The alto flute is an exquisite musical instrument that has been gaining popularity among flutists and composers alike in recent years. Its rich and mellow sound has inspired numerous musicians to create works that highlight its unique characteristics. In this article, we will explore the world of the alto flute repertoire and showcase some of the most beloved compositions written for this instrument.
Alto flute repertoire list
| Title | Composer | Instrument |
| 3 Color Palette, Op.60 | Aramaki Michio | Alto flute |
| 3 Cool Fragments, Op.56 | Aramaki Michio | Alto flute |
| 3 Fugues for Flutes and Percussion, Op.189 | Peters Rob | Alto flute and Percussion |
| 3 Little Pieces, Op.3b | Aramaki Michio | Alto flute |
| 3 Pieces | Rachmaninoff Sergei | Alto flute |
| 3 Sketches | Davidson Robert | Alto flute |
| 3 Songs for Mezzo Soprano, Alto Flute and Harp | Tuttle Marshall | Alto flute and harp |
| 3 Trio Studies | Sumrall III Jack Glendon | Alto flute |
| 5 Minnedichten forEnsemble, Op.10 | Pinoy Peter | Alto flute |
| 5 White Fragments, Op.42 | Aramaki Michio | Alto flute |
| A Fairy Tale, Op.23 | Aramaki Michio | Alto flute |
| A Pretty Maid Milking Her Cow | Rice Al | Alto flute |
| A Taiwanese Impression, Op.35 | Aramaki Michio | Alto flute |
| A White Lake, Op.33 | Aramaki Michio | Alto flute |
| Adagio, Op.36 | Schwencke Johann Friedrich | Alto flute |
| Adresse des sterbenden Dichters an die Jugend | Bird Melvin Clive | Alto flute |
| Alto Flute Sonata | Manookian Jeff | Alto flute |
| Andante para Flauta Alto, Op.30 | Pinheiro Rui Pedro | Alto flute |
| Aristeas I | Bird Melvin Clive | Alto flute |
| Articulations for Alto Flute, Op.167 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute |
| Baroque Fantasy, Op.49 | Aramaki Michio | Alto flute |
| Baroque Fantasy, Op.9b | Aramaki Michio | Alto flute |
| Blue Waking, Op.22b | Aramaki Michio | Alto flute |
| Canone del cucù | Ferrari Carlotta | Alto flute |
| Canto I | Schoonenbeek Kees | Alto flute |
| Capriccios | Manookian Jeff | Alto flute |
| Celestial Dream I | Schoonenbeek Kees | Alto flute |
| Chamber Concerto for Alto Flute, Op.1311 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute |
| Chant d’Adieu | Besset Julian Raoul | Alto flute |
| Cinq verres a vin, Op.34 | Aramaki Michio | Alto flute |
| Cláuptisnaó | Bueno Julio A. | Alto flute |
| Crossing No.1, Op.37 | Aramaki Michio | Alto flute |
| Crossing No.2, Op.46 | Aramaki Michio | Alto flute |
| Crossing No.2, Op.46b | Aramaki Michio | Alto flute |
| Crossing No.3, Op.48 | Aramaki Michio | Alto flute |
| Crossing No.4, Op.58 | Aramaki Michio | Alto flute |
| Csordapásztorok Gyarmati | Tóth Tamás | Alto flute |
| Die Schönheit der Einsamkeit | Hulle Bernd Van | Alto flute |
| Discantus | St. Pierre Anthony | Alto flute |
| Divertissement for 3 Flutes, Op.91 | Koechlin Charles | Alto flute |
| Duet for Alto Flute and Bass Flute in A major, Op.2653 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute and bass flute |
| Duet for Alto Flute and Bass Flute, Op.1185 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute and bass flute |
| Duet for Alto Flute and Bass Flute, Op.1308 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute and bass flute |
| Duet for Alto Flute and Cello, Op.1511 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute and cello |
| Duet for Alto Flute and Cello, Op.1782 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute and cello |
| Duet for Alto Flute and Cello, Op.408 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute and cello |
| Duet for Alto Flute and Cello, Op.75 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute and cello |
| Duet for Alto Flute and Clarinet, Op.1184 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute and clarinet |
| Duet for Alto Flute and Clarinet, Op.1307 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute and clarinet |
| Duet for Alto Flute and Euphonium in D minor, Op.2656 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute and euphonium |
| Duet for Alto Flute and Harp, Op.314 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute and harp |
| Duet for Alto Flute and Oboe, Op.1306 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute and oboe |
| Duet for Alto Flute and Oboe, Op.1310 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute and oboe |
| Duet for Alto Flute and Oboe, Op.315 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute and oboe |
| Duet for Alto Flute and Viola, Op.1305 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute and viola |
| Duet for Alto flute and Violin, Op.1780 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute and violin |
| Duet for English Horn and Alto Flute in G major, Op.2403 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute and English horn |
| Duet for Flute and Alto Flute in C major, Op.2655 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute |
| Duet for Flute and Alto Flute, Op.1183 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute |
| Duet for Flute and Alto Flute, Op.1309 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute |
| Duet for Flute and Alto Flute, Op.1512 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute |
| Duet for Piccolo and Alto Flute, Op.1518 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute and picolo |
| Dwarf Steps | Stracchi Emanuele | Alto flute |
| Eram outros os outros | Bird Melvin Clive | Alto flute |
| Flute Quartet No.1 | Torre Salvador | Alto flute |
| Flute Quartet No.2 | Torre Salvador | Alto flute |
| Flute Quartet No.3 | Torre Salvador | Alto flute |
| For Roger Copland | Toub David | Alto flute |
| Hallali, Op.10b | Queval Christophe | Alto flute |
| Hétérophonies | Schein Didier | Alto flute |
| Hexofonia II | Karolic Dragan | Alto flute |
| Hypnosis 1 | Twycross Martin | Alto flute |
| Íkaros | Derecskei András | Alto flute |
| In ascolto, Marginalia No.123 | Caldini Fulvio | Alto flute |
| In Nivem, Op.36b | Aramaki Michio | Alto flute |
| Introduction and Rondo | Hovhannisyan Gor | Alto flute |
| Kaleydoscope | Torre Salvador | Alto flute |
| Khachkar | Manookian Jeff | Alto flute |
| Knight, Death, and Devil | Rzewski Frederic | Alto flute |
| Le Modèle de la Rue du Bac | Soccavo Orlando | Alto flute |
| Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence | Bird Melvin Clive | Alto flute |
| Light on the Path | Tuttle Marshall | Alto flute |
| L’oiseleur | Francois De Larrard | Alto flute |
| Londonderry Air | Kamioka Hideo | Alto flute |
| Lonely, Op.11b | Aramaki Michio | Alto flute |
| Manifica, minun Sieluni | Hill Malcolm | Alto flute |
| Ménagerie en ‘Glass’ | St. Pierre Anthony | Alto flute |
| Mésangerie | Francois De Larrard | Alto flute |
| Metamorphic Intermezzo on Eram outros os outros | Bird Melvin Clive | Alto flute |
| Momenti musicali | Vicelli Stefano | Alto flute |
| Music for Flute Choir | Bakalian Craig | Alto flute |
| Na primavera os mortos abrem sitios | Bird Melvin Clive | Alto flute |
| Narciso Ruiz | Molina David | Alto flute |
| Nightingale and Lenin | Kervinen Jukka-Pekka | Alto flute |
| Orange and Skyblue Gradation, Op.61 | Aramaki Michio | Alto flute |
| Organum Triplum | Foley Daniel Charles | Alto flute |
| Overture | Tuttle Marshall | Alto flute |
| Peu a peu plus de lumieres | Marcoux Jean-François | Alto flute |
| Pianto | Mirzazade Khayyam | Alto flute |
| Piccolo Concertino, Op.47 | Aramaki Michio | Alto flute |
| Purificazione, Op.44 | Aramaki Michio | Alto flute |
| Rebath | Letort Bruno | Alto flute |
| Reminiscenza | Manookian Jeff | Alto flute |
| Resurrection, Op.59 | Aramaki Michio | Alto flute |
| Roundelay | Bird Melvin Clive | Alto flute |
| Sad Flowers, Op.41 | Boyle Tyler John | Alto flute |
| Serenade for Flute Quintet | Hoek Arie van | Alto flute |
| Sessanta, Op.55 | Aramaki Michio | Alto flute |
| Sinfonietta, Op.75 | Leonardo de Lorenzo | Alto flute |
| Soliloquy for Alto Flute and Strings | Kram Richard | Alto flute and strings |
| Solo for Alto Flute in A major, Op.2652 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute |
| Solo for Alto Flute in G minor, Op.2654 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute |
| Solo for Alto Flute in Modal Harmony, Op.2668 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute |
| Solo for Alto Flute, Op.1182 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute |
| Solo for Alto Flute, Op.1304 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute |
| Solo for Alto Flute, Op.1514 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute |
| Solo for Alto Flute, Op.1515 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute |
| Solo for Alto Flute, Op.1779 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute |
| Solo for Alto Flute, Op.1781 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute |
| Solo for Alto Flute, Op.1787 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto flute |
| Solo for Flute No.2 | Wind Chris | Alto flute |
| Spring | Lin Sharon Li | Alto flute |
| Stained Glass, Op.39b | Aramaki Michio | Alto flute |
| Suite cosmique II | Sauter Louis | Alto flute |
| Suite for Winds and Brass, Mn.107 | Florczak Lukas | Alto flute |
| Suite, Op.138 | Plante Cyril | Alto flute |
| Templos Ruiz | Molina David | Alto flute |
| The Evening Music, Op.108 | Mekaev Alexander | Alto flute |
| The Great Synagogue of Satan | Merenzeine Vazel | Alto flute |
| The LAN Rule, Op.14 | Branstetter Joshua | Alto flute |
| The Seven Kingdoms of Quimbanda | Merenzeine Vazel | Alto flute |
| The Shield of Achilles | Bird Melvin Clive | Alto flute |
| The Surface of the Sea, Op.19b | Aramaki Michio | Alto flute |
| The Time | Pramparo Mirko | Alto flute |
| Throwaway Collection | Gonzalez Jr Daniel | Alto flute |
| Time is Passing, Op.18b | Aramaki Michio | Alto flute |
| Toroide | Torre Salvador | Alto flute |
| Trio for Alto Flute, Clarinet and Bassoon, Op.1788 | Beatty Stephen W. | Flute, Clarinet and Bassoon |
| Trio for Alto Flute, Clarinet and Cello, Op.1784 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto Flute, Clarinet and Cello |
| Trio for Alto Flute, Violin and Cello, Op.1513 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto Flute, Violin and Cello |
| Trio for Alto Flute, Violin and Cello, Op.317 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto Flute, Violin and Cello |
| Trio for Alto Flute, Wagner Tuba and Piano, Op.338 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto Flute, Wagner Tuba and Piano |
| Trio for Flute, Alto Flute and Bass Flute, Op.1187 | Beatty Stephen W. | Flute, Alto Flute and Bass Flute |
| Trio for Flute, Alto Flute and Bass Flute, Op.316 | Beatty Stephen W. | Alto Flute and Bass Flute |
| Trio for Flute, Alto Flute and Cello, Op.500 | Beatty Stephen W. | Flute, Alto Flute and Cello |
| Vermiglio Sessanta, Op.74 | Aramaki Michio | Alto flute |
| Vierdreiunddreissig, WVE-241 | Kan-no Shigeru | Alto flute |
| Vom himmel hoch da komm ich her | Kamioka Hideo | Alto flute |
| Woodwind Trio, Op.1b | Aramaki Michio | Alto flute |
Introduction to the Alto Flute
Before diving into the world of the alto flute repertoire, it is essential to understand the instrument itself. The alto flute is a larger version of the traditional C flute, with a longer body and curved headjoint. Its sound is lower and darker than the C flute, making it an ideal choice for pieces that require a mellower tone.
Historical Context of the Alto Flute
The alto flute has a rich history dating back to the late 1800s when it was first introduced by the german flute maker, Theobald Boehm. Initially, it was primarily used in military bands and orchestras, but its popularity soon grew, and it became a staple in the classical repertoire.
Famous Composers and Their Alto Flute Works
Many famous composers have written for the alto flute, showcasing its versatility and beauty. Here are some of the most notable works:
- Sonata for Alto Flute and Piano by Lowell Liebermann
Lowell Liebermann’s Sonata for Alto Flute and Piano is one of the most beloved works in the alto flute repertoire. The piece highlights the instrument’s unique tonal qualities and is a favorite among flutists and audiences alike. - Syrinx by Claude Debussy
Syrinx is a solo flute piece written by the famous French composer Claude Debussy. Although originally written for the C flute, it is often played on the alto flute, highlighting its rich and haunting sound. - Ballade by Frank Martin
Ballade is a piece for alto flute and piano by Swiss composer Frank Martin. The piece is renowned for its intricate interplay between the flute and piano, showcasing the alto flute’s versatility and expressiveness. - Tangled Pipes by Robert Dick
Tangled Pipes is a contemporary work for solo alto flute by American composer Robert Dick. The piece incorporates extended techniques, such as multiphonics and harmonics, to showcase the instrument’s modern capabilities.
Exploring Contemporary Alto Flute Repertoire
The alto flute is not limited to classical music; it has found a home in many contemporary genres, including jazz, pop, and world music. Here are some notable works that showcase the instrument’s diversity:
- Jasmine Flower by Traditional Chinese
Jasmine Flower is a traditional Chinese folk song arranged for the alto flute and piano. The piece highlights the alto flute’s unique tonal qualities, evoking images of the tranquil Chinese countryside. - The Pink Panther by Henry Mancini
The Pink Panther is a classic jazz tune arranged for the alto flute and piano. The alto flute’s mellow sound adds a touch of sophistication to the iconic melody, making it a favorite among jazz musicians and audiences alike. - Prelude by Astor Piazzolla
Prelude is a piece by Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla arranged for alto flute and guitar. The piece is an excellent example of the alto flute’s ability to blend seamlessly with other instruments, creating a beautiful and cohesive sound.
Conclusion
The alto flute is a stunning instrument that has inspired many composers to create beautiful works showcasing its unique tonal qualities. From classical to contemporary, the alto flute repertoire is diverse and continues to grow. As more musicians discover the beauty of this instrument, we can expect to see
