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Theryūteki (龍笛, literally "dragon flute") is a Japanese transversefue made ofbamboo.[1] It is used ingagaku, theShinto classical music associated with Japan's imperial court. The sound of theryūteki is said to represent the dragons which ascend the skies between the heavenly lights (represented by theshō) and the people of the earth (represented by thehichiriki). The ryūteki is one of the three flutes used in gagaku, in particular to play songs of Chinese style. The pitch is lower than that of thekomabue and higher than that of thekagurabue.
Theryūteki is held horizontally, has seven holes, and has a length of 40 centimetres (1 ft 4 in) and an inner diameter of 1.3 centimetres (1⁄2 in). Unlike the western flute, the holes are not covered by the fingertips, rather, the fleshy part of the finger is used.[clarification needed] This allows for better control of "half-holing" techniques and chromatic notes, by simply raising the finger slightly above the holes.
Hans Werner Henze calls for this instrument for hisEl Cimarrón, andKarlheinz Stockhausen scored forryūteki in the original Gagaku-ensemble version ofJahreslauf (act 1 of the operaDienstag aus Licht).
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