The flutes of the Middle Ages were blown at the end, like the flageolet. Of the syrinx there are extant some illustrations of the ninth and tenth centuries, which exhibit the instrument with a number of tubes tied together, just like the Pandean pipe still in use. In one specimen,[6] from a manuscript of the eleventh century, the tubes were inserted into a bowl-shaped box. This is probably the frestele, fretel, or fretian, which in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries was in favour with the French ménétriers.
Some large Anglo-Saxon trumpets may be seen in a manuscript of the eighth century in the British Museum. The largest kind of trumpet was placed on a stand when blown. Of the oliphant, or hunting horn, some fine specimens are in the Victoria and Albert Museum collection. The sackbut (Fig. 32), probably made of metal, could be drawn out to alter the pitch of sound. The sackbut of the ninth century had, however, a very different shape to that in use about three centuries ago, and much more resembled the present trombone. The name sackbut is supposed to be a corruption of sambuca. The French, about the fifteenth century, called it sacqueboute and saquebutte.
Fig. 32.—Sackbut.
The most important wind instrument—in fact, the king of all the musical instruments—is the organ.
Fig. 33.—Organ. From a 12th century psalter in the Library of Trinity College, Cambridge.
The pneumatic organ is sculptured on the base of an obelisk Fig. 33.—Organ. From a 12th century psalter in the Library of Trinity College, Cambridge.]