The pan flute is one of the oldest instruments in the world. It is a special and versatile instrument that can enchant people with its warm yet clear sound.
Pan flute (Syrinx) - an ancient wind instrument, consisting of a series of reed pipes, different in size, and mounted together on a wooden block. The origin of the pan flute is lost in prehistoric times; the invention has been attributed to the god Pan. In Die Zauberflöte, Mozart used the pan flute as the musical instrument of the bird man “Papageno.”
Source: Illustrated Music Lexicon, edition 1932, The Hague, p. 540
The above piece was written in 1932, for the Illustrated Music Lexicon. Even then there was already a bit of information about the pan flute. It emerges from the definition quoted above that the pan flute is an instrument consisting of a number of tubes/pipes of different lengths closed at the bottom. By blowing over the top of the pipes, the tones are created. Pan pipes come in different sizes: soprano-alto (the most common), tenor, bass and double bass. Most pan flutes consist of 22 to 25 pipes. The tuning of the flute depends on the owner and the purpose that the owner has in mind. In general, pan flutes are tuned in G major or C major.
The name pan flute (nai) comes from Greek Mythology. Pan: the shepherd god, fell in love with Syrinx (a nymph). However, she was afraid of him and asked the river to protect her. The river turned her into a bunch of reeds, from which the sad Pan made his flute. All flutes which are made up of different tubes (closed at the bottom), are called pan flutes.
It is not known when the pan flute was invented. People in different places in the world have probably discovered that it is possible to create sound by blowing over hollow tubes. Centuries-old pan flutes have been found in the Netherlands (province of Drente) and China, among others. The instruments were made of different materials: wood, bamboo, reed and even hollowed-out animal bones. Nowadays, bamboo is mainly used. In addition, a lot of experimentation is done with different types of wood, but also with metal, glass and plastic.
In the distant past, the pan flute was only used for simple melodies. Years later it was also used to amplify the bass. Fortunately, the Romanian Fanica Luca saw more in the pan flute. He decided to use the instrument again as a melody instrument and introduced the pan flute in 1949 at the Bucharest Conservatory. Many of his pupils have become well-known pan flute players. His first student was his nephew Gheorghe Draghici (artist name: Damian Luca). He has also taught Simion Stanciu, Nicolae Pirvu and Gheorghe Zamfir, among others. Fanica Luca expanded the repertoire of the pan flute. He also further developed the technique on the instrument. His students later took over from him and developed the pan flute into what it is today.
The pan flute is a versatile instrument. All genres can be played on it. Jazz, classical music, modern music, pop/light music, Balkan music, you name it. The most favored genres for pan flute repertoire are classical and Balkan. You can learn to play the pan flute from the age of 6.
Lesson formats:
- individual
- duo
- group lessons
Teacher:
Marlies de Roos – Linden
