MARCH 2002 . 2 O . XLIII, N OL , V OCIETY S ECORDER R MERICAN A UBLISHED BY THE P
The Fourth Annual Summer
June 2-8, 2002 Concordia University • Austin, Texas Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced Studies in Recorder, Viola da Gamba, Early Harp, Reeds, Lute and Voice featuring Saskia Coolen Frances Blaker and Martha Bishop for information: Daniel Johnson - Workshop Director with other outstanding faculty including phone: 512-371-0099 • email: [email protected] Tom Zajac, Sara Funkhouser, Becky Baxter, or visit our website at www.toot.org Daniel Johnson, Bruce Brogdon and more.
A week of music by the San rancisco Bay . . .
. . . is the perfect way to advance your playing and singing skills. In a relaxed yet stimulating atmosphere, you’ll study repertoire and performance practice with a faculty of leading musicians and scholars. Now in their 26th year, these highly regarded workshops provide instruction in technique and ensemble performance, plus student and faculty concerts and a host of extracurricular activities in beautiful northern California.
Baroque Music & Dance A wide range of baroque repertoire for singers, dancers, and play- June 23July 6 ers of both period and modern instruments. Featured faculty: Marion Verbruggen and Frances Blaker, recorder; Elisabeth Le Guin, cello; Paul Flight, chorus; Angene Feves, dance. Medieval & Renaissance Music Classes include consorts, technique and ensembles for instruments July 713 and voices. Featured faculty: Frances Blaker and Louise Carslake, recorder; Robert Mealy and Shira Kammen, strings; Anne Azéma and Jennifer Lane, voice; Bruce Dickey, cornetto. Recorder Music Explore the full range of recorder repertoire, from the Middle Ages July 1420 to the 20th century. Faculty: Peggy Monroe, Sophie Lariviere, Matthias Maute, Tom Zajac, Eileen Hadidian, and Frances Feldon.
SAN RANCISCO EARLY MUSIC SOCIETY SUMMER WORKSHOPS
P.O. Box 10151, Berkeley, CA 94709 [email protected] 5105281725 www.sfems.org
EDITOR’S NOTE ______Volume XLIII, Number 2 March 2002
You’ve got to admit that Anthony Rowland- FEATURES Jones is onto something. One look at that The Recorder in the Art of Titian...... 7 Venus with a lute player (page 12) and you The depiction of the recorder encompasses a wide range of know she is not holding a recorder because meanings in the hands of the Venetian master, she intends to play it! Surely, there is hid- by Anthony Rowland-Jones den meaning here, or else Chapter meet- Arranging Music for Beginning Recorder Players ...... 14 ings in the Renaissance must have been 5 The fifth in a series of articles by composers and arrangers wild affairs, and well-heated. In the view of discussing how they write and arrange music for recorder, Rowland-Jones, Titian hardly ever painted by Peter van Marissing a recorder without some ulterior purpose; A Planning Guide to 2002 tracing the wide range of the painter’s Summer Recorder Workshops ...... 16 symbolism makes for fascinating reading. The annual summary of summer workshops where you can After looking at all the bucolic settings improve your playing and expand your early music horizons in the works of Titian, readers may be ready to think about summer study opportuni- 7 ties, an exercise aided and abetted by the DEPARTMENTS annual AR summary of summer work- Advertiser Index ...... 40 shops where recorder instruction is offered Book Reviews ...... 33 (page 16). Of course, there’s more to the Chapters & Consorts ...... 31 world of early music than just recorder, and typically the summer workshops are a Classified ...... 40 great place to experiment with playing oth- Music Reviews...... 23 er instruments, singing, dancing, etc. For Opening Measures ...... 37 31 recorder professionals, I should call your President’s Message ...... 3 attention to the new residencies that are Q & A ...... 39 being made available at the Sitka Center for ON THE COVER: Recorders on Disc ...... 20 Art and Ecology (page 5). There have been Detail: Tidings ...... 4 many opportunities for composers and “Three Ages of Man” mainstream instrumentalists to “get away by Titian Students Play with Island Senior Symphony from it all” and be creative in far-off set- © Scala/Art Resource, ARS Founder Dies at Age 94 tings, like the famous MacDowell Colony NY in New Hampshire, but this may be the first such opportunity designed specifical- ly for recorder players. Another topic represented in this issue BENJAMIN S. DUNHAM, Editor concerns young people and the recorder. Contributing Editors Our continuing series on arranging and FRANCES BLAKER, Beginners; SCOTT PATERSON, Book Reviews composing for recorder focuses on making CAROLYN PESKIN, Q & A; CONSTANCE M. PRIMUS, Music Reviews successful arrangements for beginning EUGENE REICHENTHAL, Education; PETE ROSE, 20th-Century Performance recorder players, and our lead story in Tid- GILLIAN KAHN, Design Consultant ings reports on the remarkable collabora- tion between an orchestra of senior citi- Advisory Board zens and an elementary school recorder Martha Bixler • Valerie Horst • David Lasocki Bob Marvin • Howard Schott • Thomas Prescott • Catherine Turocy program. Add to this news of the involve- Kenneth Wollitz ment of the ARS in the Magic Recorder pro- gram of Connecticut’s American Classical Copyright © 2002 American Recorder Society, Inc. Orchestra and Connie Primus’s review of Visit AR On-Line at: www.recorderonline.org American Recorder (ISSN: 0003-0724), 5554 S. Prince, Suite 128, Littleton, CO 80120, is published bimonthly (January, March, May, September, and the latest of Don Muro’s works for young November) for its members by the American Recorder Society, Inc. $20 of the annual $40 U.S. membership dues in the American Recorder Society is for a subscription to American Recorder. Articles, reviews, and letters to the editor reflect the viewpoint of their individual authors. Their appearance in this magazine people with accompanying CD, and you does not imply official endorsement by the ARS. Submission of articles and photographs is welcomed. Articles may be typed or submitted on PC discs (Word for Windows, or RTF preferred) or as an attachment to an e-mail message. They should be for the exclusive consideration of AR, unless otherwise noted. can see that, Titian symbolism aside, this Photographs may be sent as color or black-and-white prints, or 300-dpi TIFF images. Advertisements may be sent in the PDF format, with fonts embedded. AR is not “for adults only.” Editorial office: Benjamin S. Dunham, Editor, American Recorder, 472 Point Rd., Marion, MA 02738; 508-748-1750 (business hours), 508-748-1928 (fax); [email protected]. Deadlines for editorial material: November 15 (January), January 15 (March), March 15 (May), July 15 (September), and September 15 (November). Books for review: Scott Paterson, 77 Queensbury Ave., Scarborough, ON M1N 2X8, Canada. Music for review: Constance M. Benjamin Dunham Primus, Box 608, Georgetown, CO 80444. Recordings for review: Editorial office. Cutting Edge: Pete Rose, 13 Rutgers St., Maplewood, NJ 07040; [email protected]. Chapter newsletters and other reports: Editorial office. Advertising: Editorial office. Advertising Closings: December 1 (January), February 1 (March), April 1 (May), August 1 (September), and October 1 (November). Postmaster: Send address changes to American Recorder Society, Box 631, Littleton, CO 80160-0631. Periodicals postage paid at Littleton, CO, and at an additional mailing office. ARS Chapters
ALABAMA ILLINOIS Long Island: Margaret H. Brown Birmingham: Martin K. Payne Chicago: Patrick O’Malley (516/765-1867) (205/979-6430) (773/293-3138) New York City: Michael Zumoff West Suburban: Christopher Culp (212/662-2946) ARIZONA AMERICAN (630/690-7304) Rochester: Marilyn Plain Phoenix: Donald Harrington (716/475-1453) (602/956-1344) KANSAS RECORDER Rockland: Lorraine Schiller (845/429-8340) Tucson: Scott Mason (520/721-0846) L&L Early Music Ensemble: Liz Low (913/727-3554) Westchester: Carol B. Leibman SOCIETY ARKANSAS (914/241-3381) INC. Aeolus Konsort: Louise Rollefson LOUISIANA (501/225-4846) Baton Rouge: John Waite NORTH CAROLINA Honorary President Bella Vista: Barbara McCoy (225/925-0502) Triad: Donna Yaniglos (336/292-9995) New Orleans: Chris Alderman ERICH KATZ (1900-1973) (501/855-6477) Triangle: Cindy Osborne (919/851-1080) (504/862-0969) Honorary Vice President CALIFORNIA OHIO MARYLAND WINIFRED JAEGER Central Coast: Valerie Endres Greater Cleveland: Edith Yerger Northern Maryland: Tanya Torres (805/544-1180) (440/826-0716) (410/821-8678) Statement of Purpose East Bay: Glen Shannon Toledo: Marilyn Perlmutter The mission of the American Recorder Society is (510/525-1249) MASSACHUSETTS (419/531-6259) to promote the recorder and its music by Monterey Bay: Lorrie Emery Boston: Sheila Bosworth OREGON developing resources and standards to help (831/423-8309) (978/263-9926) Oregon Coast: Corlu Collier people of all ages and ability levels to play and North Coast: Kathleen Kinkela-Love Worcester Hills: Jennifer Southcott (707/822-8835) (978/263-5875) (541/265-5910) study the recorder, presenting the instrument North County: Barbara J. Martin PENNSYLVANIA to new constituencies, encouraging increased (760/731-5940) MICHIGAN Ann Arbor: Ole Lundin Philadelphia: Dody Magaziner career opportunities for professional recorder Orange County: Doris Leffingwell 734/668-4842 (610/886-2241), or performers and teachers, and enabling and (949/494-9675) Kalamazoo: Chris Bartley Sacramento: Ronald Koetzsch Joanne Ford (215/844-8054) supporting recorder playing as a shared social (616/341-4590) (916/965-1341) Pittsburgh: Karen Lukas experience. Besides this journal, Metropolitan Detroit: Peter Lundell San Diego County: Carol Resnick (412/731-7411) (248/542-9907) ARS publishes a newsletter, a personal study (619/466-7983) South Central: Rick Graham Western Michigan: Marge Winter program, a directory, and special musical Sonoma County: Dan Lapsansky (717/854-6415) (231/744-1703) editions. Society members gather and play (707/865-0728) RHODE ISLAND South Bay: Joanna Woodrow MINNESOTA together at chapter meetings, weekend and Rhode Island: David Bojar (408/266-3993) Twin Cities: Jean Fagerstrom summer workshops, and many ARS-sponsored (401/944-3395) Southern California: Lynne Snead (612/722-4967) events throughout the year. In 2000, the Society (661/254-7922) TENNESSEE entered its seventh decade of service to its MISSOURI Village Festival Recorder Orchestra: Greater Knoxville: Ann Stierli constituents. St. Louis: Chris Langton Richard Geisler (530/477-2293) (618/374-1209) (423/637-6179) Nashville: Marcus Mendenhall Board of Directors COLORADO NEBRASKA (615/383-7078) John Nelson, President; Chair, Education Boulder: Robert Keep (303/651-2659) Flatwater: Richard Jizba (402/498-5671) Richard Carbone, Vice President, Chair, Seniors Colorado Springs: Richard Bradley TEXAS (719/633-5683) NEVADA Sheila M. Fernekes, Secretary; Chair, Education Austin: Susan Page (512/467-7520) Denver: Keith Emerson (303/750-8460) Sierra Early Music Society: Karlene Dickey Dallas: Bill Patterson (214/696-4892) Ann Stickney, Treasurer Fort Collins: Jann Benson (775/832-9124) Houston: Catherine Kerruish (713/937- Rebecca Arkenberg, Chair, Publications (970/484-3522) NEW HAMPSHIRE 8811) Martha Bixler, Editor, Members’ Library Monadnock: Nancy Isaacs CONNECTICUT Rio Grande: Suzanne Blanchard Frances Feldon (603/532-8328) Connecticut: Dorothy Vining (505/521-1725) Upper Valley: Barbara Prescott Cléa Galhano, Chair (203/267-6513) (603/643-6442) Special Events/Professional Outreach Eastern Connecticut: Joyce Goldberg VERMONT Alan Karass, Chair, Chapters & Consorts (860/442-8490) NEW JERSEY Upper Valley: Barbara Prescott (603/643-6442) Carolyn Peskin, Chair, Scholarship DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Bergen County: Mary Comins (201/489-5695) Sue Roessel, Chair, Junior Recorder Society Washington: Myrl Powell (301/587-4799), VIRGINIA Highland Park: Donna Messer or Jane Takeuchi Udelson (703/369-3022) Northern Virginia: Edward Friedler János Ungváry (732/828-7421) (703/425-1324) Priscilla Winslow, Counsel DELAWARE Navesink: Lori Goldschmidt Brandywine: Roger Matsumoto (732/747-4813) WASHINGTON Princeton: Carol Hoffman-Sweeten Staff (302/731-1430) Moss Bay: Mark Grieve (425/746-1916) Gail Nickless, Executive Director (609/466-4685) FLORIDA Seattle: Kathleen Arends (425/649-9869) Renee Baier, Exec. Asst./Membership Secretary Somerset Hills: Keith Bernstein Gainesville: Russell D. Moore (908/722-6572) WISCONSIN P. O. Box 631 (352/378-0567) Milwaukee: Pat Brenkle Littleton, CO 80160-0631, U.S.A. Miami: Zulema Garraffo (305/374-1879) NEW MEXICO (414/542-4551) Sarasota: Valerie Sizemore Albuquerque: Bryan Bingham 303-347-1120 Southern Wisconsin: Margaret Asquith (941/484-9589) (505/299-0052) Faxes & membership question hot line: Rio Grande: Suzanne Blanchard (608/233-4441) 303-347-1181 GEORGIA (505/521-1725) CANADA E-mail: [email protected] Atlanta: Ron Hancock Santa Fe: Jane Miller (505/984-0851) (404/633-2108) Toronto: Pat Hosack (416/487-9261) Web: www.americanrecorder.org NEW YORK Montreal: Mary McCutcheon In accordance with the Internal Revenue Service Taxpayer Bill of Rights 2, HAWAII Buffalo: Charles Hall (514/271-6650) passed by the United States Congress in 1996, the American Recorder Hawaii: Irene Sakimoto (716/835-5573) Society makes freely available through its web site financial and (808/734-5909) Hudson Mohawk:Darleen Koreman Please contact the ARS office incorporation documents complying with that regulation. Big Island: Roger Baldwin (808/935-2306) (518/482-6023) to update chapter listings.
2 American Recorder PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE FOUNDED 1915 ______Funding fulfillment International
IVE YEARS AGO, the Board of the Amer- lowed us to fulfill some Baroque Fican Recorder Society began a plan- of these goals: an in- Institute at ning process that ultimately became A.R.S. structional video is in NOVA 2000. I became a part of this production; a new process shortly after I joined the board. I Consort handbook is Longy well remember spending most of a board in the first stages of production; a new web meeting working through a planning site has been constructed and is being test- process designed to prepare us for the task ed and—most exciting to many of us— JULY 19–28, 2002 of creating a long-range plan for the organ- American Recorder is now available on-line. ization. The process was involved, at times We have now reached a critical point in MUSICA tiring and tedious, and often very frustrat- the working-out of the long-range plan. MEDITERRANEA ing as we were required to come to grips The initial drive, aimed primarily at major with a way of doing things that many of us donors, has been completed. We have Italian, Spanish and were either unfamiliar with or uncomfort- raised close to $30,000—enough to begin Portuguese Cantatas, able with or both. In spite of all the prob- a few projects, but only that. Now, we are Sonatas and lems and frustrations, a plan was put to- ready to bring NOVA 2000 to its conclu- Concerti from the 17th gether, thanks to a lot of long hours on the sion. The final stage in the process is a way & 18th Centuries part of a number of board and staff mem- to give you, the members of the American bers, with a special note of gratitude for the Recorder Society, an opportunity to take untiring services of former board member part in activities that can only help the Israel Stein who virtually single-handedly Society grow and prosper. We still have FACULTY constructed the NOVA 2000 document. hopes of fulfilling many of our goals such As originally conceived, the NOVA as expanding scholarship monies and Phoebe Carrai, cello, co-director 2000 campaign was intended, in the developing the annual recorder conference Arthur Haas, harpsichord words of former president Gene Murrow, (this one might have become a reality this Ellen Hargis, soprano to correct a feeling on the part of the board year had not personnel problems at the Manfred Kraemer, violin that “the Society could not remain vital as potential host institution not made it Paul Leenhouts, director, recorder a membership club that simply provided impossible). Washington McClain, oboe services and benefits in return for an annu- A letter will soon be going out to the al membership fee.” Several of the goals of membership of the Society, giving each of Michael McCraw, bassoon the long-range plan included: you a chance to become participants in the Ken Pierce, dance • serving more children through great- continued growth and development of the Steven Stubbs, lute ly expanded Junior Recorder Society pro- ARS. We invite you to share in our vision: John Thiessen, natural trumpet grams; “Enriching individual and community life Jed Wentz, traverso • providing new opportunities for mak- through the music of the recorder.” Your ing music among seniors via support of gifts of any size will help us make that vi- INFORMATION residential workshops and programs at re- sion a reality. tirement facilities; John Nelson For more information • serving amateurs with a stronger please contact: chapter and consort education and grant The final stage in the Sarah Oehmcke program; Director of Continuing Studies • significantly increasing our scholar- process is a way to give and Summer Programs ship awards for deserving young people, you, the members of the Longy School of Music adults, and pre-professional players; One Follen Street • producing videos and other instruc- American Recorder Cambridge, MA 02138 tion materials; Society, an opportunity to (617) 876–0956 x523 • increasing our visibility and useful- take part in activities that [email protected] ness on the Internet; www.longy.edu • developing and hosting an annual can only help the Society conference. Our initial fund-raising efforts have al- grow and prosper.
March 2002 3 ______TIDINGS ______
Fifth-Grade Recorder Students Play with Island Senior Symphony
For the third year in a row, two dozen And it was, despite the recorder-playing fifth graders joined the Is- fact that the first (and on- land Senior Symphony to perform in front ly) full rehearsal was held of an audience of 600 at Brentwood High one hour prior to the per- School on Long Island, New York. formance. “The Island Se- The district-wide Valentine’s Day con- nior Symphony Orchestra cert featured three pieces played by the or- consists mostly of older chestra—two movements of Beethoven’s senior citizens, many of Fifth Symphony, the Rienzi Overture by whom are retired musi- Richard Wagner, and a selection from the cians or music teachers,” Karelia Suite by Sibelius—and one piece says Dr. Cinnamon. “We play the standard Howard Cinnamon, standing next to played by the entire ensemble: Kenneth symphonic repertoire, the kind of classical the trombonist, is surrounded by mem- Simpson’s Folkish, arranged for recorder music that students don’t hear very much bers of the Island Senior Symphony and orchestra by Dr. Joel Ratner, music co- in schools nowadays. The idea is to give and recorder players from Frank J. ordinator of the Brentwood School them a taste of what it sounds like. I re- Cannon Southeast Elementary School. District. member when I was about their age going Peggy Palmer, their music teacher, is at According to Howard Cinnamon, con- to a similar concert in a public school and right. Next to her is Dr. Joel Ratner, co- ductor of the Island Senior Symphony, the deciding right then and there that I wanted ordinator of music for the Brentwood unlikely collaboration between the stu- to be a musician. If we interest even one School District. Fifth-grader Stephan dents and the orchestra (average age: 75) student in the audience, we’ve done what Garamy is in the first row on the left. began “when we made arrangements with we hoped to do.” the District to use their auditorium for re- Yet despite the concert, the enthusiastic hearsals in exchange for which we would support, and the high level of instruction ARS/American Classical give a young person’s concert each year.” in the Brentwood district (where the high Orchestra Collaboration Those concerts have been a smashing suc- school music program recently won a cess, with fifth graders bused in from all $5,000 Special Merit Award from the During the month of January, the Ameri- over the district to hear the young recorder Grammy Foundation), there is cause for can Recorder Society participated in The players accompanied by a symphony concern. Although band and orchestra in- Magic Recorder program of the American orchestra. struments are not introduced into the cur- Classical Orchestra. The orchestra’s ed- “The kids are thrilled out of their minds riculum until the seventh grade (when stu- ucation program works with thousands of to play with the orchestra—and amazed to dents are given daily classes on their in- school children in Stamford, Norwalk, see the orchestra close up,” said Peggy struments), recorder instruction largely Fairfield, and other Connecticut commu- Palmer, the music teacher from Frank J. stops after fifth grade. If the students wish nities through a series of in-school and off- Cannon Southeast Elementary School, to continue taking music lessons, they will site experiences designed to introduce the whose advanced students were chosen to be forced to set their recorders aside and students to classical music. play in the concert. pick up the clarinet or the flute. During the program, schools were visit- “These kids can play everything from Fortunately, they already know that the ed by Horacio Franco, a recorder virtuoso low C to high E with ease,” she reported. recorder can hold the stage with “stan- from Mexico. He talked to the students Nonetheless, the challenge of Folkish is not dard” instruments. They know how to about the recorder and played examples of in the notes (the simple, evocative melody practice and how to play in an ensemble. recorder music for them. Franco also led a only has five) but in the length (ten staffs) And they know the thrill of making large- workshops for teachers and performed and the articulation. The arrangement re- scale music. The chances are good that at with the orchestra at a family concert in a quires crisp staccato—and the students least a couple of these young recorder play- program of Baroque classics. At the teach- delivered. As ten-year-old Stephan Garamy ers, many of whom performed in public for ers’ workshops, ARS board member Re- stated a full two weeks before the concert, the first time at this event, will be hooked becca Arkenberg introduced JRS materials “I’ve been practicing. I’m determined and for life. and spoke about ARS services to teachers ready. I want it to be a great concert.” —Nancy Hathaway and students.
4 American Recorder Bits & Pieces Suzanne Bloch, Founder of ARS Ken Andresen, founder of the Recorder Dies at the Age of 94 Orchestra of New York (RONY) in 1994, will give up the directorship to start a new recorder orchestra in Connecticut, where Suzanne Bloch, daughter of the composer chamber music with him. She was fond of he plays trombone in a chamber orchestra, Ernest Bloch, a pioneer in the performance saying, rather gleefully, that the great math- a symphonic band, a brass choir, and sev- of early music in the 20th century, and ematical physicist, whose rhythmic sense eral jazz bands. Taking over from Andresen founder of the American Recorder Society, was apparently not always reliable, “could- at RONY will be Stan Davis. died in New York City on January 29, n’t count.” RONY has received a $3,310 grant from 2002. She was 94 years old. Suzanne Bloch is best known to the the New York State Council on the Arts to- Suzanne was born in Geneva, Switzer- recorder world as the founder, in 1939, of ward two concerts in 2002 and the com- land, but moved with her family to New the American Recorder Society. She did missioning of a work to be played at those York in 1916. Her interest in early music this with Margaret Bradford, head of the performances. The composer is David began when she sang in choruses conduct- music department at the City and Country Tcimpidis, director of the extension divi- ed by her father. She first saw and heard a School. From the beginning, the chief mis- sion of the Mannes College of Music. lute at a concert in 1925 in Paris, where she sion of the ARS was didactic; Suzanne was studying with Nadia Boulanger, and wanted to teach people to listen to them- Residency opportunity: was, so she said, enchanted by the instru- selves and to play in tune. In an interview Sitka Center for Art and Ecology invites ment. Ten years later Suzanne went to Eng- conducted in February 1988, she said: “I applicants who earn part of their income land to study with (and buy a lute from) realized that these people didn’t know they from recorder performance or composi- the famous musicologist, performer, and were out of tune.... Because you... tune on tion for a two- to four-week residency at its instrument maker Arnold Dolmetsch. A, that’s nothing, and yet to listen!—that’s beautiful natural setting on the Oregon Arnold’s son Carl, who was already a virtu- very tricky.... It’s how you blow.... That’s all Coast. A dwelling and studio are provided, oso performer on the recorder, urged there is to it.” and two applicants willing to share the Suzanne to take up the recorder and Music played at those early meetings of space may apply together. The residency is virginals as well as lute, and she was the ARS, usually held at available during these dates: October 1-31, quickly adept at all three. Later, Suzanne’s apartment, was 2002, December 21, 2002 to February 28, Carl Dolmetsch came to New often composed or arranged 2003, and April 21 to May 21, 2003. Ap- York on tour and Suzanne played by Suzanne herself. “I wrote plication deadline is April 15, 2002. all of these instruments in con- out chorales and things so Sitka Center for Art and Ecology, P.O. certs with him and also sang to they could stop at the pause and lis- Box 65, Otis, Oregon 97368, 541-994- the lute. With Dolmetsch she ten and try to adjust.... You have to 5485, [email protected]. made radio broadcasts, toured listen to the other person....” She college campuses, and even- also made an effort to get groups Chicago premiere tually performed in New started at colleges and sent mu- Aldo Abreu will be performing the York’s Town Hall, making sic she had composed or world premiere of a Concerto for Recorders history with a first perform- arranged for recorders to and Orchestra by Lawrence Weiner with ance there of Bach’s Fourth those who asked for it. the Orchestra of the Chicago College for Brandenburg Concerto us- After launching the the Performing Arts on April 30 in the ing recorders. Later she American Recorder Society Harold Washington Public Library Audito- started performing on her and acting as vice-president for a rium. Stephen Squires will conduct. own, solo and with a harpsichordist, and time, Suzanne found that the demands of “I was very honored and flattered to making recordings. In gratitude to the Dol- her concert and teaching careers as well as write this concerto for Aldo,” said Mr. metsch family she acted as a distributor of her family prevented her from giving time Weiner. “We have known each other for Dolmetsch recorders in the United States. to the nurturing of amateur adult recorder about four years and have developed a By her own admission Suzanne was a players. She expressed a delighted aston- strong respect and admiration for each other. “natural” performer, singing in a very small ishment that the Society grew so rapidly af- “I selected a smaller orchestra instru- voice and playing the recorder without vi- ter she ceased playing an active role: mentation to help with the balance be- brato. Although pretty much an auto-di- “When I left, it thrived.” She deprecated tween soloist and orchestra but used ex- dact on both the recorder and lute, she her talents as a recorder player. “I played it tensive percussion so that the overall effect started teaching both instruments. She al- just like you sing.... I missed out on the low fits our contemporary framework.” so taught classes in Renaissance music at notes. I wasn’t so hot at it because my fin- the Juilliard School in New York from 1942 gers are so skinny and they curl upwards.” Weiner Abreu to1985. Suzanne Bloch’s enduring contribution Suzanne Bloch married Paul Smith, a to the recorder players of the United States mathematician, in 1935. She taught him is that she brought recorders into this how to play the recorder, and she some- country, helped to popularize them by times performed with him and with their playing in concerts, and tried to get people son Matthew. Through her husband, she to play better. This is her legacy. came to know Albert Einstein and played Martha Bixler ILLUSTRATION: VLADIMIR BOBRI ILLUSTRATION:
March 2002 5
The Recorder in THE ART OF TITIAN
THE RANGE OF MEANINGS that can be Frari in Venice, painted between 1516 Love, death, marriage, the Tconveyed through the representa- and 1518, is a beautiful young woman supernatural, and a range tion of one or more recorders is probably who stands firmly upon a substantial greater than that of any other musical in- cloud that has formed a pedestal for her of Arcadian delights are strument and has probably never been feet, and here it only needs three angels, represented through the encompassed by any single artist. The wonderfully airborne, to lift the cloud, master’s depictions great Venetian painter Tiziano Vecellio, which also provides space for nearly thir- known as Titian (c. 1485-1576), depicts ty other angels. Some of them play rather of the recorder the recorder in at least seven of his paint- an odd assortment of musical instru- ings. (This number would be much ments, and some sing. One holds a small by Anthony Rowland-Jones greater if account were taken of doubtful recorder-like duct-flute in his right hand attributions, Titian’s own multiple ver- while he looks up at the Virgin; his neigh- sions of a subject, copies by himself and bor looks down to concentrate on blow- others, preparatory sketches and draw- ing his crumhorn (illustration 1). ings, and engravings after Titian.) Titian It is common to find pipes in the uses recorders in a wide variety of aspects hands of shepherds, who traditionally as his career advances, his recorder sym- have always made and played pipes to bolism becoming more complex and pro- found in later paintings. In art from the 14th to the 18th cen- 1 turies, recorders can be found played by or in the hands of angels, along with a plethora of other instruments. This is es- pecially the case with paintings of the Na- tivity and the Virgin and Child as well as the Coronation and Assumption of the Virgin. While angels in any part of a pic- ture may sing or play any instrument, soft instruments, including recorders, are sometimes separated from trumpets and other loud instruments. Soft instru- ments, which may be found on the Vir- gin’s left side (traditionally the “female” side), represent her humility and tender- ness, while the loud instruments to her right proclaim her glory. In pictures of the Assumption of the Virgin, angels lift her to heaven; as a human being, unlike Christ in pictures of the Ascension, her ascent requires the support of a host of angels. Titian’s red-robed Virgin in his As- 1. Altarpiece of the Assumption, Church of the Frari, Venice (1516-18) sumption altarpiece in the church of the – detail of musical angels.
March 2002 7 The young man, almost certainly a shepherd, appears to be holding a recorder, but the over-curved mouthpiece of the instrument and its rough wood suggest that originally he may have held a shepherd’s staff.
while away the time, and to signal their tail, identifies it as a recorder. Very close reassuring presence to an easily excited by, but in the background, is a shepherd flock. In Byzantine and Medieval iconog- 2 with his flock. Illustration 3 is a detail raphy, shepherds in Nativity scenes are from the Concert champêtre that empha- sometimes shown with duct-flute pipes sizes this juxtaposition. or with bagpipes. In the Renaissance, Along with other Titian pictures, both when recorders were to artists the most the Frari Assumption and the Concert familiar type of duct-flute, the shepherd’s champêtre provide indirect evidence of pipe is often recognizably a recorder. Tit- one of the most important aspects of ian associates recorders with a pastoral recorder symbolism: its association with environment in nearly all his pictures in the supernatural. This symbolism in- which they appear (illustration 1 being cludes prayer and death and is found in the main exception). His use of a pipe or scenes of sacrifice in Purcell’s theater mu- recorder as the attribute of a shepherd, sic and in other examples from Jacobean however, is often overlaid with complex drama. The recorder music “when the an- symbolism. This raises a question about gel comes down” in a scene in Mas- A Boy with a Pipe, a painting in Hampton singer’s The Virgin Martyr deeply affected Court Palace near London (illustration Samuel Pepys when he saw a revival of the 2). The Superintendent of the Royal Col- play on February 27, 1667/8. Recorders lection there and other scholars now con- are also associated with death in J.S. fidently attribute this painting to Titian. or infamous—Déjeuner sur l’herbe) is now Bach’s funeral cantatas. But other than in Its half-length format and the androge- generally accepted as partly painted by Vanitas still-lifes, this association with nous features of the subject are in the Giorgione and partly by Titian, probably death is rarely found in painting; one manner of Giorgione, with whom Titian both before and after Giorgione’s death. spectacular exception is Rembrandt’s worked first as master and pupil, then, as The clothing of the two seated men, a Belshazzar’s Feast in the National Gallery, Titian developed his stronger style, as courtier-lutenist and a shepherd who are London, where a ghostly recorder player equals, friends, and sometimes collabora- in deep conversation, associates the sub- symbolizes the sinful indulgence of the tors until Giorgione’s death in his early ject with a passage in Sannazzaro’s Arca- feast (with courtesans present) at which thirties in the Venice plague in 1510. The dia, published in Venice in 1504, which the sacred vessels pillaged from the Tem- picture had become badly damaged and was itself derived from Virgil and other ple of Jerusalem were used, the supernat- rubbed and needed to be substantially re- Classical pastoral writers. Mythical Arca- ural handwriting on the wall, and the im- stored when it was acquired. The young dia was an escape from the cares and minent death of the King and the collapse man, almost certainly a shepherd, ap- tribulations of court and commerce, pop- of his dominions. pears to be holding a recorder, but the ulated in an eternal spring by lovelorn The recorder’s erotic symbolism, de- over-curved mouthpiece of the instru- shepherds and not always responsive rived from its phallic shape, its soft and ment and its rough wood suggest that shepherdesses, together with nymphs beguiling sound, and its long association originally he may have held a shepherd’s pursued by lecherous satyrs and fauns. with chansons and madrigals with texts staff. Faced with a badly rubbed canvas, Arcadia provided subjects for painters for ranging from Petrarchian idealism to the restorer, who was used to seeing pic- three centuries, including many fashion- downright bawdiness, is exploited by tures of shepherds with pipes that were able portraits. The near-naked women in Purcell and Bach and many other com- often recorders, may have assumed that a the Concert champêtre are so totally disre- posers. But such symbolism is also well recorder had been originally intended. Or garded by the two men that they must be represented in art. Titian, in his old age, he may have exercised a bit of “restorer’s invisible supernatural beings—it was contributed an extreme example, his license.” Certainly, the picture is very at- common practice to paint deities in the Nymph and Shepherd, now at the Kun- tractive as it is, even if the identification of perfection of nakedness. One, by a foun- sthistorisches Museum in Vienna (illus- this duct-flute as a recorder or a six-holed tain, is the nymph of the Arcadian tration 4). The shepherd, as expected, pipe is difficult because its lower part is streams; the other is the nymph of the holds his attribute pipe, but it is difficult off the picture and no finger-holes are woods and pastures. Like an actual shep- to make out whether this is a transverse visible. herd, she carries her attribute pipe. A flute (which to some extent shares the After protracted debate over the preparatory drawing in the Malcolm Col- recorder’s symbolism) or a recorder. The centuries, the Concert champêtre in the lection in the British Museum, which picture was owned by Archduke Leopold Louvre (the model for Manet’s famous— shows her slender instrument in more de- of Brussels; the custodian of his collec-
8 American Recorder head turns a little towards him, seeming- ly in an expression of disdain or at least lack of interest. In this painting the 2. Boy with a Pipe “The Shepherd” (c.1512), attributed to Titian (previously recorder has three functions. It is the assigned to Giorgione), Hampton Court Palace, Surrey (No. 271) in The Royal shepherd’s attribute; it is a symbol of car- Collection © 2002, Her majesty Queen Elizabeth II. nal lust; and it establishes the relation- 3. Concert champêtre (1511), Musée du Louvre, Paris – detail of nymph with ship between the two figures. Without recorder and a shepherd with his flock in the background. the recorder, the picture would lose much 4. Nymph and Shepherd (1570), Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna. of its meaning. The Three Ages of Man, on loan from the Duke of Sutherland’s Collection to the National Gallery of Scotland in Edin- 3 burgh, is a much earlier painting. In the scene of the lovers, Titian had used the same device, placing the recorder in the left hand of the girl, perhaps even more explicitly (illustration 5). Titian may have first conceived this picture as early as 1510, but he was interrupted by other commissions. Vasari in his Vite, an im- portant but not always accurate account of the lives of Italian Renaissance artists, said that Titian did this picture after he had returned to Venice from Ferrara, pre- sumably from his first visit to Duke Al- fonso d’Este in February and March 1516. X-rays of the Edinburgh painting show several substantial changes, and there may have been earlier versions of the picture, now lost. It could have been from one of these that Valentin Lefèbre made his engraving in the 17th century. In an article in Apollo Magazine on “Tit- ian’s Daphnis and Chloe, A Search for the subject of a familiar masterpiece” (June, 1991, pp. 374-82), the art historian Paul
tion and court painter from 1651 was David Teniers the Younger. Teniers made a number of paintings of the Archduke’s gallery, and in two of them Titian’s Nymph and Shepherd is among the collection. Te- niers’ miniature copy of the Titian in the Prado version shows the slight bell-flare and ring at the foot of the instrument more clearly, and in the version belonging to the Alte Pinakothek in Munich it has a sharply beaked mouthpiece. This, togeth- er with the position of the fingers as if to cover seven holes (three left hand upper, four right hand lower), strongly suggests that the instrument in Titian’s painting was intended to be a recorder. The nymph lolls, pleasuring herself, with her back to- wards the shepherd. Behind, in a barren and fiery landscape, a goat, a symbol of lechery, clambers against a broken tree to reach out for its remaining foliage. The line of the shepherd’s hands and head is reinforced by the position of the recorder, indicating that he is asking to take part in 4 the nymph’s sensual gratification. Her
March 2002 9 Joannides argued that Titian’s Febo Guizzi in an article in Ima- Three Ages was a poesia derived go Musicae VII (1990, pp. 7-23) from a pastoral novella by the on “Visual message and music 2nd- or 3rd-century Greek writer in cultures with oral tradition” Longus. (Titian referred to a pic- of presenting a bride with a ture based on a literary theme as double pipe (see illustration 6). a poesia). The words of this ro- As the crude carvings on this in- mance provide an explanation of strument indicate, the right- several details in Titian’s final pic- hand pipe, with six holes to play ture, including why the man is the tune, is the male side, and naked and the girl clothed. More- the left-hand pipe, with fewer over, Lefèbre’s engraving is in- holes, but enough to play a complete as a Three Ages allegory, sweet harmonious accompani- for it does not include the figure ment, is the female side. The of an old man contemplating two imagery of two recorders, the (originally four) skulls, who rep- right-hand one slightly larger resents old age and death, an im- than the left, was used in 1470 age not directly derived from 7 by Francesco Cossa in his fresco Longus’s text. It is possible that, for the month of April, The Tri- having completed the Concert umph of Venus, in the Salone dei champêtre after Giorgione’s death Mesi at the Schifanoia Palace, in 1510, Titian set out to paint a poesia of landscape” (note that she had the two Ferrara. This allegory, in which every de- his own devising, and worked it up as a pipes when Vasari saw the picture, al- tail is significant, shows the whole Three Ages allegory, which became its though in Lefèbre’s print she has only process of love, from courtship to mar- main perceived purpose. Nevertheless, one). Those two pipes symbolize the cen- riage and regeneration. Illustration 7 is a Vasari does not re- tral theme both of the poesia and the detail of the final stages. Marriage is sym- 6 fer to it as an alle- allegory. bolized by the myrtle plant, sacred to gory but as a “can- Although one recorder on its own of- Venus, which is sweetly scented and, like vas of a naked ten represents sensual or erotic self-in- love, ever blooming. In the bottom right shepherd and a dulgence, there is continuing icono- of the picture a woman plaits a myrtle country girl who is graphic evidence that two pipes or coronet, presumably intended for the girl offering some recorders in close enough juxtaposition shown at an advanced stage of love-mak- pipes for him to to represent a double pipe signify a har- ing nearby. Her lover already wears one, play, with an ex- monious union, generally in marriage. and the myrtle plant extends close to an- tremely beautiful This relates to the practice described by other girl who clutches two recorders,
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5 probably as an expression of her wish for ian’s death. Rubens made significant marriage to the man who embraces both changes in his version of the Bacchanal her and another, pregnant, woman, and (Nationalmuseum, Stockholm), includ- who, alone of all the people in the fresco, ing the omission of the music and words looks out questioningly at us. Titian must of a canon ascribed to Willaert in the fore- have seen this allegory when he was the ground of Titian’s picture. But Rubens guest of Duke Alfonso in 1516. He had al- copied the recorders exactly, making ready recently used the symbolism of the them if anything more obvious. He was bridal myrtle coronet in his wedding clearly aware of their symbolism, which commission Sacred and Profane Love in he also uses in another painting from the 1514 (see illustration 8), and Lefèbre’s 1630s, Shepherds and Shepherdesses in a engraving shows Chloe wearing such a Rainbow Landscape (Musée des Beaux- head-dress, although it is much less Arts, Valenci- prominent in the engraving than in the ennes). The Edinburgh painting where Titian has recorders are not changed both the position of Chloe’s there primarily head and its prominence against an al- to join in the tered skyline. music, although Along with the myrtle symbolism, the flutes were asso- addition of the second recorder confirms ciated with Bac- that in the allegory the scene of the lovers chic rites, as it is stands for marriage, the only one of the the words of the Three Ages within man’s own choice. The canon sung by two recorders are as parallel as the two the Andrians joined pipes that form the bridal gift dou- that matter— ble-pipe. The added recorder is of the “he who drinks same design as the original one, though and does not slightly smaller and with fewer finger drink again holes. Both have bell-end decoration sim- knows not what ilar to that shown in Sebastian Virdung’s drinking is.” Fol- Musica getutcht of 1511. It is hardly likely lowing this dic- that Titian saw this publication, but Vir- tum, the Andri- 9 dung’s illustrator would have depicted a ans—at least the style of instrument common in this time, men—have become god-like, for they are 5. The Three Ages of Man (c.1510-16) and Venice had many contacts with shown naked. Duke of Sutherland Collection, on loan North European countries. In his right As will be seen from illustration 9, the to the National Gallery of Scotland, hand, Daphnis, too, has a recorder as his two recorders, though derived from the Edinburgh – detail of the lovers. shepherd’s attribute. He appears to be symbolism of bridal double pipes, are 6. Wooden double pipe (a bridal gift) about to pick it up, which may signify his held by two reclining women. By the hem from Cusano Mutri, Benevento, Italy, acceptance of a harmonious relationship of the bodice of the upper woman, al- early 20th century. (Illustration from in marriage. The wedding of Daphnis and ready conspicuous by her red hair and Imago Musicae VII, 1990, p.8, photo Chloe, with parental consent, is the hap- her centrality to the composition of the Robert Palmieri, reproduced with per- py outcome of Longus’s romance. scene, Titian, for reasons of his own, has mission of the journal Editor). Titian used the same symbolism in signed his name, perhaps to concentrate 7. Francesco Cossa – detail from fresco The Bacchanal of the Andrians, now in the our attention upon her. Moreover, he has The Triumph of Venus (1470) Schi- Prado, Madrid, one of the three pictures placed a third recorder on the ground, fanoia Palace, Ferrara. he had been commissioned in 1516 to half-hidden by a glass, with its flared bell 8. Sacred and Profane Love (1514) paint for the camerino of Duke Alfonso at end pointing directly at her foot, denoting Borghese Gallery, Rome – detail of the Ferrara. Two recorders, held roughly in her sensuality and depravity. The woman bride’s head-dress. parallel and with the one on the right seems to have lost interest in the Andrian 9.The Bacchanal of the Andrians (from the playing end) being slightly the holding her ankle, who turns away from (1518-19), illustrated with the permis- larger, appear prominently in the lower her, and she looks questioningly at the sion of the Director of the Museo del centre of the painting, where most of the other woman with the parallel recorder; Prado, Madrid – detail of center lower action is concentrated. In the last decade this woman is embracing her and has section. of his life, Rubens made a re-interpreted knocked over her glass. The significance copy of this painting, which he kept in his of recorders symbolizing a lesbian en- studio; by the 1630s, having previously counter needs to be understood within copied many of Titian’s paintings, the context of a Bacchanal, where, to Rubens had developed so profound an in- quote from Görel Cavalli-Björkmann’s ar- sight into Titian’s mind that it was said ticle in the book edited by her, Bacchanals that he had inherited his genius— by Titian and Rubens (Nationalmuseum, Rubens was born in 1576, the year of Tit- Stockholm, 1987, p. 96), “There were no
March 2002 11 In the Fitzwilliam Venus, Titian achieves an ideal amalgam of the physical and the spiritual aspects of love in the one figure of Venus. And the recorder she now holds plays an important part in this achievement.
inhibitions … men were free to present riosity, she has come to the scene, obvi- and Vienna, 1546-55). During the period themselves as women and women could ously invisible to the Andrians them- 1550 to 1567, Titian painted six pictures play the roles of men.” selves, and has inevitably become totally of the goddess Venus herself. In all, she is There is a possible fourth recorder in intoxicated. The object in the stream of in the same reclining position, her head Titian’s Bacchanal, immersed in the wine, hard to make out, points directly at turned away, both from the viewer and miraculous river of wine with which Bac- her foot, so closely as almost to touch her from a male musician who appears in all chus has endowed his sacred island to the raised toe. Its placing resembles that of except the first in the series, the marriage eternal benefit of its inhabitants. Across the recorder that characterizes the red- picture Venus and Cupid with a Partridge, the whole of the right foreground of the headed woman. If it is her pipe, repre- an ancient symbol of fertility (Uffizi, picture, Titian has painted for the private senting her pastoral duties, this not only c.1550). The series is described and in- delight of Duke Alfonso a beautiful nude, clarifies who she is but links her to Tit- terpreted in Rona Goffen’s Titian’s Women reclining in inebriated slumber in the ian’s nymph in the Concert champêtre. But (Yale University Press, 1997, pp. 157- same pose as Giorgione’s Sleeping Venus this nymph has dropped her pipe, for she 69). The organ in the first three of the five (Dresden), which Titian completed after is far too inebriated to fulfill the role it with a musician seems a curious choice, his death, to remind us of the association stands for. since its associations, beyond that of har- between Bacchus and Venus—wine, Titian returned to the subject of a re- mony, are more with Saint Cecilia and the women, and song. She is not Venus, nor clining nude in several later pictures, church than with love. But if the player, is she Ariadne as believed by many com- such as the “Venus” of Urbino (Uffizi, Flo- who in the first two paintings turns away mentators until recently. She is now gen- rence, 1538), which also uses the mar- in his playing to gaze directly at Venus’s erally seen as a Bacchic maenad, or as the riage symbolism of the myrtle bush, and groin (both these paintings are in the Pra- tutelary nymph of the island. In her cu- three versions of Danae (Naples, Prado, do), is in any of this series a portrait of
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12 American Recorder King Philip II of Spain, the organ may rep- which is male-dominated. The part- resent his public image as a devout cham- books are marked “Tenor” and “Bassus,” pion of Catholicism. The male lewdness and part of a bass viol rests beside—too of the first two pictures, which is utterly massive for the whole instrument to ap- disregarded by Venus, who in the first (ex- pear in the picture. An inverted enlarge- actly as in its Uffizi predecessor) has Cu- ment of the madrigal bassus part shows pid close beside her and in the second the music to be in the deepest possible fondles a dog, is moderated in the third 11 range, denoted by the F5 clef (see illus- (in Berlin). The organist, less twisted in tration 11), which is used for second bass posture, looks across the picture and its 10.Venus with a Lute Player (c.1565) parts in choral works and for bass viol mountainous landscape background to- Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, U.K. music, but rarely if ever for the bass line in wards the heads of Venus and Cupid. In 11.The music in the Fitzwilliam Venus, four-part madrigals of the mid-16th cen- the final versions of the painting, at the inverted. Photograph provided by the tury. Additionally, Titian, well versed in Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, and Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge music, informs musicians that this is not the New York Metropolitan Gallery of Art, an actual four-part madrigal by omitting Venus’s majesty is more strongly ex- lieved they can identify it (but Einstein’s the time-signature. (Although the words pressed; she looks upwards, and Cupid brilliant suggestion—see Edgar Hunt’s themselves are a stronger indication of crowns her with a floral coronet including article “Titian and the Recorder” in The tempo, it was essential for a singer to red wild roses. The organist is replaced by Recorder Magazine 10/4, December know the pulse of unbarred music and to a boyish lute player, who in the Fitz- 1990, pp. 94-5—is untenable). More- some extent the speed of its measure.) william Venus (illustration 10) seems to over, Venus herself participates in the cre- The lute player, although he—unlike the look, rather overawed, partly at Venus ation of this idealized harmony by hold- organists—is now only an acolyte and and partly at the music book beside him. ing a recorder. And Titian has chosen the performer, nevertheless remains male, The changes that Titian made in this two instruments most closely associated and longingly aware of Venus’s nudity. series of pictures suggest a gradual with love in art, music, and literature. A Even Venus carries symbols of sensual progress toward an ideal expression of lute creates harmony on its own, but love; her pearl collano necklace and ear- the relationship between the physical and more beautifully with voice or melody in- rings were common attributes of Venetian the spiritual aspects of love. In Sacred and struments. The big-bellied lute and the courtesans. Profane Love, Titian had symbolized these phallic recorder are symbols of female In the symbolism of this painting, in two figures—the clothed bride and the and male love—de Hooch in the 1680s much depends on the recorder in Venus’s unclothed Venus holding aloft the sacred kept a recorder and a lute in his Amster- left hand, in the same way as the recorder flame of love. In the Fitzwilliam Venus, dam studio as props for portraits of mar- in the girl’s left hand in The Three Ages of Titian achieves an ideal amalgam in the ried couples, expressing the harmony of Man is a culminating point in the allego- one figure of Venus. And the recorder she their marriage. Venus is surrounded by ry. Venus, as a single figure, represents now holds plays an important part in this music as one’s eye, starting at the straight both sacred and profane or physical love. achievement. The New York version adds line of the recorder, is led to the music be- The recorder itself not only has an impor- nothing—it bears signs of being a copy, low, then picked up and turned back by tant compositional function, as it does in for the balance of composition is too low the angle of the lute and its player to move the Nymph and Shepherd, but stands both in the frame, some of the detailing is poor, to more music on the ledge, which brings for divine harmony and earthly sensuali- and it is in any case unfinished. us back to Venus herself. There is a con- ty. No other instrument has such intense The divine and spiritual aspects of centration of music along her left side, the iconographic duality as the recorder, al- love are enshrined in the goddess herself. female side of the bridal double-pipe. most amounting to contradiction, and She looks into a distance, serious yet re- Furthermore, the cantus recorder, playing Titian’s Fitzwilliam Venus with a Lute laxed, almost unaware of her coronation. the soprano line, was the highest instru- Player is the supreme expression of this The distance she contemplates is re-iter- ment then used in madrigalian music, duality in art. ated in the landscape behind her; Titian and this, taken together with the deep leads our eye through it in a shallow “S” bass below, associates the goddess with a The author would like to acknowledge to far-off blue mountains and a blue sky universal range of music, in rather the financial assistance from the Research Fund with a floating white cloudscape. But same way that Schütz later used the ex- of Anglia Polytechnic University to enable there are signs of eroticism—the recorder tremes of “duoi Flautini” and bass voice him to study original paintings in the Museo itself and the way Venus holds it, the lute- to encompass the whole world in his Ju- del Prado, Madrid, and in Paris, Ferrara, player’s sword, the hunting of the deer. bilate Deo, omnis terra (1629, SWV 262). and Venice, and to thank David Scrase, The fulfillment of the picture’s sym- The lute and the voice parts amply fill out keeper of paintings, drawings and prints at bolism is in its music. The ensemble is the harmony between. But Venus, with the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, Chris mixed but ideally matched—a bass, a the recorder, is at the summit of this sa- Stevens, superintendent of The Royal Collec- plucked string instrument, a melody in- cred music-making. tion, Hampton Court Palace, and Aidan We- strument, and as implied by the part- But the music also symbolizes physi- ston Lewis, keeper, Italian and Spanish art, books, voice or voices. The representa- cal love and sensuality, again especially National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh, tional music and words are so nearly through the presence of the recorder. for their assistance on questions of detail. identifiable as a madrigal, itself often a Pe- Moreover, the recorder points down, in- A version of this article in Spanish previous- trarchian idealization of love, that schol- tensified by Venus’s extended middle fin- ly appeared in Revista de Flauta de Pico, ars as erudite as Alfred Einstein have be- ger, directly to the music beneath, all of No. 17, I/2001.
March 2002 13 Composers/Arrangers Arranging Music for Beginning Recorder Players
by Peter van Marissing URING MY YEARS OF TEACHING recorder descants and one treble recorder. If you the players to shorten them somewhat. Dto children, I have always tried to in- keep the descant parts within the first oc- Simple imitations are an extra complica- troduce ensemble playing at a very early tave, it will sound fine, but there is very tion but are worthwhile, since after some stage. Children (as well as adults) enjoy little space left for the third descant. So I time, pupils enjoy following the motive playing together and are stimulated to lis- omitted that third descant and added a that travels from one voice to the other. ten to each other and enjoy the har- tenor or bass part. In a small group, this As simple as they are, I have actually monies. I introduce three- or four-part will work well if the teacher joins the performed these pieces successfully with playing as soon as they are able to play a ensemble. groups of 20 to 30 pupils, playing for few easy tunes from a method. Because it Eventually, though, I reworked the their parents and classmates. Playing is sometimes difficult to find attractive easiest pieces for two descants and one with other instrumental groups also music for this purpose, I have written a treble recorder. Most of my pieces are works very well. One of my pieces (Win- number of three- or four-part arrange- written for two descants (there are always ter) I performed with a recorder and a ments of well-known songs and cheerful a lot of descant players), treble, and tenor flute group, but combinations with tunes. or bass. Of course, one part can be played strings or guitars sound very attractive as My procedure is to prepare the stu- by two or more players. As the lower parts well. In another piece (Fellow) I put the dent for real ensemble playing by first in- can be played by the teacher and/or some tune in the treble and the tenor, and used troducing bourdon (drone) pieces and advanced pupils, it is possible to make the bass and the descants as a kind of per- simple canons. This works best with these parts somewhat more demanding. cussion group. Of course, it is possible to groups of 10 to 15 pupils. After some Keeping some distance between the bass add a drum or two to the score to make time, I start them on my own arrange- and the middle voices provides a better the music more attractive for the young- ments. These pieces are short—thirty to sonority. Rests are very difficult for begin- sters! Also, reinforcing the bass line with forty bars maximum. Young children al- ners, so I keep them to a minimum in the a guitar, or if possible a cello, strengthens ways like to play the melody, so at first I upper voices. It is better for the very be- the harmonies, and is a good counterbal- tried dividing the tune between the first ginners to write full-length notes and tell ance to the high-pitched recorders! and the second voice. Alas, the children The example included here is Ad- could not recognize the tune! So I aban- vokaatje, a little piece for two descants, T doned this experiment and simply kept his is the fifth in a series of articles treble and bass recorders. This piece in- the other voices as interesting and tuneful featuring the works of composers troduces some eighth notes and a few as possible. and arrangers who write for the rests. However the descant parts focus For beginning arrangements, one recorder. Each installment is accom- mainly on the easy notes D, G, B with oc- must keep in mind which notes the stu- casional A, C and (in the second descant) dents can play comfortably. For the easi- panied by discussion of the the com- F . More ensemble music for beginners is est pieces I used tunes with four to five poser’s own working methods, on my web page. Feel free to use it in your tones (G-A-B-C-D or E-G-A-B). Of including performance considera- lessons, or play it for fun! course, low F is difficult in the descant tions that went into creating the Peter van Marissing (http://home. recorder with English “forked” fingering, selected piece of music. It is hoped planet.nl/~samenspelen) studied recorder but low E is no problem. The lowest notes and organ in Tilburg, The Netherlands, at require patience, but after a few months, that the considerations that com- the Brabants Conservatorium. He has most pupils are able to play from c'' to d'''. posers and arrangers have to keep played harpsichord and clavichord in sever- At this stage I can’t recommend the use of in mind will be of general interest to al ensembles, performing often with recorder notes beyond f'''. They don’t sound good all AR readers, who will also be able player Karin Ekerbout, conducted recorder in such a basic ensemble. Recorders ensembles and mixed instrument groups, sound an octave higher than written any- to add to their music collection a and taught organ and recorder at the music way, so I keep the music as low as possi- series of performable short pieces schools of Hertogenbosch and Arnhem. ble and in easy keys like C, F, or G major or excerpts. For seven years he was a member of the and occasionally a minor key. Stan McDaniel, Series Editor faculty for ensemble playing at the music My first arrangements were for three school of Arnhem.
14 American Recorder
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18 American Recorder O-EODRCASS =hrl =te id,Ppruso,Kkyor,Vvos Spukdsrns =ac,Tter,Iisrmn buil I=instrument T=theory, D=dance, PS=plucked strings, V=viols, K=keyboard, P=percussion, winds, W=other C=choral, NON-RECORDER CLASSES: music, century 20=20th MB=mixed advanced Baroque ensemble, MR=mixed Renaissance ensembles, V=very consorts, A=advanced, C=one-on-a-part intermediate, CLASSES: HI=high SPECIAL intermediate, LI=low B=beginner, departure days LEVELS: and CLASS arrival Includes DAYS: Of number NO. that years within overlast recorder faculty two Average and # STUDENTS: faculty of fees. Number other FACULTY: plus # FACULTY/RECORDER meals, otherwise noted), unless occupancy (single room tuition, Includes COST: LEGEND ADCPACCESS HANDICAP FOOD BATHS ROOMS TERMINALS TRANSPORTATION DIRECT OTHERS WELCOME RECREATION ACTIVITIES MUSICAL CLASSES NON-RECORDER CLASSES SPECIAL LEVELS CLASS RECORDER STUDENTS # FAC. RECORDER OFFAC./ NO. DISCOUNT ARS OFDAYS NO. COST =siae,Ttiinol,Ddul cuac,Woeweek W=one occupancy, D=double only, T=tuition E=estimated, Neryntto,Mmse ls,R=eodroceta =rvt esn vial,Ttcnqe Prcre eaoy O=other pedagogy, RP=recorder T=technique, available, lessons P=private orchestra, RO=recorder class, M=master EN=early notation, 02SME RECORDER WORKSHOPS SUMMER 2002 7/k4 52 A1 04 06 0101066 54 07 01025 120 30 NO 70 YES 50 5/3 NO 13/10 40 YES 9/5 55 YES 12/6 $10 60 8/7 $10 6/6 6 $10 14/2 100 NO 15/3 100 NO 6/1 60 21/9 NO 65 20/1 NO 11/5 50 NO 10/6 40 NO 25/3 50 11/1 NO 9/8 14 NO 10/6 NA NO 7/4 O RO,P,T 24 NO EN,M 3/1 MB,20 C,MR YES 15 A,V 2 LI,HI, NO 40 175/wk 8/5 YES 65/22 YES 7/147778157108767/14820147737737D/W $750 , , ,, , , ACVCFVCVCVCVCVCVCCVCF,V S,C C S,D S,C C,V S,D H,C,D C S,D H,C,D C,V S,C S,D H,C,D C,V H,C,D S,D S C,V S,D S,C C,V S,D S,C C,V S,D S,C F,V D H,C,D C S C S,D H,C,D C,V S,D H,C,D P S,C S,D H,C,D H,C,D S S,D S NA H,C S S,C S G S,SP S,D C,V H,C,D S D H,C,D H,C,D S,B,C,PU * F,V B,C H SP,P F,G,V S,D B,C H,D SP,P C,V S,D S,C,L,P H,C,D S,B,C,L SP C,V S,D S S,SP,P S,B S,D B,C,PU,P S T30 B1 A35 S,C S,B,C,L,P S,B,L,PU D,S,F,W S,C D,G,S D,G,S,T P F,S,L,SP PS,D,O C,W,K,V
AMHERST RO, T MB,EN C,MR A,V B,LI,HI $1430 $450T $725D $875 $770 T5 B5 C,W,D A10 W,T,O F,S,L,SP F,S,L D,O L,F,S,P O F,S O C,W,V,D
CANTO ANTIGUO O IAVL,IAVH,, IAVB,LI,HI HI,A,V M,O MR,T,B HI,A,V LI,HI,A,V HI,A,V B75 A75 RECORDER AT THE CLEARING ,, ,, ,, ,, ,,, ,, ,,, ,,, ,,, ,,, ,, ,, ,, D,F,S,W T B,S,W D,F,O D,S,T D,F,S,W D,F,S,W D,F,S,W F,S,T,D D,S,W D,G,S,T D,S,T D D D,T,W F,S,O B,S,O C,MR O T1 A15
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LONGY BAROQUE ig O=other ding, A,V P PS,D,T C,W,V M,T t30 A8,B1
MADISON P A,V LI,HI ,,,, ,, ,,,PF,S,L F,S,L,SP F,S,L F,S,L,P,O O V,PS,D C,W RO,T,O MB,M C,MR T10 B10 A25 ADCPACS:Hhuig =lsros D=dining C=classrooms, H=housing, V=vegetarian ACCESS: G=gourmet, HANDICAP style, F=family style, C=college FOOD: P=private SP=semi-private, orlocal hotels/motels S=shared, dorms terminal) BATHS: *Graduate to C=cabins workshop D=doubles, from O=other S=singles, miles P=free parking, ROOMS: (number indicates up, T=train PU=pick B=bus, L=limo, A=air, C=cab, TERMINALS: B=bus, airport, from S=shuttle DIRECT TRANSPORTATION: C=children O=other O=other spouses/friends, W=waterfront/beach, playing, WELCOME: S=non-playing T=tennis, informal OTHERS S=swimming, P=organized G=gym, production, F=field trip, SP=special D=dancing, L=lecture, RECREATION: concert, S=student concert, F=faculty MUSICAL ACTIVITIES:
MIDEAST USSCS,B,C SSSSSSS S,C S PU A B,LI,HI PS,T W,V T,RP MB,20 MR 10A35 A100
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OBERLIN BPI A,V B,LI,HI P V,PS,D C,W,K RO,T MB,20 C,MR T12 B12 A60
PINEWOODS PU A,V B,LI,HI SP,P F,S,L D,T K,V,PS C,W,P T,O EN,M MB,20 C,MR, T20 B20 A150
PUTNEY /W , , , ,,, S,C,L S,B,C,P C,O C,O C,O IH,, IH,, IH,, LI,HI LI,HI,A,V LI,HI,A,V LI,HI,A,V ,,, ,,, ,,, , F,S,SP F,O F,S,L,P F,S,L,P F,S,L,P D,T,O C,W,K,V P,T MB,M T15 B15 A26
SFEMS BAROQUE 70 70 B 60 $0E$0 $500E $205 C$500E $630E TBA $730D $730D T,O V,PS,D C,W,K P,T C,MR,M T15 B15 A26 SFEMS MEDIEVAL & RENAISSANCE O W,V,T O RO,P,T EN,M, MB,20 C,MR T15 B15 A26
SFEMS RECORDER PPSS ,PSS S S,SP S,SP SP,P A,V , W,P,V D,V RO,T MR,MB B3,T3 A5 SENIORS RECORDER
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WORLD FELLOWSHIP RECORDERS ______ON DISC ______Music sacred and profane ______from concert hall and countryside and a perfect dream of a disc from Adriana Breukink Talk about a demo recording! If you’ve (Post Proelium Deliberemus) and Miggs chamber cantatas Telemann wrote to be heard and seen the brightly colored, wide- Coggan (Kurrawongs), are heard in invigor- performed on specific Sundays during the bore soprano and alto Dream recorders de- ating but spiky performances, along with church year—72 of them in the Harmonis- signed by Adriana Breukink and manu- music by Diego Ortiz and Boismortier and cher Gottes-Dienst, set for voice, continuo, factured by Mollenhauer, you will under- some Irish tunes. and obbligato instruments (often a stand the brilliant mix of imagination and The Danish musicians Kirsten Lund recorder). Five of these are featured on a re- mastery that characterizes Adri’s Traum- Jensen, recorders, and Per Weile Bak, cent Dorian disc (DOR 93239*) employ- flöte—The Dream (Mollenhauer RU 007; lutes, known as Duo al Dente, have re- ing the members of Musica Pacifica with www.mollenhauer.com, or check with U.S. leased a follow-up to their “Taste of Christine Brandes, soprano, and Jennifer Mollenhauer distributors). The maker has Baroque” CD with “The Food of Love” Lane, mezzo-soprano. Since the music was attracted many of the top recorder players (Danacord DACODC 547)—music from written so as not to discourage amateur in the world to put the instruments Baroque London. As before, the players players and singers, the obbligato parts are through their paces—in whatever style offer a mixture of the standard sonata fare realized by recorderist Judith Linsenberg they wish. The result has some of the flavor (Barsanti, Opus 1, No. 3; Babell, Sonata I and violinist Elizabeth Blumenstock with a of those compilation operas to which and X; and Handel F major) together with flair that surely exceeds the way they were Mozart and a bunch of lesser-lights con- selections illustrating the fascination of usually heard in the 18th-century. Linsen- tributed, except that here everyone’s a polite society with the folksongs of exotic berg and Blumenstock also offer two ingra- Mozart: Paul Leenhouts, Marion Ver- Scotland and Ireland: Barsanti’s settings of tiating Telemann trio sonatas (“Corel- bruggen, Piers Adams, Matthias Maute tunes like “Where Helen Lies,” “Dumbar- lisantes”) from the set of six for two violins and Sophie Larivière, Peter Holtslag, ton’s Drums,” and “Lochaber.” or two traversos. and Dorothee Oberlinger, just to name Musicians today continue to make con- To go along with its re-releases of earli- some of the better-known players. The on- nections between the concert hall and er Hesperus recordings, Koch Interna- ly regret I have about this disc is that it Celtic folk music, but in Midnight Sun (Do- tional has put out two new albums that fill points up how much more satisfying the rian 93195*), Ensemble Polaris has mined important niches in any early music en- history of modern recorder education an equally rich vein: traditional Nordic semble’s discography. One is Dancing Day would have been if the manufacturers of melodies. Recorderists Alison Melville (3-7499-2 HI*), a Christmas disc that ben- high-quality plastic recorders had adopted and Colin Savage are fresh and inviting in efits from Hesperus’s omnivorous appetite a wide-bore model. They had their chance, a Swedish polka and songs from Estonia for repertoire drawn from different cultur- as recently as the newly introduced Dol- and Finland. The Polaris arrangements are al traditions—hardly a hackneyed item on metsch Nova recorders, but until a compa- half ethno, half hip, and always enjoyable. the entire disc!—and the well-known ny is willing to invest the considerable Journey (Kadanza KAD48130-2*), an- skills of Tina Chancey and Scott Reiss on funds (and re-education) needed, our stu- other disc out of Denmark, introduces a variety of instruments (including dents and teachers will continue to strug- Wood’N’Flutes (the American Vicki recorder, of course), as well as the lumi- gle with the squealing, inflexible Baroque Boeckman, with Gertie Johnsson and nous voice of Rosa Lamoreaux. The other models that are inappropriate for 90 per- Pia Brinch Jensen) in a program that trav- CD is the obligatory collection of risqué cent of the music they are asked to play. els through the past (Machaut, Dufay, repertoire, My Thing is My Own (3-7499-2 Even one of the best student recorder Henry VIII, Mattheson, Dornel, and the HI*), taken mostly from Wit and Mirth, or ensembles in the world, Batalla Fam- early 17th-century Danes Truid Aagesen Pills to Purge Melancholy by Restoration po- ossa, has to contend with the properties of and Mogens Pederson), contrasting older et and composer Thomas d’Urfey. Lamor- Baroque recorders in a wide range of his- trios (wonderful to hear Dufay’s familiar eaux again is the engaging soloist, abetted torical and new Australian music on their “Vergine Bella” so expertly handled!) with by Chancey, Grant Herreid, and Reiss, who recent disc, After the Battle (Orpheus new works by Matthias Maute (Les Barri- punctuates the songs with enjoyable varia- OM102; www.orpheusmusic.com.au). cades, a delightfully driving trip in itself) tions and improvisations in his natural and Composers familiar to AR readers, like and Willem Wander van Niewuwkerk (the flexible style. Given the “inappropriate” fo- Benjamin Thorn (Deep Sea Properties), beguiling Kadanza and sassy-and-serious cus of this material, it is no surprise that Zana Clarke (A Fox Dance in the Mulberry, Bye bye, blues (C-U Jesus). The group’s mel- d’Urfey’s tenure as a teacher in a girl’s with Thorn), and Lance Eccles (Shang- lifluous instrumentarium includes models school was a brief one! hai—Revolutionary Folksongs from North made by Morgan, Bergstrøm, Prescott, von Benjamin Dunham West China, including the deeply inflected Huene, Coolsma, Coomber, and Paetzold. “Chairman Mao’s Love is Deeper than the Among the most useful music for Note: Discs marked with an asterisk are avail- Sea”), together with Richard Peter Maddox church assignments are the intimate able through the ARS CD Club (see page 22).
20 American Recorder
Order your recorder discs through the ARS CD Club!
The ARS CD Club makes hard-to-find or limited release CDs by ARS members available to ARS members at the special price listed (non-members slightly higher), postage and han- dling included. An updated listing of all available CDs may be found at the ARS web site: www.americanrecorder.org.
NEW LISTINGS! ____THE FOOD OF LOVE Tina Chancey, Grant Herreid and Scott Reiss, recorders and other early ____TELEMANN: CHAMBER CANTATAS AND TRIO instruments. Early instrumental music of the British SONATAS Judith Linsenberg, recorders; Christine Isles, with works by Byrd, Gibbons and Simpson Brandes, soprano, and Jennifer Lane, mezzo- through Dowland, Playford and Coperario. Dorian. soprano, with members of Musica Pacifica. Five $17 ARS/$20 others. cantatas from the Harmonischer Gottesdienst ____IMAGINE II David Young, recorders. More con- (soprano with recorder and continuo, or mezzo- temporary interpretations of classic songs from the soprano with violin and continuo); plus two trio 1970s by Neil Young, Jim Croce, Carole King, and sonatas from Sonatas Corellisantes (in the style of Moody Blues. Universe Music. $17 ARS/$20 others. Corelli). Dorian. $17 ARS/$20 others. ____A JOURNEY AMONG TRAVELLERS (CD ____POPULAR MUSIC OF THE RENAISSANCE, ____JOURNEY Wood’N’Flutes: Vicki Boeckman, SHORT) Peter Bowman and Kathryn Bennetts per- Gertie Johnsson & Pia Brinch Jensen, recorders. Anne & Rob Burns (A Reasonable Facsimile) play form Donald Bousted’s 26-minute quarter-tonal recorders, shawm, cittern, Renaissance guitar, straw Seven centuries of recorder, from the Middle Ages piece for two alto recorders. $12 ARS/$14 others to the present, including works by Dufay, Machaut, fiddle, and a variety of drums, whistles, and pipes. ____LANDSCAPES David Bellugi, recorders; Ali Second From the Bottom. $17 ARS/$20 others. Henry VIII, Mogens Pederson, W.W. Van Nieuwkerk Tajbakhsh and Chris Hayward, percussion. “Virtual” & Matthias Maute, performed by the new ____A. SCARLATTI: CONCERTI DI CAMERA Judith orchestra of recorders created single-handedly by Linsenberg, recorders; with other members of recorder trio Wood’N’Flutes. Kadanza Classics. Bellugi. Three centuries of ethnic music, including $17 ARS/$20 others. Musica Pacifica. Seven sonatas for various instru- works by Encina, Brouwer, Ortiz, Bartok. Frame. mentations.. $17 ARS/$20 others. $17 ARS/$20 others. ____SHINE AND SHADE Piers Adams, recorder; IN STOCK (Partial listing) ____LES AMIS DU BAROQUE Paul Nauta, Julian Rhodes, harpsichord. Works of Norman ____AIRES AND DUETS FOR TWO FLUTES AND recorder/Baroque flute; Koen Dieltiens, recorder; Fulton, Edmund Rubbra, York Bowen, Lennox BASS Vicki Boeckman and Dorte Lester Nauta, Jan de Winne, Baroque flute; Christina Mahler, Berkeley, Edward Gregson, Stephen Dodgson, recorder; Mogens Rasmussen, viola da gamba; cello; Shalev Ad-El, harpsichord/organ. Ensemble in Donald Swann. $17 ARS/$20 others. Viggo Mangor, archlute and chamber organ. Trio CD title plays music by Bassani, Corelli, Vivaldi, etc. ____SONGS IN THE GROUND Cléa Galhano, sonatas for two recorders and continuo by Handel, Highlight Intl. $17 ARS/$20 others.. recorder, and Vivian Montgomery, harpsichord. Telemann, G. B. Braun, T. Merula, S. Rossi. ____MANCINI: CONCERTI DI CAMERA Judith Works by Pandolfi, Belanzanni, Vitali, Bach and con- Primavera. $17 ARS/$20 others. Linsenberg, recorders; Elizabeth Blumenstock and temporaries Thomas, Morrison and Setti, featuring ____J.S. BACH: TRIO SONATAS Judith Linsenberg, Lisa Weiss, violin; George Thomson, viola; David songs based on grounds. Ten Thousand Lakes. recorders; Elizabeth Blumenstock, violin; Elisabeth Morris, ‘cello; John Schneiderman, archlute & $17 ARS/$20 others. Le Guin, ‘cello; Edward Parmentier, harpsichord. Six baroque guitar; Charles Sherman, harpsichord & ____TELEMANN: TRIO SONATAS WITH RECORDER works arranged by Linsenberg from trio sonatas for organ. Seven sonatas by Francesco Mancini, plus Vicki Boeckman, recorder; John Holloway, violin; organ, BWV 525-530. Supported by the 1992 ARS one work each from his contemporaries Francesco Jaap ter Linden, cello/gamba; Lars Ulrik Mortensen, Professional Recording Grant. Virgin Veritas. Durante and Domenico Scarlatti. “Highly recom- harpsichord; Aloysia Assenbaum, chamber organ. $17 ARS/$20 others. mended”citation from the 2000 Vivaldi Prize for Trio sonatas for recorder and violin, recorder and Recordings of Italian Early Music—Giorgio Cini gamba, recorder, and harpsichord. “Expertly played ____CELESTIAL WINDS I David Young, recorders; Foundation, Venice. Dorian. $17 ARS/$20 others. Lisa Franco, celtic harp. Relaxing recorders accom- collection of chamber music...”—Early Music ____MIDNIGHT SUN Alison Melville and Colin America Magazine. Qualiton. $17 ARS/$20 others. panied by gentle harp. Universe Music. $17 Savage, recorders; with other members of Ensemble ARS/$20 others. Polaris playing flute, clarinet, guitar, ‘cello, hurdy- ____CHARLESTON PRO MUSICA Marsha Evans, gurdy, percussion. Traditional music from Sweden, Please indicate above the CDs you wish to order, Lewis Fitch and others, recorders, gemshorns, gui- Finland, Estonia, Norway and Scotland in new tar and voice. Medieval and Renaissance music. arrangements. A Classic CD Disc of the Month, and print clearly the following: Millenium Music/Charleston SC. $17ARS/$20 oth- August 2000. Dorian. $17 ARS/$20 others. Name ______ers. ____MUSICK FYNE PLAYS MUSIC OF THE ITALIAN ____CHARLESTON PRO MUSICA ON TOUR BAROQUE Alison Melville and Colin Savage, Daytime phone: (_____) ______Marsha Evans, Lewis Fitch and others, recorders, recorders; with other members of Musick Fyne. gemshorns, guitar and voice. Medieval and 17th- and 18th-century duos, trio sonatas, arias, Address: ______Renaissance music with consort and singers. diminutions. Upbeat Classics. $17 ARS/$20 others. City/State/Zip: ______Millenium Music/ Charleston SC. $17 ARS/$20 oth- ____MY THING IS MY OWN: BAWDY MUSIC OF ers. THOMAS D’URFEY Tina Chancey, Grant Herreid Check enclosed for and Scott Reiss, recorders and other early instru- ____DANCE! RENAISSONICS John Tyson, recorder, _____ single CDs x $____ = $______pipe & tabor; James Johnston, violin; Reinmar ments; Rosa Lamoreaux, soprano. Common tunes Seidler, cello; Douglas Freundlich, lute; Jacqueline of love, sex and seduction in 18th-century England, _____ 2-CD sets x $____ = $______Schwab, virginials. Renaissance dances and collected by D’Urfey in his “Pills to Purge TOTAL = $______improvisations. Titanic. $17 ARS/$20 others. Melancholy,” used as vehicles for improvisation. ____DISTRIBUTION OF FLOWERS Cléa Galhano, Koch International. $17 ARS/$20 others. Please charge the above amount to my MasterCard ____NEO-MEDIEVAL Tina Chancey, Grant Herreid, recorder; Tony Hauser, guitar. Latin CD featuring or Visa: works by Argentinian accordion virtuoso Astor and Scott Reiss. Medieval improvs for a postmodern Piazzolla. Ten Thousand Lakes. $17 ARS/$20 others. age. Dorian Discovery. $17 ARS/$20 others. #______Exp. Date: ______ENGLISH CONSORT MUSIC: BROWNING MY ____PERGOLESI: LA SERVA PADRONA Elissa DERE Marion Verbruggen and Flanders Recorder Berardi, recorder; Julianne Baird, soprano; John Cardholder’s signature: ______Quartet (Bart Spanhove, Paul Van Loey, Joris Van Ostendorf, bass-baritone; Philomel Baroque Goethem, Geert Van Gele). Subtitled work by Chamber Orchestra. Title work, an opera buffa from Henry Stonings, “The leaves be greene” by William 1733, with Vivaldi, “Recorder Concerto in A,” nes- Mail to: AMERICAN RECORDER SOCIETY,Box 631, Byrd, other 16-17th century consort works. tled as an entr’acte between the two comic opera Littleton, CO 80160-0631, U.S.A. You may fax Qualiton. $17 ARS/$20 others. acts. Omega. $17 ARS/$20 others. or call in your credit card order to 303-347-1181. MUSIC REVIEWS ______Popular music for young people, arrangements for ______use in church, exercises for building technique, and the fourth installment of Ishii’s Black Intention
GIVE ME FIVE!, BY DON MURO. J. D. add-a-note compositions, this time with song), a few from the classical period Wall RM 14 (Box 605, Merrick, NY 11566; only five pieces and five notes—B, A, G, such as Franz Josef Haydn’s “Austrian www.jdwallpublishing.com), 2001. S E, and D. These simple melodies can eas- Hymn” (“Glorious Things of Thee are with CD, 3 pp. 1 pt w/CD $14.95; addi- ily be taught by rote, two measures, then Spoken”), and old favorites like “Abide tional score $1.50; 10 scores $9.95. four measures, at a time. Thus the stu- with Me” and “Fairest Lord Jesus.” Songs Susan Groskreutz’s articles on play- dents become aware of the phrasing and from early America are “What Wond’rous along publications in the September and form. Then, as in the “call/response” sug- Love is This,” “Ye Nations All,” and the November 2001 issues of American gestions in 8 More “Easy 8” Songs, the favorite Shaker tune, “Simple Gifts.” Al- Recorder have opened our eyes to the group can be divided to alternate phrases, so, there are folk hymns from other coun- abundant materials now available for as questions and answers. For many tries, such as the Welsh “Let All Things recorder(s) with CD or taped accompani- years, I have used Muro’s and other taped Now Living,” better know as “The Ash ments. It is amazing to think of all the accompaniments with children and have Grove.” For a festive touch to the Easter changes, such as this, that technology has found that they inspire students to listen service there is a lively arrangement of “Je- brought to music in the last hundred while they are playing, both for intona- sus Christ is Risen Today,” and for years or so. The phonograph, radio, tion and rhythm. Therefore the players Thanksgiving Sunday, “Come, Ye Thank- movies, television, electronic keyboard, may be goaded into playing faster, stead- ful People, Come” and “We Gather To- computer, etc., have affected the ways we ier, and more musically. Muro’s up-to- gether.” And to top off the holiday season, listen to music, what we listen to (some- date synthesized accompaniments, par- there’s the haunting Medieval French car- times even if we don’t wish to!), and how ticularly those with a steady rock beat, are ol, “Noël nouvelet” (“Now the Green composers compose. The 20th century just the ticket for today’s young recorder Blade Riseth”). These arrangements are has brought us new electronic instru- students! fun to play and fun to hear because the ments and introduced us to ethnic in- melodies shift from one recorder to the struments as well as to early European in- HYMN PRELUDES FOR TWO, BY other, accompanied by “lyrical counter- struments, including the recorder. Those DAVID GOLDSTEIN. Provincetown No. 41 point” in the other part. This is a welcome of us who teach young people should face (246 Commercial St., Provincetown, MA and highly recommended addition to the reality, if we haven’t already, that the 02657; 508-487-0964), 2001. SA, ST, or Goldstein’s previous collections of Hymn real world of music for most of our stu- AT, 2 sc 24 pp each. $9.95. Preludes for recorder trio (PBE No. 39) dents is not that of early or classical mu- We recorder players often perform in and for quartet (PBE No. 29). sic but that of rock, country, and other church during the Christmas season, so Constance M. Primus popular genres. why not also during the rest of the year? Don Muro was a pioneer in bringing This collection of duets, based on hymns BLACK INTENTION IV, BY MAKI ISHII. the recorder into the musical environ- from a variety of sources, will provide Moeck 1596, 2000. AATB, sc 7 pp, pts 3 ment that children now live in. Originally preludes or offertories for you and a pp each. $23.00. in collaboration with the late Gerald Bu- friend for 24 Sundays. Included are early KLANGREDE—BLOCKSPIEL, BY rakoff, educator and publisher of recorder hymns, such as “Of the Father’s Love Be- NORIKO KAWAKAMI. Moeck 1595, 2000. music, Muro has been composing pieces gotten” (based on a 13th-century plain- One recorder player, sc 5 pp. $13.00. for recorder with synthesized accompani- Here are two fine new works by Japan- ments since 1979. His Easy 8 (RM 9, pub- ese composers. Maki Ishii’s original solo lished in 1991 and reviewed by Gwen Those of us who teach recorder work bearing the title Black In- Skeens in the May 1995 AR) is one of his young people should face tention is one of the finest and most wide- most popular collections with those who the reality, if we haven’t ly performed pieces in the modern teach recorder in schools. Starting with recorder repertoire. It was the first in a se- just Bs in simple rhythmic patterns, each already, that the real ries of works that includes Black Intention of the eight pieces in this publication world of music for most of II for oboe, clarinet, and bassoon, and adds a new note, ending with F . In 1998, our students is not that of Black Intention III for solo piano. Since Muro followed up on this idea with 8 writing the first Black Intention, Ishii has More “Easy 8” Songs (RM 13). Both of early or classical music written Tenor Recorder Piece (east-green- these editions are described by but that of rock, country, spring) but, for whatever reason, chose Groskreutz in her second article. not to link it with the Black Intention se- Give Me Five! is the latest of Muro’s and other popular genres. ries. He has now written Black Intention
March 2002 23 MUSIC REVIEWS (cont.)
IV. Oddly enough, it differs from both of his earlier recorder works in two ways: it is a quartet rather than a solo piece and was commissioned, not by a top profes- sional or world class competition, but by a young student group in Germany. Make no mistake about it though, this piece is hard by American amateur standards. It has been said of Ishii, who has stud- ied both western classical music and the traditional music of Japan, that he juxta- poses rather than synthesizes musical el- ements from these two polarities. I don’t see it that way. To me, it seems that he of- ten takes European elements and stylizes them in a way that is evocative of Japan- ese music, and, just as frequently, takes fundamentally Japanese elements and ei- ther fleshes them out or manipulates them in a European manner. The primary ingredients present in most of Black Intention IV are sustained chords (with which it begins) and mini- mal music type repeated patterns. How- ever, the real determining factor—as is the case in much of Ishii’s music—is the simultaneous use of ascending tessitura, increasingly louder dynamics, and con- tinuously accelerating tempo. This leads to the final ingredient: chaotic bursts of notes, different in each of the four recorder parts but played simultaneously. A good performance of this work is sure to transfix and excite an audience. KlangRede—BlockSpiel by Noriko Ka- wakami is a fascinating solo work for a recorder player doubling on alto, two so- pranos, antique cymbals, drum, and wood block. The Japanese and Western elements in this composition are much more juxtaposed and less integrated than in Ishii’s music. The Japanese elements SCHOLARSHIPS include isolated sounds and what might be called “evolving sounds.” More West- The for recorder players to attend ern in concept are groups of notes that are Recorder Magazine recorder/early music we invite you to visit the site repeated over and over with slight SUMMER changes á la minimal music. The piece is www.recordermail.demon.co.uk WORKSHOPS organized into six episodes, each with its own distinct character. applications must be postmarked by April 15 KEY: rec=recorder; S’o=sopranino; S=soprano; A=alto; T=tenor; B=bass; gB=great bass; cB= contra AMERICAN bass; Tr=treble; qrt=quartet; pf=piano; fwd= fore- RECORDER word; opt=optional; perc=percussion; pp= pages; SOCIETY sc=score; pt(s)=part(s); kbd=keyboard; bc=basso continuo; hc=harpsichord; P/H=postage and han- Box 631, Littleton CO 80160-0631, U.S.A. dling. Multiple reviews by one reviewer are followed by 303/347-1120 • [email protected] that reviewer’s name.
24 American Recorder The editions contain instructions in English as well as German and French. Baroque Chamber Music Play-Along CDs! The parts in Black Intention IV and the with Music and Performance Guides for Recorder Players score of KlangRede—BlockSpiel are in file Hours of playing and Pre DiscContinuo form, so there are no page turn problems. enjoyment with early Early Intermediate music specialists Handel, Lully, Purcell, Corelli, Both pieces are very good and worth Consort Music of Lassus, Dowland, “Seldom will any of us get to be Arcadelt & more looking into. accompanied by such fine players!” Pete Rose “This is how practice The DiscContinuo should be!” Intermediate CONCERTO IN G MAJOR, BWV 592, “...Best of all, they pick the most Telemann, Marais, Handel, EXCELLENT music! Frescobaldi & even more BY J. S. BACH AFTER JOHANN ERNST. Dol- DiscContinuo II metsch Library PDL 09 (Magnamusic), Advanced Intermediate 2000. SSATB, sc 10 pp, pts 4 pp. each. Bach, Philidor, Mancini, Handel Cantata with soprano Susan Rode $11.95. Morris & even still more! CONCERTO IN C MINOR, BWV 595, BY J.S. BACH AFTER JOHANN ERNST. Dol- TM metsch Library PDL 12 (Magnamusic) To order postpaid, send checks for $ per item plus S & H charges ($ for fi rst item; $. each additional item) 2000. SATTB, sc 7 pp, pts 2 pp each. to KATastroPHE Records, Florio Street, Oakland, CA , or call () -. $11.95. Visit our website at These two pieces Bach wrote “after Jo- www.katastrophemusic.com. hann Ernst, Prince of Sachsen-Weimar,” who is also called “of Eisenach” (or Weimar) so as not to confuse him with Jo- hann Sebastian’s first cousin by the same name. This Johann Ernst was a second cousin of Johann Sebastian Bach, and Ernst studied with the master at the Thomasschule in Leipzig. As part of his studies, Ernst copied twelve concertos by Vivaldi, and Johann Sebastian later adapt- ed them for the clavier. (Oh, to be able to recycle music like that today without fear of legal action!) Johann Ernst was a lawyer but turned out to be a good enough musician to switch careers in 1748 by becoming organist and colleague to his father, Johann Bernhard (couldn’t somebody come up with a different first name!), in Eisenach. After his father’s death, Johann Ernst was appointed Kapellmeister of Sax Weimar. His greatest work is considered to be the Passion Ora- torio, O Seele, deren Sehnen, written in 1764. Of the two Johann Ernst Bach ARS LOGO MUGS! cousins, this one is considered to be the better musician. 16 oz. foam-insulated mug fits most drink holders These editions are well done (with the exception of the mode identification mis- Ambidextrous drinking through (TM) take on the front cover of BWV 595; it re- The Closer 100% spill-proof lid. ally is in C major). BWV 592 is in three movements: Allegretto, a short Grave, Wine or dark green with white ARS logo and Presto. BWV 595 is in one move- ment. Care has been taken to insure that Order yours now for $9 including postage. the interesting melodic lines are shared among the parts. These pieces, however, are not easy—there are a lot of notes that American Recorder Society go by quickly! Also, any time one does a transcription of a piece written for one Box 631 musical configuration that is arranged for Littleton, CO 80160 another musical configuration, there are difficulties in achieving the same integri- 303-347-1120 ty of the original piece. For example, in
March 2002 25 MUSIC REVIEWS (cont.) CCaannttoo AAnnttiigguuoo WWeessttt CCooaassttt EEaarrlllyy BWV 592, starting at measure1 in the sec- gives it a wonderfully stark quality. In the ond tenor recorder part, there is a rhythm arrangement for ATBB, the two bass MMuussiiicc aanndd DDaannccee of two sixteenths, followed by a sixteenth recorders play the original continuo line rest, followed by three more sixteenths, a and the alto vocal line. In the arrange- sixteenth-note rest, and a final sixteenth ment for AT and keyboard, the alto vocal Early Music note. This goes on for several measures line is given to the right hand of the key- before being picked up by the first tenor board, and the sparse continuo line is Workshop recorder part. This motif is found played with the left hand. The alto and throughout the first movement. The ar- tenor recorders play the original trans- ticulated legato of this passage will sound verse flute lines with very little re-arrange- July 21-27, 2002 different when played on a recorder than ment or transposition of the parts. While it would on a “clavier” simply because of “keyboard” is listed generically, I feel that Chapman University the different techniques needed to play an organ registered on an 8' and 4' flute the passage. Does that mean we should gives the best quality of smoothness and Orange, CA never play transcriptions? Of course not. starkness that this piece requires. Some- However, it is helpful to understand how how, the two bass recorders or a harpsi- an organist would do that passage and chord are not able to give quite the depth Classes in then try to translate the musical idea to of sound in my opinion. The arranger al- the recorder. If possible, listen to a record- so recommends a cello and violin for the Baroque Music ing of these pieces done on organ so that left- and right-hand parts respectively. Recorder Ensembles your group will understand the similari- There is no tempo marking other than ties and differences between the original “Largo,” but a =60 is a good tempo. (all levels) and this fine transcription. These concer- This makes the piece 5' 40'' long. My con- Vocal Ensemble tos are a great challenge that my consort sort enjoyed this very much. Renaissance Brass is enjoying very much. Valerie Hess &Reeds ARIA FROM CANTATA 164: IHR, DIE Valerie Hess is coordinator of music min- Viols IHR EUCH, VON CHRISTO NENNET, istries and organist at Trinity Lutheran Collegium BY J.S. BACH, ARR. R. D. TENNENT. Avon- Church in Boulder where she is also the mu- dale Press AVP 45 (Magnamusic), 2001. sical director of the Trinity Consort, a group ATBB or AT kbd, 2 sc, 4pp each (one for that provides music regularly in the church Featured Faculty ATBB, one for AT kbd); 5 pts, 2pp each. services. She has a M.M. in church music $8.50. and organ. Thomas Axworthy This Bach cantata was written for the Janet Beazley 13th Sunday after Trinity and was first SUSANNE UN JOUR (1572), BY CIPRI- performed on August 26, 1725. The text, ANO DE RORE, ED. BERNARD THOMAS. Lon- Ross Duffin which deals with the parable of the Good don Pro Musica LPM 522 (Magnamusic), Ronald Glass Samaritan, was written by Salomo Franck 2000. S, S/A, A/T, A/T, B, sc 5 pp, pts 1 pp. Julie Jeffrey in 1715 with the sixth verse used in the $6.00. Jim Maynard chorale setting written by Elisabeth London Pro Musica’s high standards Creuzinger in 1524. This aria is the third are again met in this edition of Susanne un Shirley Robbins movement, “Nur durch Lieb und durch jour. Error free and beautifully printed on Beverly Simmons Erbarmen,” in this cantata and was origi- nice paper, each part presents a full page nally written for alto voice, two transverse of music without visual cramping. Clear Beautiful Campus flutes, and basso continuo. Bach wrote text underlay allows for vocal and/or in- Fully air-conditioned no figures for the continuo part, which strumental performance. In any case, the Unlike Rore’s vocal setting of the famous tune “Susana un jur,” Hernando de Cabezón’s glosas is an ornamented For Information Call: 800-358-6567 instrumental version. Rhythmically complex, it www.cantoantiguo.com challenges performers to step into and out of the spotlight with slow and fast passages in juxtaposition.
26 American Recorder text can suggest appropriate phrasing for the instrumentalist. With ranges of only ARS Membership Enrollment and Renewal an octave or a tenth, consorts have some flexibility in determining which sizes of Please enroll/renew me as a member of the Society. I’m looking forward to: recorder to employ. Two of the middle ✰ American Recorder, ARS Newsletter, and the Members’ Directory voices are provided with parts in both tre- ✰ Members’ Library musical editions ble and alto clefs, which is handy for a ✰ Eligibility for the ARS Education Program examinations mixed consort that includes viols. Rore’s ✰ Discounts to some recorder workshops and on ARS publications ✰ lovely five-part setting would be ap- Mailings from suppliers of materials, music, instruments. (ARS list is made available only to purveyors of goods and services for recorder players.) proachable by intermediate ensembles. ✰ Information on all aspects of playing the recorder Rhythms are straightforward, but each part is quite independent. The fun comes U.S./Canadian membership: ❏ one year $40, ❏ two years $75 in putting it all together. This setting of Foreign membership: ❏ one year $50, ❏ two years $95 one of the Renaissance’s biggest hits U.S./Canadian Student* membership: ❏ one year $20 ❏ two years $40 comes very highly recommended. Foreign Student* membership: ❏ one year $25 ❏ two years $50 SUSANA UN JUR, BY ORLANDO DI LAS- Workshop membership: ❏ one year $60 Business membership: ❏ one year $120 SO/HERNANDO DE CABEZÓN, ARR. KAREL ❏ Address and/or phone information has changed in past year. VAN STEENHOVEN. Moeck 2821, 1999. ❏ Do not list my name in Directory. TBgBcB, sc 8 pp, pts 2 pp. $25.00. *Enclose proof of full-time enrollment. Unlike Rore’s vocal setting of the fa- All dues paid in U.S. funds by check on U.S. bank, or by international money order. mous tune “Susana un jur,” Hernando de Cabezón’s glosas is an ornamented in- Family members residing at the same address may share a membership. However, the student rate is not applicable to a shared family membership. For an additional listing in strumental version. Rhythmically com- the ARS Directory under different surnames at the same address, add $5. plex, it challenges performers to step into and out of the spotlight with slow and fast Please check to be included on the ARS list of ❏ Recorder teachers and/or ❏ Professional performers. (Since your recorder activities passages in juxtaposition. Advanced may change, you must indicate on each renewal if you want to continue to be listed.) groups will be challenged, and intermedi- ❏ ate ensembles will require a conductor. I wish to contribute $______to help sustain the work of the Society. An alternate instrumentation of SATB is Please charge to my VISA/MASTERCARD: listed, with the alto player reading bass #______Exp. Date: ______Cardholder’s signature______clef. I do like the look of the partial bar lines used in the parts. Several editorial NAME______PHONE (______) ______errors and inconsistencies must be listed. ADDRESS ______E-MAIL ______The time signature appears in only two of CITY______STATE ____ ZIP ______the parts and not at all in the score. From CHAPTER/CONSORT AFFILIATION, IF ANY: ______measure 50 on, the bass part’s measure numbers are off by one. The great bass is OPTIONAL INFORMATION: missing a B in measure 12. The contra- Chapter officer or committee member? ❏ Yes (officer/committee: ______) bass should have a G in measure 88, not ❏ No ❏ Have served chapter in the past an F—the note lies somewhere between. Age: _____ For how many years have you played the recorder? _____ Once, a dotted note carries over beyond Level of recorder playing: ❏ Amateur ❏ Semi-professional ❏ Professional the barline; at other times two notes are Annual income: ❏ Under $10,000 ❏ $10,000-30,000 ❏ $30,000-50,000 tied together. Fermatas appear in each ❏ ❏ ❏ part in different measures. No cues are $50,000-75,000 $75,000-100,000 Over $100,000 provided in the parts, and no editorial ex- Portion of your income derived from music: ❏ All ❏ Some ❏ None planation is given. I would suggest mov- Portion of music income derived from the recorder? ❏ All ❏ Some ❏ None ing all the fermatas to measure 75, except If all or some, what kind of recorder activities are involved? (Check all that apply.) measure 76 in the bass. These preventa- ❏ ❏ ❏ ble errors distracted from an otherwise Teach privately Teach/lead workshops Teach elementary school music ❏ Performance ❏ Recorder maker ❏ Musical director/coach very nice recorder arrangement of a ❏ Other ______beautiful piece. What type of recorder music do you play? (Check all that apply.) ❏ Medieval/Renaissance ❏ Baroque ❏ Modern/pop ❏ Folk ❏ Solo UN GAY BERGIER, BY THOMAS CREC- ❏ Recorder Orchestra ❏ Chamber music with other instruments (such as QUILLON/ANTONIO DE CABEZÓN, ARR. trio sonatas) ❏ Broken consort with other instruments (such as a collegium) KAREL VAN STEENHOVEN. Moeck 2822, ❏ Consort involving three or more recorders playing one-on-a-part ❏ Grand consort 1999. TBgBcB, sc 6 pp, pts 2 pp. $16.00. (format used in many chapter meetings, with several recorders playing on each part) Many of the comments for Susana un jur apply here as well. Antonio, father of AMERICAN RECORDER SOCIETY Hernando, crafted an instrumentally or- P. O. Box 631, Littleton, CO 80160-0631, U.S.A. namented quartet on “Un gay Bergier,” Fax (with handset down) or call in credit card renewals to 303-347-1181 another popular Renaissance tune. Com-
March 2002 27 MUSIC REVIEWS ARS PUBLICATIONS (cont.) Erich Katz Contemporary Music Series Members Non-Members Suzanne M. Angevine, A Short Tale for two basses (Level II) (2 scores) $ 5 $ 8 Peter Ballinger, Double Quartet for Recorders (Level II-III) (score & parts) $10 $18 pared to Susana, this piece would be bet- Anthony Burgess, Sonatina for Alto Recorder and Piano (Level II) (2 scores) $7 $12 ter for an intermediate ensemble, since it Cecil Effinger, Dialogue and Dance (SATB) (Level II-III) (score & parts) $10 $18 is slightly shorter, the ranges are narrow- Lee Gannon, Sonatine for three altos (Level III) (score & parts) $14 $26 (score, parts & demo cassette) $23 $43 er, and the rhythms are more straightfor- Erich Katz, Suite of Jewish Folk Tunes (S S/A8 A/T) (Level II) (three scores) $10 $18 ward. There are no triplets here, for ex- Vaclav Nelhybel, Six Short Pieces for Three Recorders, (AA/TT) (Level II) edited by Alan Drake (3 scores) $8 $14 ample. Each voice has rhythmic interest, Stanley W. Osborn, Kyrie and Vocalise for soprano voice and recorders but the faster notes are more common in (SATB) (Level II) (2 scores & 4 recorder parts) $ 8 $14 the upper voices. Ranges lie quite low and Frederic Palmer, Entrevista (SATB) (Level II) (2 scores & 4 recorder parts) $ 8 $14 Sally Price, Dorian Mood (SATB) (Level II) (score & parts) $10 $18 would sound wonderful on a matched set Jeffrey Quick, Picnic Music (SATB) (Level II) (score & parts) $ 5 $ 8 of Renaissance recorders. That asset be- Musical Editions from the Members’ Library: comes a problem around measures 62- ARS members: 1 copy, $3 2 copies, $4.50 3, $6 4, $7.50 5, $10 6, $11.50 66, especially on Baroque instruments. Non-members (editions over 2 years old): 1 copy, $5 2 copies, $8.50, 3,$12 4,$15 5, $19.50 6, $23 The ARS is happy to provide photocopied enlargements of any Members’ Library edition at the same prices. The moving line is barely audible at the Please specify “Members’ Library Enlargement.” * = Editions not yet available to non-members. very bottom of the tenor’s range. Trans- *Après Paul (David W. Solomons) Serie for Two Alto Recorders (Frederic Palmer) posing the whole piece might help here Bruckner’s Ave Maria (arr. Jennifer W. Lehmann) Slow Dance with Doubles (Colin Sterne) but would create a host of other prob- Dancers (Richard Eastman) *Sonata da Chiesa (Ann McKinley) lems. The best solution would be to use Different Quips (Stephan Chandler) Three Bantam Ballads (Ann McKinley) Elegy for Recorder Quartet (Carolyn Peskin) Three Cleveland Scenes (Carolyn Peskin) soft alternate fingerings in the low voices. Elizabethan Delights Tracings in the Snow This is an advanced technique, but any- Los Pastores (arr. Virginia N. Ebinger) in Central Park (Robert W. Butts) New Rounds on Old Rhymes (Erich Katz) Trios for Recorders (George T. Bachmann) one with a contra bass is probably an ad- Other Quips (Stephan Chandler) *Triptych (Peter A. Ramsey) vanced player. This piece also works well Poinciana Rag (Laurie G. Alberts) Two Bach Trios (arr. William Long) as SATB, again, with the alto having to Santa Barbara Suite (Erich Katz) Two Brahms Lieder (arr. Thomas E. Van Dahm) Sentimental Songs (arr. David Goldstein) Vintage Burgundy read bass clef. Low recorder ensembles have a real warmth, and it is encouraging Other Materials from ARS that Moeck is publishing music for this ARS Information Booklets: sound. The chosen clefs (treble for gB) ARS members: 1 booklet, $13 2 booklets, $23 3, $28 4, $35 5, $41 6, $47 7, $52 Non-members: 1 booklet, $18 2 booklets, $33 3, $44 4, $55 5, $66 6, $76 7, $86 mean that this is really recorder, not viol, music. In measure 52, the tenor is miss- Adding Percussion to Medieval and Renaissance Music (Peggy Monroe) American Recorder Music (Constance Primus) ing an F . In measure 36, the contra bass The Burgundian Court and Its Music (Judith Whaley, coord.) part lists an F while the score correctly Improve Your Consort Skills (Susan Carduelis) Music for Mixed Ensembles (Jennifer W. Lehmann) gives an F . Playing Music for the Dance (Louise Austin) Recorder Care (Scott Paterson) PASSAMEZZO ANTICO, BY NICOLAUS Education Publications AMMERBACH, ARR. BENJAMIN THORN. Or- The ARS Personal Study Program in Thirteen Stages to Help You Improve Your Playing (1996). pheus Music OMP 047 (orpheus@ First copy free to ARS members, replacement copies for members or non-members, $3. Guidebook to the ARS Personal Study Program (1996). Material formerly published in the Study orpheusmusic.com.au), 2000. SATB, sc 6 Guide and Study Guide Handbook, plus additional resources. Members, $11; non-members, $20. pp, pts 2 pp. Abt. $7.25, plus P/H. ARS Music Lists (1996). Graded list of solos, ensembles, and method books. Passamezzo antico is a Renaissance Members $8; non-members, $14. Package deal available only to ARS members: Guidebook and Music Lists ordered together, $15. chord progression often used for danc- Junior Recorder Society Leader’s Resource Notebook. ARS members, $20; non-members, $40 ing. This edition links together three (updates at reduced rates after initial purchase). Special rate for previous purchasers of JRS Class Program, $15. Dues for each JRS student member sponsored by an ARS member, $5 ($4 each for quartet settings by Nicolaus Ammerbach groups of 10 of more). JRS student members receive activities plus “Merlin” badges and stickers. (c.1530-1597). The repeat of each sec- Other Publications tion is a written-out diminution by Ben- Chapter Handbook. A resource on chapter operations for current chapter leaders or those considering forming jamin Thorn. Double bar lines make the an ARS chapter. ARS members, $10; non-members, $20 (updates free after initial purchase). structure clear. The printing is easy to One free copy sent to each ARS chapter with 10 members or more. read, and the parts lie well in each Discography of the Recorder, Vol. I (1989). Compiled by Scott Paterson and David Lasocki. Discography of the Recorder, Vol. II (1990-1994). Compiled by Scott Paterson. recorder’s range. I’m a big fan of Ben- Either single volume: ARS members $23; non-members, $28. jamin Thorn’s modern recorder composi- Both Discography volumes together: ARS members only, $40. American Recorder: Cumulative Index for Vols. I-XXXX. ARS members, $20; non-members, $32. tions and was eager to hear what he Index Supplement, Vol. XXXIV-XXXX. ARS members, $8; non-members, $14. would add. Essentially, he made very long All prices are in U.S. dollars and include U.S. postage and handling. For Canadian or foreign surface postage, chains of eighth notes in stepwise mo- please add an additional $1 per item; for Canadian or foreign air mail, please add an additional tion. This kept the music within technical $3 per item. When ordering five or more items to be shipped anywhere at the same time, ARS Members may deduct an extra $2 on top of the discounted members' price. Please make checks payable to the ARS. reach of lower intermediate groups, but VISA/MasterCard also accepted. the sound became monotonous. The re- American Recorder Society action of my players was that they would P.O. Box 631, Littleton, CO 80160-0631, U.S.A. have preferred to make their own diminu- 303-347-1120 tions on Ammerbach’s original music. For less experienced players, however,
28 American Recorder this piece could serve as an educational stepping-stone, presenting a basic mel- ody along with simple variation for comparison. Patrick O’Malley
BAROQUE STUDIES, ARR. LÁSZLÓ CZIDRA. Editio Musica Budapest Z.14 254 (Theodore Presser), 2000. S rec, 80 pgs. $17.95. FIVE STUDIES AND PIECES FOR PLAYING SOPRANO RECORDER, ARR. RONALD J. AUTENRIETH. Moeck 744/745 (Magnamusic), 2001. S rec, 7 pp. $8.00. A brief biography of László Czidra (1941-2001), editor/arranger of Baroque Studies, can be found at www.sztaki.hu/ providers/camerata/laszlo.czidra.html. He was one of the most significant recorder players of our time, as well as a prominent artist on several other early woodwind in- struments. He was also a notable musicol- ogist and the artistic director of the Cam- erata Hungarica. This attractive and sturdy publication consists of enjoyable exercises for soprano recorder. Since most exercise books that I own are for alto recorder, this is indeed a valuable addition to my personal collec- tion. The studies are short—there are 140 studies included in the 80 pages. They are arranged by key signature, with major studies followed by those in the relative minor in 18 of the 24 keys; thus, there is a natural progression of difficulty created as the keys become more difficult. This does not mean, however, that the book begins with easy material—students meet a sec- ond ledger line high C on the first page. Hemiolas are very easy to spot, even on a first reading, because they are marked with broken ventricle lines, and optional divi- sions are indicated by small notes. Most pieces are for one recorder, but each new key signature section opens up with a prel- ude in duet form followed by a two-part canon. The studies have been taken from first- rate composers such as Arcangelo Corelli, G.F. Handel, François Couperin, and many other lesser-knowns, including, of course, Anonymous. The sources are listed on the last page. Many of the compositions have undergone considerable transforma- tion to make them appropriate as shorter studies, and in these cases the composer’s name is given in brackets. The book con- cludes with a series of transposition exercises. This collection of studies immediately brought to mind a project I began a num- ber of years ago. Wanting something of a
March 2002 29 MUSIC REVIEWS (cont.) Mollenhauer, Yamaha, Well-Tempered Clavier experience for a rigaudon from a partita written in 1722 Kung recorder, I purchased all four volumes of by Christoph Graupner. This is in rondo Recorders the Schickhardt sonatas. These volumes form (ABACA) where the A sections are in consist of 24 sonatas, one in each major D minor, the B section in F major, and the and minor key. While my intentions were C section in A minor—all easily accessible noble, when I was somewhere in the mid- keys. The fifth solo is by Rodolphe Kreutzer Competitive dle of the second book, all of the books (1766-1831), who was a violin professor at mysteriously ended up in my filing cabi- the Paris Conservatoire. This is the fourth Prices net! In contrast, I played through Baroque in his 40 Studies or Caprices for solo violin Studies in two days, gaining valuable expe- (c.1807). It is in the key of C major but is rience in most of the major and minor rhythmically more complex, switching Quality instruments keys. And by practicing exercises in A ma- back and forth between groups of six- sent on approval jor, for example, on a soprano, I have si- teenth-notes and eighth-note triplets, but multaneously developed facility in D ma- an intermediate player with a metronome jor on an alto. Thus, if you want to take on will have no problem with these rhythmic the challenge of the more difficult key sig- shifts. This selection also is more challeng- Personalized natures but aren’t quite ready to practice a ing because of its many scalar passages al- service/advice complete set of sonatas in every key, this ternating with arpeggios; also, the use of book is a nice compromise. some secondary dominant harmonies Ronald Autenrieth, editor of Five Stud- brings in some fairly difficult accidentals. ies and Pieces for Playing Soprano Recorder, But it is a delightful exercise and definitely Bill Lazar has composed larger works for organ as worth the effort. [email protected] m well as many works for recorders. His out- I often wonder why so many exercise put includes easier music for amateurs as books intended for recorder don’t provide (408) 737-8228 well as popular music. This publication is any tonguing suggestions. It is never too http://www.bill-lazar.com for intermediate players and so contains early to open a student’s mind to the myr- no extremely high registers or difficult or- iad variety of speech patterns that create namentation. In contrast to Baroque Stud- expressive variety. (The Suzuki method ies, where there are 140 short exercises, books start this from the first page.) It is here, as the title states, you get only five ex- not uncommon to find a player who has ercises, all in easy key signatures. The first developed great finger technique but never three exercises are one page long, and the varies the tonguing, thus producing rather last two are two pages. dull playing. So if you decide to use either The first exercise is the fourth variation of these collections, also study some books of the air “Wat zal men op den Avond that will help you develop your articula- doen” by Jacob van Eyck as found in his tion. For a great start, I would suggest Fluyten-Lusthof. In the key of C major, this Recorder Technique (second edition), by is a typical van Eyck variation, running pre- Anthony Rowland-Jones. There is also a dominantly in sixteenth notes. With van great chapter on tonguing, easily accessi- Eyck variations, I always like to compare ble to newer players, in the book by the the variation to the original, but in this case same author entitled Playing Recorder the original melody is not included. You Sonatas, but it is, unfortunately, currently may want to search for it in Fluyten-Lusthof, out of print. because knowing the original melody can Susan Groskreutz be a great help in deciding what to do with the variation. The second solo is a giga from Sonate d’Intravolatura per organo e If you want to take on Cimbalo, Op. I, from Suite II of Domenico the challenge of the more Zipoli’s six suites for harpsichord. In the difficult key signatures key of A minor, this piece runs along more stepwise than the van Eyck and therefore is but aren’t quite ready more sight-readable by an intermediate to practice a complete player. The third solo, a minuet, is by H.C. set of sonatas in every Kreysing (the younger). In the key of C ma- jor, this exercise consists mostly of gentle key, László Czidra’s skips with only a few scalar spots, so it is Baroque Studies is a well suited for an intermediate player. The nice compromise. fourth solo, my favorite in the collection, is
30 American Recorder Vancouver Early Music CHAPTERS Programme & Festival & CONSORTS 2002 ______Mediæval Programme ______Sunday July 28 through Friday August 9 (advanced-level course) Chapters present Bach, learn dance, Sequentia (Paris): connect online, and explore American roots Bejaming Bagby voice, harp Katarina Livljanic voice The first Early Music Workshop organized udes arranged for recorder consort, and Eric Mentzel voice by the Música Antigua de Albuquerque dances from orchestral suites. Performers took place in Magdalena, New Mexico, were faculty members and guests of the Baroque Vocal Programme January 18-20. The Denver Chapter’s Boston Recorder Society: Sheila Beardslee, Tuesday July 30 through Saturday August 10 Chris Holingsworth reports that the ses- Sarah Cantor, Wendy Drexler, Eric Haas, (advanced-level course) sions were informative, educational, and Roy Sansom, John Tyson, Audrey Beneven- Ellen Hargis voice pleasant, and that the concert by the Músi- to, and George Mastellone, recorders, with Ray Nurse course director ca Antigua was excellent: “The group per- Andrei Caracoti, countertenor, Angus Steven Adby gesture, stage movement Margret Gries associate faculty formed on a variety of instruments I had Lansing, viola da gamba, and Robert Bar- Doreen Oke associate faculty never heard before and sounded just ney and Miyuki Tsurutani, harpsichord. great.” There were 21 participants, and The Twin Cities (MN) Recorder Baroque Instrumental Programme there are plans to make it an annual event. Guild has put its music library catalog for Wednesday August 7 through Saturday August 17 The Boston Recorder Society kicked members online at
Morris Dance Workshop Saturday afternoon, August 3 (No experience necessary) conducted by Norman Stanfield
Vancouver Early Music Festival A superb series of concerts featuring faculty members and guest artists & ensembles
Write for a detailed brochure: Students of Linda Lunbeck (inset) known as the Young Hedgehogs Recorder Early Music Vancouver Ensemble performing at Early Music Colorado’s Fall Festival of Early Music last 1254 West 7th Avenue October: left to right, Laura Brumbaugh, harpsichord, Chris Avery, tenor Vancouver BC, Canada V6H 1B6 recorder, Fiona Foster, tenor recorder, Anna Brumbaugh, alto recorder, Jakob Seelig, soprano recorder. Lunbeck was the leader of the Greater Denver Chapter’s Tel: 604 732-1610 Fax: 604 732-1602 February meeting, “Made in the U.S.A....Mostly!” which explored music from the E-mail: [email protected] Colonial and Civil War eras, barbershop, ragtime, and other American styles, including pieces taken from her great-grandfather’s mid-19th-century “gig book.” www.earlymusic.bc.ca
March 2002 31 CHAPTER & CONSORTS (cont.) sites of interest. It may be accessed Gele. Other performers in the first season through
Music of Italy AMHERST EARLY MUSIC FESTIVAL July 28 - August 4 and August 4 - August 11, 2002 University of Connecticut at Storrs
International Faculty including: Classes in: Aldo Abreu Recorder technique Flanders Recorder Quartet Renaissance recorder consorts Sheila Beardslee Baroque ensembles Rachel Begley Masterclasses Letitia Berlin Percussion Frances Blaker Historical Dance Deborah Booth Early notation Saskia Coolen Valerie Horst All-Workshop Collegium led by: Judith Linsenberg Danny Johnson & Scott Metcalfe Patricia Petersen Wendy Powers Special Programs: Gwyn Roberts Early Brass Festival July 26 - 28 Pete Rose Early Double Reed Rally July 28 Reine-Marie Verhagen Virtuoso Recorder July 28 - August 4 Tom Zajac Baroque Academy August 4 - 11 Marilyn Boenau, director Scholarship money is available for 50 Hovey St., Watertown, MA 02472 virtuoso level students to study Concert Series tel. 617-744-1324 fax: 617-744-1327 with Pete Rose in the Virtuoso Music and Instrument Exhibition [email protected] Recorder Program. Von Huene Workshop www.amherstearlymusic.org
32 American Recorder BOOK ______REVIEWS ______Lully, Muffat, and an introduction to the tin whistle THE CLARKE TIN WHISTLE: A this entailed compromises.” tional music, or music reading may be con- HANDBOOK. BY BILL OCHS. The Penny- I suspect that those who already play at fused by differences between what the mu- whistler’s Press (www.pennywhistle.com), least a little and want to learn to read mu- sical notation tells them and what they 2000 (first edition published 1988). 80 sic will find this book a useful tool for get- hear. His playing of the tunes on the CD pp. Softcover (includes CD), $16.95 (book ting some of the basics of musical literacy provides excellent examples of traditional and CD), $9.95 (CD only), $24.95 & without being bored by a method that is styles, particularly Irish, but the rhythmic $26.95 (Learn-to-play tin whistle kits). complete, but completely dry (an occupa- alterations inherent in those styles (espe- ISBN: 0962345679. tional hazard of method books). And for cially the lilting inequality, or even dotting, The tin whistle, pennywhistle, or Irish recorder players who read but want to of eighth notes) are not clearly explained. whistle, as it is variously called (often these learn the whistle this might be roughly And sometimes the forms of the tunes are days going by the unmodified “whistle”) is compared to the old Trapp Family Singers different in the playing from what they are a simpler instrument than the recorder, al- book. The fingerings and other basics of in the written music: da capos are not though both belong within the family of whistle playing are presented in an orderly marked and repeats are not taken or are fipple flutes. The whistle is a member of fashion with simple tunes to practice. doubled. And occasionally Ochs uses a no- the branch of that family that is best de- For those who want to know something tational device in the written examples be- scribed as flageolet, even though that des- about playing traditional music, the author fore explaining it in the text. ignation has historically gone to the line of presents repertoire from a wide range of For those who know the basics of whis- fipple flutes originating in France. The traditional styles: English, including Mor- tle playing and want to learn how to do main difference between recorders and fla- ris, pipe and tabor, and English country some of the more complicated types of or- geolets is the basic fingering principle of dance tunes; American, including old-time namentation they hear on the CD: only the the two types: flageolets employ “straight” Appalachian and fife tunes; Scottish, in- basic ornaments are described and their fingering in which consecutive fingers are cluding Strathspeys, marches and dance descriptions are rather brief. The aural ex- lifted to ascend to the next degree of the di- tunes; and, of course, Irish traditional mu- amples of the cut, tip, and roll are only atonic scale; recorders employ “cross” fin- sic, including both dance tunes and slow played slowly, so that the odd pitches cre- gerings that allow it to play chromatically. airs. Let me also say here that the author is ated by the fingerings used are heard. In The later versions of the French flageolet, a skilled performer who is well known in practice, these ornaments need to be from the 17th through the 19th centuries, the Irish music scene here in America, and played so fast that they become essentially were sophisticated instruments with many his recorded selections provide an inspir- pitch-less. This is not clear as he goes from metal keys and often two or even three ing example to anyone interested in the the teaching of the ornaments to the bores, which could also play chromatically finer points of Irish traditional music. played musical examples. Ochs makes no and polyphonically in parallel thirds and So, to that extent, Ochs has succeeded mention of many of the ornaments he sixths. Whistles are the pure and simple in his goals. For two other groups of peo- plays in the examples. And he only marks versions of the flageolet, with six holes, no ple, however, this method may prove frus- those few he does describe into a few keys, and the ability to play limited acci- trating: those who are truly starting with- pieces; after that, there are no indications dentals, relegating each instrument to a out any experience with the whistle, tradi- in the written music. The tin whistle re- few related keys. sides within Irish music; the music and the The Clarke Tin Whistle by Bill Ochs is an Ochs’ playing of the instrument can hardly be separated. It engaging tutor with many strengths and a seems space in the book could be re-allo- few notable weaknesses. As a basic intro- tunes on the CD provides cated to a more thorough description of duction it is not clear whether it is intend- excellent examples of the techniques of Irish traditional music. ed more to teach how to play the whistle or My final criticism need probably be di- to read music. This, of course, is the dilem- traditional styles, rected toward some corporate editor: the ma of any tutor: how to include beginners particularly Irish, but introduction has the grating tone of hype in your market while excluding the fewest and self-interest for the Clarke Company. A number of people with varying degrees of the rhythmic alterations bit of this is permissible, but a full page of experience. On page three of the introduc- inherent in those styles the four-page introduction describes the tion, this dilemma is made explicit: “The (especially the lilting company and its founder, and the Clarke format of this book has been designed with Company is mentioned ten times in the the hope that anyone who picks it up will inequality of eighth notes) first page of introductory material! find something geared to his or her level of are not clearly explained. The text of the two main sections of the musical ability and interest. Of necessity book, “The Lessons” and “The Tunes,”
March 2002 33 BOOK REVIEWS (cont.)
contains good anecdotes and historical range widely from Jérôme de La Gorce’s re- notes. This makes for interesting reading, cent archival discoveries concerning Lul- and has the tone of stage patter in a folk ly’s family through historical studies by Pa- concert. That, plus the quality and variety tricia Ranum, Carl B. Schmidt, Catherine of playing styles on the CD, would make Cessac, and Barbara Coeyman, and critical this a fine choice for recorder players want- studies by Rebecca Harris-Warrick, Buford ing to play the tin whistle. Norman, Lois Rosow, John S. Powell, and Scott Reiss Herbert Schneider, to a study of the effect of turn-of-the-century Lully research on LULLY STUDIES. EDITED BY JOHN HAJDU the works of Marcel Proust. HEYER. Cambridge University Press, 2000. While there is no mention of the 331 pp. Hardcover, $64.95. ISBN: recorder specifically, there are several 0521621836. chapters that will be of interest to recorder Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687) was players exploring the music of Lully or the one of the most influential composers of wealth of music written in his style. Per- the Baroque period, standing eventually as haps the most direct is Harris-Warrick’s a representative of the French style, as study of “The Phrase Structures of Lully’s against the Italian style as represented by Dance Music,” in which she argues that Arcangelo Corelli. There is some irony in there is very little truth to the standard ob- the fact that Lully was born in Italy, but the servation that named dances (e.g., minuet, composer came to France as a boy and be- gavotte, etc.) will normally be written in came a fixture at court at a young age, ris- phrases of two or four bars, while more ing eventually to become as powerful in theatrical, abstract dances will more likely the sphere of French music as was his pa- be asymmetrical in their structure. In fact, Honeysuckle Music tron, Louis XIV, on the larger stage. according to Harris-Warrick, only about a As James R. Anthony points out in his quarter of Lully’s dances fall into symmet- Recorders & accessories Foreword to Lully Studies, Lully’s music is rical phrase groupings. She is able to draw ... more discussed than listened to today. some insightful conclusions about the na- However, Anthony also expresses the hope ture of Lully’s compositional process and Music for recorders & viols that books such as this will add to the im- the relation between the actual dance steps petus of the growing Lully discography and and the music to which they were set. Oth- Jean Allison Olson the proliferation of festival performances of er articles that may help recorder players 1604 Portland Ave. the composer’s operas to bring to him the bring early French Baroque music to life in- St. Paul, MN 55104 sort of attention he deserves from today’s clude Rosow on “The Articulation of Lul- 651.644.8545 audiences. ly’s Dramatic Dialogue,” and Schneider’s [email protected] Lully Studies is a book of the sort com- thoughts on the connections between the mon in musicological circles that brings to- music of Gluck and Lully. gether a number of articles by different au- Running as a common thread through- thors around a central topic, resulting in a out all the articles here is the obvious force volume that is more a reflection of its vari- of Lully’s personality, both as a man and as ous authors’ current preoccupations than an artistic figure. Anyone able to consoli- Courtly Music an organized exploration of its subject. In date and maintain the degree of power that recompense, however, the level of detail in Lully was able to exercise in such a change- Unlimited the articles is much greater than would or- able political culture must certainly have dinarily be found in a general treatment. been a personality to reckon with. As for 800-2-RICHIE In this case, the eleven contributions his music, all one needs to know is the fact (800 274-2443) Running as a common thread throughout the articles is www.courtlymusic.com the obvious force of Lully’s personality, both as a man "Everything for the recorder enthusiast, or those who and as an artistic figure. Anyone able to consolidate would like to be." and maintain the degree of power that Lully was able Fine wood and plastic recorders, sheet music, method books, play-along CDs, to exercise in such a changeable political culture must accessories, workshops. certainly have been a personality to reckon with.
34 American Recorder that it was played continuously for almost 100 years after the composer’s death in an age when much music never received a sec- ond hearing. Lully did write some lovely and effec- tive music for recorder in his stage works, and his dance music is eminently adapt- able to various instrumental ensembles, including recorders. While this book is for the specialist, if it encourages additional interest in Lully’s music, it will have ac- complished its purpose. Scott Paterson
GEORG MUFFAT ON PERFORMANCE PRACTICE. EDITED AND TRANSLATED BY DAVID K. WILSON. Indiana University Press, 2001. 139 pp. Softcover, $24.95. ISBN: 0253213976. Georg Muffat (1653-1704) led a very cosmopolitan life as a composer and court musician, having lived and worked during the course of his career in Paris, Vienna, Prague, Salzburg, and Rome, among other places. He certainly knew Arcangelo Corel- li and might have studied with Jean-Bap- tiste Lully, thus making him one of the few musicians to have had close contact with both of the great figures of the middle Baroque. Somewhat like Michael Praetorius a century before, Muffat took the lessons learned from studying the predominant musical styles of the time, and not only wrote music for the use of practicing court musicians but wrote about the manner of performing the music, to the great benefit particularly of those 20th-century musi- cians wishing to recapture the styles that Muffat knew. Unlike Praetorius, who wrote separate- ly about performance practice, Muffat re- stricted his remarks to the forewords of his collections of music, especially the Flori- legium Primum of 1695, the Florilegium Se- cundum of 1698, and the Auserlesene In- strumentalmusik of 1701. Although rela- ARS T-SHIRT ORDER FORM tively brief, these prefaces provide a wealth Summer’s NAME:______of detailed information concerning such coming... ADDRESS:______practical subjects as phrasing, ornamenta- ______tion, and tempo. Muffat also comments on Order your matters not normally touched on in theo- ARS T-shirt CITY/STATE/ZIP:______retical works, such as the tendency of Ger- today! INDICATE QUANTITY OF EACH ADULT T-SHIRT SIZE: __S __M __L __XL man musicians to play dance movements Featuring the official three times, getting faster at each repeti- ARS logo. The design AMOUNT DUE: $ ______tion (a practice of which Muffat disap- is printed on a royal blue high-quality 100% cotton (ARS member price of $17 x number of shirts) proves). T-shirt. Price is $17 including postage VISA/MASTERCARD #: Muffat’s forewords, written by him in Clip or copy and send/fax to: ______German, French, Italian and Latin, were American Recorder Society SIGNATURE:______first reprinted in the series Denkmäler der Box 631, Littleton, CO 80160-0631 Card Expires:______Tonkunst in Österreich around 1900. Many Fax (with handset down) or call in credit card order to 303-347-1181 will have made the acquaintance of por-
March 2002 35 BOOK REVIEWS (cont.) S EVENTH B IENNIAL
B ERKELEY tions of the forewords in translations by F ESTIVAL Oliver Strunk as part of his groundbreak- ing series for W.W. Norton, Source Readings E XHIBITION in Music History, first published in 1950. David K. Wilson’s translations and commentary began life as a project of June 2 - 9, 2002 Thomas Binkley’s. Binkley had all four ver- sions of Muffat’s forewords translated into “The Berkeley Festival & Exhibition has become a modern German from the DTÖ by Inge- remarkable institution on the American musical scene.” borg Harer, Yvonne Luisi-Weichsel, and — The New York Times Ernest Hoetzl. It was his intention to pro- duce an English translation himself, but Join us for a week-long celebration of the best in early music, including the his final illness intervened and he passed return of the hit of the 2000 Festival, Le Carrousel du Roi, a reconstruction of the work on to Wilson. the spectacular equestrian ballet created for the marriage of Louis XIII; plus Part of Binkley’s conception, which performances by American Bach Soloists, Marion Verbruggen, Skip Sempé Wilson has carried through, was to publish and his ensemble Capriccio Stravagante with Chanticleer, Musica Pacifica, the material with its many variations of de- The Artaria Quartet, Music of the Spheres, Collegium Musicum, tail from language to language in a form Magnificat, and many more exciting early music events. that could be as easily assimilated as possi- ble. This has resulted in an innovative pres- Complete Festival program information available online entation in which the translation of the this spring at www.calperfs.berkeley.edu main German text is printed in the center of the page with the variants from the oth- Be one of the first to know all the latest news on the Festival by er languages printed in the margins, rather signing up for Cal Performances’ VIP Email Club. Simply go to than as footnotes. While this method is not www.calperfs.berkeley.edu/presents and fill out the easy form always completely successful (it is some- indicating your interest in early music. times difficult to see exactly how the vari- ant fits with the original text), it does make To receive a free brochure this spring it generally very easy to discern the sub- call 510.642.9988 tleties of Muffat’s various modes of expres- sion at a glance. With an eye to use by practicing musi- cians, Wilson has erred on the side of liter- alness in his translations. While this www.calperfs.berkeley.edu means that they do not read as smoothly as do Strunk’s translations, they do allow the SEASON SPONSOR: reader more easily to draw his or her own conclusions about the many fascinating Produced by Cal Performances in association with the Department of Music, University of California, Berkeley, the San Francisco Early Music Society, and Early Music America. details of performance practice Muffat de- All programs and artists are subject to change. scribes (and they are complete, going well beyond the excerpts printed by Strunk). Wilson’s commentary could have benefit- DON’T FORGET THE ARS PRESIDENT’S APPEAL. ed from more direct comparisons with SWEETHEART THANKS! other contemporary sources, but he does FLUTE CO. summarize Muffat’s advice well and pro- vides a helpful background to the compos- Baroque Flutes: our own er and his times. “Sweetheart” model String players will certainly want to Fifes, Flageolettes have this book for the many insights it “Irish” Flutes & Whistles. Send for brochure and/or gives into the fine points of string playing antique flute list. in Muffat’s day. Others interested in his- torical performance will also gain a great 32 South Maple Street deal from it, not least a fascinating overall Enfield, CT 06082 impression of the day-to-day concerns and (860) 749-4494 working environment of a professional [email protected] musician of the late 17th century. www.sweetheartflute.com Scott Paterson
36 American Recorder ______OPENING MEASURES ______Being all you can be
What keeps you from being the musician the sides, to the lower back, and the lower pulse to blow comes from low in your you want to be? ribs. Now you will be ready for . . . abdominal muscles. Asking yourself (or a kind listener) some 1b.) The Arch (with a recorder). Blow a to-the-point questions can help you pin- mid-range note beginning with the faintest You make a lot of mistakes point areas of your playing that do not sat- sound, swooping up (like the wave rushing Recorder players make mistakes either isfy you and need improvement. The an- up the sand), then receding. The aim is to because they don’t really know their finger- swers to these questions can help direct let the arch take up most of your breath, to ings well enough (2), or they haven’t really your efforts during practice sessions. Keep make a smooth arching shape, and to make taken in what is written on the page (3). in mind why you like to play music. For the beginning and end very quiet and the 2.) Practice scales and other patterns to most people, music-making is more pleas- middle as loud as you can without breaking learn your fingerings securely. Play these urable and satisfying when it sounds good, the note (squeaking or shrieking). slowly and accurately. You will be able to flows well, and feels easy. Doing some tech- 1c.) The Long Tone. Long tones help us play much faster in music if you are used to nique work on a consistent basis can help. learn to play straight, pure tone. (Vibrato playing notes accurately. Stick with a cer- So, once again, what keeps you from be- can be learned and used later but will never tain scale or pattern until it feels very easy ing the musician you want to be? sound good on a feeble, un-purposeful to play and you are able to keep your hands tone.) We want these tones straight, but relaxed and comfortable. There are many Your playing does not sound good when a player tries to hold the tone straight, books of scales and other patterns available, Improving your sound (tone) is not dif- it is actually more likely to quiver because of but two are G. Rooda: Dexterity Exercises ficult to do. It requires only that you do excessive muscle use. To learn to play and Dances (available for F or C recorders), some consistent blowing practicing. This straight tones freely, begin with very short and M. and R. Donington: Scales, Arpeggios does not need to be drudgery. In fact, it can tones (we can call these micro-long tones). and Exercises for the Recorder. be very enjoyable and relaxing—or energiz- Play a mid-range note for one second (you 3.) To play accurately you must know ing, depending on how you choose to work. can turn on your metronome to 60 and play exactly what notes are written on the page Another advantage is that blowing work for one click, stopping just before the sec- and how long each should be. There are seems to increase the amount of oxygen in ond click occurs). Play tones for two sec- many ways to improve your reading skills. your blood, and this is good for you brain. onds, for three seconds, four seconds, etc. Here are a couple of them. Blow well from your abdominal mus- If any one of these tones is quavery, repeat First of all, doing the type of work listed cles, then relax and expand to inhale. It is so that length (or shorter), making a free ges- in (2) will help your sight-reading almost simple, and makes the body feel good. It al- ture of air from the abdominal. If you prac- immediately—you will get two improve- so wakes you up if you are sleepy. tice this for a few minutes several days each ments from one set of exercises! Here are three basic breathing/blowing week, you will soon be able to play straight Do a little sight-reading each time you exercises that, if you practice them briefly tones of reasonable length (eight or more practice. You can play a short piece or some- several days each week, will improve your seconds). If you have trouble getting thing longer, as you wish. Choose a piece tone. With improved breath control your enough air to blow for eight seconds, make that is easier than the music you usually intonation will also improve. sure to get rid of stale air before you begin play. Play slowly enough to read both 1a.) The Ocean Wave (without the (make an ocean wave to do this), then relax rhythm and notes accurately. Focus your recorder). Stand well. Make the sound of an and expand to inhale. Blow from your ab- mind on your task and listen to yourself. ocean wave rushing up onto the beach and dominal muscles to form the long tone. Can you play your chosen piece without then receding. Use a long “sh” sound: This does not mean tighten your abdomi- mistakes? If not, choose an easier piece. As shhhhhhHHHHHHHhhhhhhh nals and push hard. It means that the im- you improve your reading (and concentra- Notice that, if you do this strongly and tion) skills, you can use more difficult mu- sound just like a wave, you will be using Keep in mind why sic. Keep a list of pieces you use for sight- your abdominal muscles to blow. You will reading in a notebook to track your be able to feel this most clearly at the end of you like to play music. progress. This is a great way to actually see the wave. As you come to the end of the your development and can be used for all wave, freeze! Don’t move at all for a mo- For most people, the exercises I have mentioned. ment. Then, relax. Your body will breathe music-making is more for you, without the slightest effort from You can’t get your fingers and/or you. Voila! pleasurable and satisfying tongue to move fast enough This relaxed breathing will only bring a To increase overall speed, practice pat- small amount of air into your lungs. After when it sounds good, terns, gradually increasing your speed. A your second ocean wave, freeze, wait a mo- flows well, and feels easy. metronome is an invaluable tool. Here are a ment, relax, and continue to expand—to few ways to work. There are many more.
March 2002 37 OPENING MEASURES accurately and comfortably. You can vary (cont.) this exercise by playing three notes or six notes at a time.
4a.) Practice tonguing various syllables Your playing sounds stiff so that you really know how to do them. If This is probably because your tonguing you don’t have a teacher who can help you is unrefined and perhaps also clumsy. Prac- with this, you can find information and ex- tice articulation syllables as in (4a). But to ercises in my book The Recorder Player’s add suppleness to your overall sound, you Companion or in volume one of Walter van should also add some blowing sense: in Hauwe’s The Modern Recorder Player. each phrase you must carry your air from 4b.) Choose a scale or other pattern. the first note to the last, as well as using Find a speed on the metronome at which good articulation. you can easily play your pattern. Play the 5.) Play a phrase of music, first com- pattern several times, moving the pletely slurred, focusing on blowing metronome to a faster speed each time. smoothly from note to note in one fluid Continue until you are playing a little faster line. Now play the same phrase again, blow- than you are comfortable, but are still able ing in the same way but adding articulation to play accurately. You can make a note of (tonguing). this tempo in your practice notebook. Next By taking some time several times a time you do the exercise, start a few week to work on the areas discussed metronome markings slower than your last above, you will make your playing sound speed and try to beat your record. better and feel easier. You will have more 4c.) Choose an etude or a part of a piece fun. Even just 15 minutes a day, four times you are working on that has many notes of a week, of this type of technique work can the same value. Play the first five notes; have a marked effect on your playing. Do- then begin on the fifth note and play five ing this will make your playing more en- notes again. Keep doing this until you reach joyable and satisfying, and you can use all the end of the passage. Play faster than you the rest of your practice time for anything would be able to play the entire passage, you like! but make sure you can play each five notes Frances Blaker
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38 American Recorder ______Q & A ______What to know about flageolets, what to do about ______lipstick, and a final question of material significance
UESTION: What is the best way to remove published for it. It had four finger holes UESTION: What materials other than Q lipstick from the mouthpiece of a wood- and two thumb holes and a range of over Q wood and ivory have been used for en recorder?—Edith Yerger, Middleburg 1½ octaves. Like the recorder, it came in making recorders? Heights, Ohio different sizes that could be used together to play courtly dance music. A distinctive NSWER: Plastic recorders were devel- NSWER: According to recorder maker feature of this instrument was a pear- A oped in England during World War II, A Patrick von Huene, lipstick is hard to shaped wind cap containing a sponge, when inexpensive wooden recorders from remove because it tends to be absorbed by which absorbed moisture from the player’s Germany were no longer available, and the wood. In some cases, solvents—tur- breath. In 18th-century England, the their popularity increased in the succeed- pentine, paint thinner, or, in more stub- French flageolet ceased to be fashionable ing years. Because of their low cost, easy born cases, acetone—can be used. Howev- as a consort instrument, but the smallest maintenance, and uniformity, plastic re- er, Mr. von Huene warns that such solvents size was then used by bird fanciers to teach corders are widely used today by amateurs will dissolve certain recorder finishes such songbirds simple tunes, and it was some- and elementary-school students. Since the as sprayed lacquer and oil finishes. If the times included in the scoring of opera arias 1950s, Japanese companies have taken lipstick has penetrated too deeply, it can- the lead in producing high-quality plastic not be removed completely with solvents, recorders. and sanding may be necessary. For the During the 1970s, Absorption of moisture affects the di- above reasons, Mr. von Huene recom- Gyula Gruber in Vienna mensional stability and acoustical proper- mends sending the recorder to a profes- ties of wood, causing wooden recorders to sional repair person rather than trying to designed an all-metal need periodic revoicing. Plastic recorders treat it yourself. never need revoicing, but they clog easily, soprano made of nickel- requiring the windway to be cleaned fre- NOTE:The next two questions were asked plated brass and a quently with a detergent solution. Ivory is by students during tours of the musical in- a very expensive material whose use is pro- strument collection at the Metropolitan rosewood alto with a hibited by endangered species laws. For Museum of Art in New York. Rebecca the above reasons, a few recorder makers Arkenberg, the Museum’s associate educa- metal head-joint. Gruber in recent years have been experimenting tor and current member of the ARS Board is now hand-crafting with other materials. During the 1970s, of Directors, submitted them to this col- Gyula Gruber in Vienna designed an all- umn in hopes that they will also be of in- silver recorders. metal soprano made of nickel-plated brass terest to adult recorder players. and a rosewood alto with a metal head- to imitate bird songs. During the 19th cen- joint. Instruments developed by Gruber UESTION: What exactly is a flageolet, tury, French flageolets were fitted with up are now being marketed by the Kobliczek Qand how does it differ from a recorder? to six keys and employed in quadrille Company in Germany, and Gruber himself bands. is hand-crafting silver recorders. Two Ital- NSWER: The term “flageolet,” derived Around 1800, William Bainbridge of ian makers, Francesco Li Virghi and Marco A from an old French word meaning “lit- London invented an instrument known as Piga, working together, are producing tle pipe,” has been applied loosely to a the “English flageolet,” and his company wooden recorders with ceramic head wide variety of fipple flutes, including rus- began producing them commercially. Oth- joints, and Joseph Wiesniewski, an ama- tic shepherd pipes and the three-hole pipe er firms then turned out similar instru- teur maker in the U.S.A., is experimenting in the pipe-and-tabor combination. (A fip- ments. The typical English flageolet had with glass. ple flute is one whose sound-producing six finger holes and one thumb hole and Another American maker, Thomas mechanism includes a plug called a “fip- was pitched in D, but some also had a sev- Boehm, produced a composite wood-Plex- ple,” which directs the player’s breath enth hole for the low C and might be con- iglas recorder by using maple wood that through a narrow windway towards a sidered modified recorders. These English was first acetylated to reduce moisture ab- sharp edge.) A recorder is defined as a fip- flageolets, however, were novelty instru- sorption and then impregnated with ple flute with seven finger holes and one ments, not intended for professional per- methyl methacrylate monomer in the pres- thumb hole. formance, and they were not of lasting ence of a polymerization catalyst. This The so-called “French flageolet,” men- value. treatment enabled the recorder to retain its tioned by Mersenne in his treatise Har- tuning and tone over a period of time monie Universelle (1636), was a fashionable through a wide range of moisture changes, instrument among amateurs in both Send questions to Carolyn Peskin, Q&A Editor, and the polymethyl methacrylate acted as Strathavon Road, Shaker Heights, OH 44120; France and England during the late 17th [email protected] a finish for the wood. It was described in an century, and many method books were article in the November 1995 AR.
March 2002 39 CLASSIFIED CONSIDER ADVERTISING IN ______Full page ...... $540 2/3 page ...... $400 1/2 page ...... $330 1/3 page ...... $255 1/4 page ...... $200 1/6 page ...... $155 Where the haves 1/8 page ...... $115 and have-nots 1/12 page ...... $ 85 of the recorder world 1 column inch ...... $ 50 Prices include web site/e-mail link directly from can find each other your ad in AR On-line (www.recorderonline.org). Circulation: Includes the membership of the American Recorder Society, libraries, and music organizations. FOR SALE: Transverse flute. Baroque style. Box- Published five times a year: January, March, May, September, November. wood. One-keyed. Ivory rings. Good condition. $300.00. Call Raymond, 914-235-8148; or email Reservation Deadlines: December 1, February 1, April 1, August 1, October 1. [email protected]. Rates good through November 2002. Please inquire about discounts on multiple-issue contracts, inserts, FOR SALE: Moeck Rottenburgh maple tenor, ex- or other special requests. Extra charges for cellent condition, in original case w/documents, typesetting, layout, halftones, and size alterations. 133-line screen recommended. Advertising subject $300. Nice Alpine maple alto, $60. gic@juno.com; to acceptance by magazine. First-time advertisers 808-396-9644. must include payment with order. For more information, contact AMERICAN RECORDER seeks articles on Benjamin S. Dunham, Editor 472 Point Road, Marion, MA 02738 recorder: history, performance practice, artists and 508-748-1750 (bus. hrs.); Fax: 508-748-1928 repertoire, education, instrument building, etc. Al- E-mail: [email protected] so, photographs and reports of news events. Will consider artwork, poetry, riddles, puzzles. Modest honoraria by special arrangement. Send inquiries ADVERTISER INDEX to: ARS, Box 631, Littleton, CO; 303-347-1120; AMERICAN ORFF-SCHULWERK ASSN...... 25 AMERICAN RECORDER SOCIETY . . . . 22, 24, 25,27, 28, 35 e-mail: [email protected]. AMHERST EARLY MUSIC FESTIVAL ...... 32 SCHOLARSHIPS for recorder players to attend BERKELEY FESTIVAL ...... 36 STEPHAN BLEZINGER...... 32 recorder/early music weekend workshops during JEAN-LUC BOUDREAU ...... 21, 30 the year. Apply two months before funding is BOULDER EARLY MUSIC SHOP ...... 38 CANTO ANTIGUO ...... 26 needed. Weekend workshop scholarships are COURTLY MUSIC UNLIMITED...... 34 made possible by memorial funds set up to honor HESPERUS, SOUND CATCHER WORKSHOP ...... 35 Jennifer Wedgwood Lehmann and Margaret De- HONEYSUCKLE MUSIC ...... 34 KATASTROPHE RECORDS ...... 25 Marsh. Contact ARS, Box 631, Littleton CO 80160; KELISCHEK WORKSHOP ...... 29 303-347-1120; [email protected]. BILL LAZAR, MOLLENHAUER...... 30 MARGRET LÖBNER RECORDERS ...... 40 MUSIC REVIEWERS for AR needed. Reviews must KEITH E. LORAINE ...... 36 be submitted by e-mail or on disk. Please send a LONGY INTERNATIONAL BAROQUE INSTITUTE ...... 3 MAGNAMUSIC DISTRIBUTORS ...... BC brief bio with a list of the types of music you are in- MOECK VERLAG ...... 6 terested in reviewing to Connie Primus, Box 608, MOLLENHAUER RECORDERS ...... 21 Georgetown, CO 80444, or [email protected]. MUSICA ...... 24 PRESCOTT WORKSHOP ...... 40 PROVINCETOWN BOOKSHOP...... 29 Classified rate for American Recorder: 60¢ THE RECORDER MAGAZINE ...... 24 per word, ten-word minimum. “FOR SALE” SCOTT REISS, RECORDER, IRISH WHISTLE...... 29 and “WANTED” may be included in the RECORDER SHOP ...... 24 copy without counting. Zip code is one SAN FRANCISCO EARLY MUSIC SOCIETY ...... IBC word; phone, e-mail, or web page is two. SUZUKI ASSOCIATION OF THE AMERICAS ...... 25 Payment must accompany copy. Dead- SWEETHEART FLUTE CO...... 36 lines are one month before issue date. TEXAS TOOT ...... IBC Send copy with payment to: ARS, Box VANCOUVER EARLY MUSIC FESTIVAL ...... 31 631, Littleton, CO 80160. VON HUENE WORKSHOP, INC...... 38 DOMINIK ZUCHOWICZ...... 34
40 American Recorder