass flute in C).

The subcontrabass flute is rarely used outside of flute ensembles. At present, the subcontrabass flute is only available as custom order from specialty makers such as Eva Kingma or Kotato and Fukushima. Higher quality instruments are made of silver- or chrome-plated metal, although polyvinyl is also commonly used.[2]

Compositions

"And the Giant Began to Dance..." (2009) from the album Below: Music for Low Flutes by Peter Sheridan[3]

References
  1. Pinksterboer, Hugo (2009). Tipbook Flute and Piccolo: The Complete Guide (Third ed.). Hal Leonard. p. 143. ISBN 978-1-42346-525-6. OCLC 316826005.
  2. Toff, Nancy (2012). The Flute Book: A Complete Guide for Students and Performers (Third ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. 74–75. ISBN 978-0-19-537307-3. OCLC 756278780.
  3. Stevens, Cynthia (Summer 2011). "Below: Music for Low Flutes". The Flutist Quarterly. 36 (4): 81.
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