The Alto Flute

The Alto Flute is over one hundred years old, since it began. This instrument is a "transposing" instrument, meaning that any music written for it is actually a pitch different than how it actually sounds. Typically, it is notated a 4th above its actual sound. The range of this flute is from G right below the middle C, to the G three octaves above it. Two pieces featuring the Alto Flute are "The Right of Spring" by Igor Stravinsky, and "The Planets" by Gustav Holst. The Alto has a mellower tone than most flutes, so it is usually given a supporting role, rather than a lead role. Altos can be either straight or curved in terms of the head joint; most smaller players use the curved head joint. Altos may cost at least 1,000 dollars if not more.