Since ancient times, the musical instrument, the flute, has been an integral part of Russian folk folklore. The image of a shepherd gathering his animals with a light and beautiful melody is familiar to us from childhood. The sound of the flute symbolizes the peaceful and simple rural life of the Russian peasant.

The exact time of the instrument's appearance in Russia is unknown, but it is clear that it happened a long time ago, even before the adoption of Christianity. At that time, the flute was attributed with sacred and magical properties. There were many spells for livestock, such as the "spell for the first grazing," especially common in the Russian North. In the Carpathians, it was believed that one could only play the flute during the day, as at night it could attract evil forces. This was noted by the famous linguist Joseph Alexeyevich Dzendzelevsky. In some places, it was customary to make a new instrument for each season and burn it in the autumn. It was also forbidden to take someone else's instrument; only its owner could play the flute. With the baptism of Rus, such rituals did not completely disappear but rather transformed. For example, in the Arkhangelsk region, even during Soviet times, it was believed that if you attached wax from a Paschal candle to the flute, it would gather the livestock home faster.

Making a simple flute was quite straightforward. They were made from the stems of hollow plants, such as reeds, nettles, or bulrushes. Later, birch bark, bast, wood, and various metals began to be used.

The term "flute" refers to a whole range of Russian folk wind instruments. There are many types: horns, whistles, flutes, pipes, kugikly, and kalyuki. They differ in materials, techniques of creation, purpose, and sound characteristics.

For example, the "zhaleyka" was made from a cow's horn, which served as a bell to amplify the sound. A flute made of willow or elderberry with several playing holes and a reed tongue was inserted into it. The sound produced was sharp and loud. It is believed that the name is related to the words "to complain" and "to pity." The zhaleyka was used for herding livestock, at celebrations, funerals, for making music, and expressing emotions. People would rejoice and weep to its sound. It was also popular among jesters.

In contrast, the sound of the flute was characterized by melodiousness and tenderness; its voice was bright and light. The instrument was usually made from elderberry, willow, and bird cherry. The inner part was removed with a stick or burned out with wire. One end was cut to create a small tongue, and along its length, 4-8 playing holes were placed.

Playing an expressive melody on the kalyuka is difficult; it is more of a rhythmic instrument. It has only one hole for whistling, and the pitch of the sound depends on the strength of the breath. It is believed that Russian peasants played it when returning from haymaking, combining it with strikes on the scythe.

In the 19th century, V.V. Andreyev, the creator of the first Russian folk orchestra, improved many wind instruments, giving them an academic sound. Modern flutes are actively used in music therapy. It is believed that their sound improves a child's speech, and playing them develops fine motor skills.