cecil,

i feel this a loaded question for me.  I am a left handed flute player.  And I can answer your question.  First of all, I'm completely left handed, except for one thing, I play guitar right handed (go figure).  SO:  the point is this.  The flute is played neither left NOR right handed.  It is played both handed.  In order to understand this, you must know how a flute is held.  The fingers of each hand oppose each other -- not all the same way as many a person likes to imitate.  The left hand comes up closest to the face and right then farther.  Y'know, come to think of it, it would be left handed first, wouldn't it?  It's closer to the face, I guess.  Anyway, it takes no left or right 'handedness' skill to play this.  If you were to 'reverse' the flute (this is what you mean) so the 'mirror image' of you is holding the flute, it wouldn't work.  The keys are fingered specifically and are not reversible -- you can't come from the other side of the keys and expect to play it well at all.  Also, the 'head joint' is extended on the lower side for embouchoure and would have to be remodeled. 

So, in summary (ahem):  flute playing is both handed, exclusively.  What made it designed to shoot off to the right side of the player, as opposed to the left, well, we'd have to go ask Boehm...

pj

 

Brilliant analysis, PJ.  Exclusively both-handed.  Quite rightly.

Last Wednesday I attempted what I described, in a whacked-out jam with the Corpses.  Aside from getting severe wrist cramps from trying to properly hold the flute leftist, I overblew the head joint so severely I practically passed out from hyperventilation.  As you can imagine, the results were musically marginal at best.  And rather comical.  An experiment that need never be repeated

The only "official" reason I've heard for the flute shooting off to the right is so the section members can sit in a line together and not get in each other's way.   Same general reason for trombones appearing at the front line of a marching band - who wants to be konked in the back of the head with a slide during "On Wisconsin?"