Many cultures around the world
have their own musical instruments with their own unique timbres. These range
from woodwinds to plucked strings in the Mongolian tradition, and from the gran cassa to the alto flute in the western orchestra. The traditional flute used in
Mongolian music, called limbe, has a very specific timbre and the timbre of
alto flute is very similar to it. The limbe has a soft, hollow sound with the
rustling of the air in the flute clearly audible. The frequent use of the alto
flute in Stravinsky's work Rite of Spring and its similarity to the traditional
Mongolian flute limbe is another connection between the two types of music. These
“breathy” and hollow sounds of both the limbe and the alto flute provide a
rustic feeling to the music, evoking the imagery of rural life.
How a "limbe" sounds.
How an alto flute sounds.
