Piccolo Instruments
Piccolo Fast Facts
A small octave flute that came into existence toward the end of the 18th century. It measures 12.5 – 13 inches (32-33cm). Its notes are written an octave lower than they sound. The piccolo has a brilliant, piercing voice and is wonderfully effective when adding highlights to an orchestral tutti. Piccolo is the Italian adjective ‘little’ and is thus meaningless by itself. The Italians call the instrument by its full name flauto piccolo, but it is unlikely that others will ever change their ways.
A Brief History of Piccolos
In reality the piccolo is a small flute, sounding an octave higher than the normal flute. It also has Boehm's mechanism, but with a conical bore, that is, like Boehm's first flute model. There is a tendency now, however, to follow suit and produce piccolos with cylindrical bores. Bass flutes (often confusingly called alto flutes), also exist in a modern form, though they are rarely called for in the orchestral repertoire.
The piccolo might be called a double soprano, because it is just half as big as a flute and can play two full octaves higher than the soprano voice. The tone of the piccolo is shrill and piercing, capable of being heard above the sound of a large symphony orchestra playing its loudest. One of the piccolo's most famous solos is in John Philip Sousa's march "Stars and Stripes Forever."
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