january 2006 Published by the American Recorder Society, Vol. XLVII, No. 1 XLVII, Vol. American Recorder Society, by the Published ©2006 Yamaha Corporation of America. All rights reserved. www.yamaha.com thoughtful choiceforteachersthatcare. Playful withseriousqualityYamaha isknownfor, Yamaha Recordersarethe effortless controlandanaccuracyofintonationthatprovidesarich,fullsound. range.Theyoffertheidealamountofairresistancefor are easytoplayinevery Yamaha 20SeriesRecordersarespeciallydesignedforbeginningstudentsand Pink colorsaddthatextrafunforstudentsbeginningtheirmusiceducation. students aresuretoenjoy. SourAppleGreen,CottonCandyBlueandBubbleGum The world’s mostdependableandchosenrecordersarealsotheplayfulthat Edition Moeck 2825
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EDITOR’S ______NOTE ______Volume XLVII, Number 1 January 2006
he end of one year and the beginning of FEATURES Ta new one is often a time when a Articulation: The Inside Story ...... 12 person reflects on the world, on hopes for Demystifying something that we all have to do on recorder, improving that world, and on each indi- by Scott Reiss vidual’s ability or inability to make the reality match the ideal. For some, this Renaissance Recorder Makers ...... 19 process must be more painful than for 10 by Adrian Brown and David Lasocki others. I think this was the case with Scott Reiss, who lost his battle with mental ill- Dynamo for RecorderDay! ...... 32 ness and left this world on December 14. by Pete Rose Even though it’s been a few years since I last saw Scott, his recent e-mails showed how much he cared about making our DEPARTMENTS world a better, more peaceful, place. He Advertiser Index ...... 48 also thought deeply about music, and was 12 generous in sharing his ideas with his Chapters & Consorts ...... 36 students and friends. Remembrances of Classified ...... 48 Scott will appear in the May AR. His article in this issue (page 12) was to Compact Disc Reviews ...... 38 be the first installment in AR of a series on Music Reviews...... 43 articulation and to be eventually included On the Cutting Edge...... 35 in a book. Scott’s wife and musical partner, Tina Chancey, thought that this first article President’s Message ...... 3 19 should appear in this issue as planned. Q&A ...... 40 From Scott, I borrow the words that he Tidings ...... 4 used to close many of his e-mails, and ON THE COVER: Laughing Dragon Montréal Recorder Festival 2005; Dennis Bamforth dies; hope that you will all “be well.” Pencil and ink Gail Nickless drawing by recorder orchestra composition competition; EMA survey results Grace Feldman, Neighborhood Music School, New Haven, CT © 2006
GAIL NICKLESS, Editor Contributing Editors FRANCES BLAKER, Beginners; JOHN H. BURKHALTER III, Book Reviews THOMAS CIRTIN, Compact Disc Reviews; JODY L. MILLER, Education CONSTANCE M. PRIMUS, Music Reviews; CAROLYN PESKIN, Q & A TIMOTHY BROEGE, 20th-Century Performance LISA SCHMIDT, Design Consultant
Advisory Board Martha Bixler • Valerie Horst • David Lasocki Bob Marvin • Thomas Prescott • Catherine Turocy Kenneth Wollitz Copyright © 2006 American Recorder Society, Inc. Visit AR On-Line at
6 American Recorder PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE ______Resolutions
s we start the New Year, we think to reexamine what we offer, how we offer ARS does best? What A about the list of resolutions we’ve it—and how we can be more effective as could we improve? made: practice more, lose 20 pounds, an organization. During this process, we What could we memorize some Van Eyck, exercise every will assess the “value” we offer to both also offer to teachers day. The advent of the New Year allows us our members and to the larger recorder and local chapter all an opportunity to change. For ARS, community. We are excited by the members? we’ve also made a resolution for 2006: opportunity to evaluate and improve the What is most to find ways to better serve the recorder functions of ARS, and to more effectively important to you as a community. reach out to recorder players who could recorder player We’ve always strived to serve ARS benefit from ARS offerings. and an ARS member? members as best we can. In order to be We want to know! All comments are more responsive to members’ needs, What is most important to welcome (my e-mail address is below). we’ve added a second staff member to the I’m not sure about my own resolu- ARS office. Joining administrative you as a recorder player tions to practice and exercise, but you director Kathy Sherrick is Christine can count on the ARS to stick with its Thompson, a junior in International and an ARS member? resolution to better serve the recorder Studies at Webster University. Chris community. recently moved to St. Louis, MO, from In addition to the work with our Wishing you a musical New Year, Maryland, where she earned her associ- ABC volunteer, we’d love to hear from Alan Karass, ARS President ate degree at Anne Arundel Community you, our members. What do you think
8 American Recorder After intermission, the Telemann Con- The theme also celebrated the height of certo in B major for two recorders gave the the Dutch mastery of the seas, during their audience the rare treat of hearing Laurin days of exploration and trade in the Dutch and Maute play together. Golden Age. A phantom ship brought fear More recorders were added as the sec- to many; these flying Dutchmen instead ond half went on, with Laurin, Maute and brought pleasure. Larivière playing Maute’s own Concerto in The group started with a Sweelinck F major at breakneck speed. It is impres- fantasie, playing on a matched set of Bits & Pieces sive (and should be impossible) to play so Renaissance recorders. The group has a quickly, and at times it doesn’t allow the number of low instruments (down to sub- listener’s ears to take in the harmonies. contra bass), which makes for a full, rich The concert finished with four sound. The effect was of listening to a large A Cheerfull Noyse, an ARS Business recorders—another Heinichen concerto, pipe organ, rather than a collection of Member, celebrated its grand opening this one in C major. The reeds added a instruments. (above) on December 10. The store spe- lovely counterbalance to the recorders, A change in sound was marked as the cializes in classical, folk and early music. and a sopranino players moved It carries recorders from inexpensive to augmented the There is no doubt from Renaissance to high end, including Küng, Coolsma, recorder colors. Baroque instruments, Dolmetsch and others. Other instru- Despite an exhaust- that a highlight of which sounded at ments include harps, winds, strings and ing day, the audience the festival was the times like a calliope guitars. Contact the store at 1228 Solano left exhilarated. recorder competition. and at other times Ave., Albany CA 94706, 877-524-0411, Sunday morning celestial (especially
January 2006 9 with Matthias Maute on recorder, composer who took a certain pleasure in Tales of a Pair played an all-Vivaldi concert as part of being on the edge of what was possible,” the Music Before 1800 series at Corpus Maute notes. “But these young ladies Christi Church of New York City, NY. must have had an extremely high level of of Performances For the recorder players in the audi- playing, because these pieces are still by Nancy Hathaway ence, perhaps the concert’s most gratify- very challenging.” ing aspect was the performance of three Part of that challenge derives from Is it possible to hear too much Vivaldi? concertos for flautino or “little flute.” Vivaldi’s reliance upon some techniques For almost 200 years after the composer The precise identity of that instrument common to strings. “You have to acquire died in 1741, it wasn’t possible to hear has always been uncertain, but it is com- a violinistic technique to master those enough, for Vivaldi had been virtually monly understood to be a small recorder. pieces,” Maute says. “Once you do, you forgotten. A World War II era revival, Which one specifically? In the case of have acquired a bunch of new tech- launched in part by the poet Ezra Pound, the Concerto in C Major, RV444, Maute niques.” For instance, certain arpeggios changed that. Pound was a Fascist, and chose the sopranino. (All instruments that Vivaldi wrote are more easily his political instincts were reprehensible; were pitched low, with a'=415.) performed on a violin. Nor did the not so his musical inclinations. Besides In the other two flautino concerti, composer worry about breath or being an adherent of early music and a Vivaldi indicated that the music should speed—neither of which seems to supporter of Arnold Dolmetsch (whom be transposed down a fourth, from C concern Maute either. As Martha Bixler he mentions in one of his cantos), he was major to G in Concerto in G Major, commented, “He can move his fingers one of Vivaldi’s first modern champions. RV443, and from A minor to E minor in faster than is physically possible.” “Vivaldi moves, in his adagios, in the Concerto to E Minor, RV445—a transpo- In the G major concerto, RV443, a sphere of the Paradiso,” Pound wrote, sition readily accomplished by playing solo cadenza between the Allegro and the and his oratorios made “ole pop Handel alto fingerings on a soprano, making it Largo allows room for embellishment. look like a cold poached egg.” Pound the instrument of choice. For both com- “In concerts Vivaldi would put cadenzas organized a series of concerts in Italy that positions, Maute played the soprano in in the middle of pieces in order to reintroduced Vivaldi and that eventually his usual sparkling, virtuosic manner. demonstrate what was possible on the led to a weeklong Vivaldi Festival held in Vivaldi wrote these concerti for the violin,” Maute states. “I developed ideas Siena in September 1939. orphan girls of the Ospedale della Pietá based on that concept, just to show what Several pieces presented in Siena were in Venice, Italy, where he led the can be done on the recorder and to trans- also performed on November 20, when orchestra and taught violin. His expecta- form the piece into something different, Baroque chamber ensemble REBEL, tions were high. “Vivaldi was a as they used to do back then. In a certain way, you use the score as a pretext for improvising your own version.” 2EHUOLQ&RQVHUYDWRU\RI0XVLF In addition to the flautino concerti, REBEL presented Vivaldi’s Concerto in SUHVHQWVWKHWK A Minor, RV108. Performed freely and with rubato, it features an active dialogue %DURTXH3HUIRUPDQFH,QVWLWXWH between alto recorder and two violins, here played by Jörg-Michael Schwarz -XQH-XO\ and Karen Marie Marmer. The other musicians of REBEL, all ´$LUVIURPWKH6RXWK ,WDOLDQ0XVLFDO top notch, were Risa Browder, viola; ,QIOXHQFHV7KURXJKRXW(XURSHµ John Moran, violoncello; Anne Trout, double bass; Dongsok Shin, harpsi- .HQQHWK6ORZLN$UWLVWLF'LUHFWRU chord; and Daniel Swenberg on ZLWKWKH2EHUOLQ%DURTXH(QVHPEOH theorbo, lute and Baroque guitar. 0LFKDHO/\QQUHFRUGHU WUDYHUVR &DWKDULQD0HLQWVYLRO FHOOR ]q] 0DULO\Q0F'RQDOGYLROLQ :HEE:LJJLQVKDUSVLFKRUG RUJDQ A week after the REBEL concert, I was hurrying through the streets of Manhattan on my way to a Chelsea DQLQWHUQDWLRQDOIDFXOW\LQFOXGLQJ Winds concert, afraid I’d be late. It was &KULVWRSKHU.UXHJHUIOXWH *RQ]DOR5XL]RERH the Sunday after an exhausting Thanks- -XOLH$QGULMHVNLEDURTXHGDQFH giving; the first Christmas trees of the season were already lining the sidewalks; ZZZREHUOLQHGXFRQVXPPHUESL and I had a lot on my mind. For the 2&%3,#2EHUOLQHGX second time in a week, I thought of &RQVHUYDWRU\RI0XVLF:HVW&ROOHJH6W2EHUOLQ2+ Ezra Pound. “Winter is icummen in,” he wrote. “Lhude sing Goddamm.” Once I was inside the neo-Gothic chapel of the General Theological Semi- nary, those thoughts began to fade.First,
10 American Recorder the chapel is one of the most charming G minor, a richer and more harmonically spaces on Earth. Second, Chelsea Winds complex work. The chaconne, which is an accomplished consort that plays presents the ground bass with 18 bars of with verve and imagination, and always unison playing, is particularly powerful. offers at least one surprise. The real surprise was a piece The concert began with a five-part by Bertold Hummel (1925-2002), a Renaissance piece by English composer German composer who studied with Thomas Simpson (1582–1628). Per- Harold Genzmer (himself a student of formed by Gregory Eaton and David Paul Hindemith). Pastorella (SAATB) was Hurd, co-founders of Chelsea Winds, poignant and meditative, with a few live- Bloom Early Music Workshop participants: Barrie and Lucinda Mosher, and ly passages, some drone-like sections, (back row, l to r) Johanna Kulbach, work- Anita Randolfi, Intrada & Padouana and a sprinkling of dissonance. I imme- shop leader Lisle Kulbach, Barry Moyer, paired a simple introduction with a diately wanted to play this pastorale, and Gene Schneyer, Margaret Wettling, surprisingly dense dance movement. other people there felt similarly. Liz Daigle, Ves Burford; (front row, l to r) Variations on “Les Folies d’Espagne” by Arthur Sonnenberg, Linsy Sonnenberg, I kept thinking about Jean-Henri d’Anglebert (1625-1691) Dwayne Heisler, Joyce Perlove. followed. Originally a keyboard piece (Photo by participant Stephanie Burford) rewritten for two tenors and bass, it fea- the Pastorella and tured three very independent parts and plenty of what one player called “twitch- A Workshop Blooms wanting to hear it again. ing and twittering and decoration.” In Dwayne Heisler, an avid participant at short, it was French. Corelli’s variations Amherst Early Music workshops and the Next came Divisions on a Ground by of La Follia are perhaps the most famous, Mountain Collegium, organized the first Solomon Eccles (1618–1683). Played by but this definitely has its charms. Bloom Early Music Workshop, held three low-pitched altos, it featured a The final selection was, I suppose, the near Bloomsburg at Catawissa, PA, on the ground bass line of 9 or 10 notes that is most spectacular: a pairing of J. S. Bach’s 2005 Labor Day weekend. Players and exchanged 31 times. Why is it so Canonic Aria from Cantata 9 (AATTB) families were invited to learn and to enjoy pleasant to zone out on those repeti- with the Allegro from Brandenburg varied music and fine hospitality. tions? At one point, the piece is thin and Concerto No. 6 (SSATB). Chelsea Winds Lisle Kulbach, co-founder of airy, filled with rests as the players played both pieces with finesse. The Sephardic music group Voice of the Turtle, exchange single notes to form hockets. audience was appreciative, and a man brought her energy, humor and creative Towards the end, excitement builds as behind me was clearly blown away. talent to lead the musical portion of the one player ornaments the ground bass I kept thinking about the Pastorella workshop. Fourteen participants came with trills, and the others play duplets and wanting to hear it again. Instead, from Washington, D.C., Lewisburg, WV, against triplets. In the context, it’s an ex- Eaton announced an encore: David Miami, FL, Bloomsburg and central PA to pressive climax, and it made me happy. Goldstein’s idiosyncratic Come Ye Thank- play music from William Byrd to Ludwig Eccles evidently didn’t feel the same ful People, Come, a delightful and tradi- Senfl, 15th-century pieces, and music of way. In 1660, he burned his music (and tional end to an evening with Chelsea the Spanish Jews chosen by Kulbach. his instruments!) and became a Quaker. Winds. Walking home, I couldn’t help Vocalists and recorder players— The next piece, another trio for remembering how anxious I’d felt a few with shawms, crumhorns, dulcimer and altos, was Johann Mattheson’s Sonata in hours earlier. That feeling had vanished. lots of percussion on hand—grew bolder in improvisations of country dance tunes. The group was captivated and challenged by the rhythms, melodies and language of the Sephardic pieces, many of which had come only from oral traditions and were put to paper by Voice of the Turtle. William Byrd’s five-part version of The Leaves Be Green, which was initially difficult for the participants, proved to be a favorite by morning’s end. Lisle’s mother, Johanna Kulbach, a fine musician and published author of books on recorder technique, was thankfully on hand to help read through it. In all, it was both work and play—and a luxury to be able to continue playing into the night in the inviting Federal-style lodgings, a refurbished home that had been a coach house inn on a stage coach line in the 1800s. It was a grand weekend and clearly a labor of love.
January 2006 11 arship a number of years ago, appeared in on recorder and shawm plus voice. Other the March 2004 ARS Newsletter.) ensemble members were sopranos Anna The name “Ciaramella” comes from Levenstein and Gail West; Greg Ingles the Italian word for “shawm” and from a and Erik Schmalz, slide trumpet and 15th-century song about a girl whose sackbut; and Mahan Esfahani, organ. dress, like the shawm, was full of holes All are members of, or have made appear- and who knocked men flat when she ances with, other renowned professional Ciaramella Delights opened her mouth. early music ensembles. Cleveland Audience Although formed only two years ago, Ciaramella’s members are united by a The 2005-06 concert season marks the Ciaramella has made its mark in the early belief that every musical composition 20th anniversary of the renowned music world. The ensemble was first “conceals a rich story waiting to be un- “Chapel, Court & Countryside” early runner-up in Early Music America’s 2003 locked through historical research and music series presented by the music recording competition (resulting in a speculative performance.” Throughout department of Case Western Reserve Uni- début recording for Naxos) and 2004 this concert, the performers’ infectious versity in Cleveland, OH. As part of the Medieval/Renaissance competition, and enthusiasm, expressive interpretations anniversary celebration, the series, which also a finalist in the 2003 Flanders Festival and skillful improvisations delighted the has offered outstanding performances by International Young Artist’s Presentation. audience. The concert’s grand finale, Mit soloists and ensembles from around the Ciaramella’s November concert at Lust tritt ich an diesen Tanz, stood out from world, is currently featuring accom- Case, entitled “Pipers from Over the the rest of the concert. A joyful six-voice plished artists who received their early Mountains,” featured music by northern song by Ludwig Senfl in praise of dance, music training at Case. Europeans who worked in Italy in the it was performed with voices, shawms and The season’s opening concert on 15th century, including Ciconia, Bin- sackbut. Although Senfl was a 16th- November 12 presented Ciaramella, a chois, Busnoys, Isaac and a number of century composer, he was a student of prize-winning, nine-member ensemble lesser-known composers. The program Heinrich Isaac and also studied Josquin’s specializing in 15th-century music. included about two dozen selections, music carefully. Their influence is evident Ciaramella was founded in 2003 by Adam ranging from lively dances and a raucous in his highly contrapuntal settings of and Rotem Gilbert, both of whom have barnyard song to courtly chansons with simple melodies. In this particular piece, now earned doctorates at Case in early intricate counterpoint. The music was the melody is used as a migrating cantus music performance practice. (Their obtained from Medieval and early firmus. names may be familiar to readers of Amer- Renaissance manuscripts and included Quoting from Donald Rosenberg’s re- ican Recorder. Adam, who is currently a vocal texts in French, Flemish, German view in the Plain Dealer, “There is no way visiting assistant professor at the Universi- and Italian (with translations provided). to resist Ciaramella’s immediately com- ty of Southern California, wrote the piece Instruments were played in various municative music-making….So much to that was commissioned by the ARS for the combinations, with and without voices. enjoy, so little space to enumerate 2004 Recorder Day!; his piece appeared Adam and Rotem Gilbert and Doug Ciaramella’s myriad enchantments…. in the January 2004 AR. A profile of his Milliken played recorder, shawm and They bring old music to alluring life.” wife, Rotem, who received an ARS schol- bagpipes, with Debra Nagy joining them Carolyn Peskin Dennis Bamforth died in his sleep on the ensemble, its repertoire and its to help launch such a group in 2002, help- December 3. He is acknowledged as the instruments to a merited musical level. ing to realize Bamforth’s dream. founder of the recorder orchestra. Stockport Recorder College, founded Along with the attitude and concept of Ensembles he established in the UK by Bamforth and Colin Martin in the orchestral thinking, development of a have presented original compositions or 1960s, has provided thousands of talent- recorder orchestra repertoire was essential arrangements by him and others for over ed players with their first experience of to display the potential of the instruments 30 years. He is given credit for having a high-quality opportunities for ensemble in combination and to tackle challenges total absorption in and dedication to the recorder playing. Over 40 years ago, Bam- of textural and musical interpretation. recorder orchestra idea: each part organ- forth and Martin also founded the North- Bamforth gets credit for the longest list of ized into orchestral seating, with parts bal- ern Recorder Course, now a “must-go” original and arranged works for the anced by number to allow for natural con- event in the UK recorder scene. These two medium, including five symphonies, trasts and response of tone and dynamics enduring institutions involve thousands several concertos (for standard orchestral produced by recorders of different sizes; of young and older players, and scores instruments), shorter works, and dozens and employing a disciplined approach. of leading players and teachers from of recorder orchestra arrangements. In the creation over 20 years ago of the around the world. “His inspiration to generations of play- Manchester Recorder Orchestra (MRO) In 1966, when Dennis Bamforth was ers of all ages, and the legacy of the —the largest, with 60 members, and old- director of music at William Hulme’s strength of the Recorder Orchestra princi- est regular group in the UK—Bamforth Grammar School in Manchester, Colin ple and ideals—not just in the UK but led the way in training, writing for, pro- Touchin was a pupil in the school. He around the world—will continue to gramming and presenting the concept of suggested to his student, “What we need promote our instrument and its music large ensemble playing for recorders. is a National Youth Recorder Orchestra.” ever further,” commented Touchin upon Concerts of the MRO in prestigious Following proposals from Touchin, the Bamforth’s death. venues such as the Royal Northern Society of Recorder Players of the UK Compiled from information at College of Music made a mark in elevating agreed in 2001 to give a considerable sum
12 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). Add Shipping and Handling: $2 for one CD, $1 for each additional CD. An updated listing of all available CDs may be found at the ARS web site:
IN STOCK (Partial listing) ____IN NOVA CANTICA, A Celebration of ____ARCHIPELAGO Alison Melville, recorder & Christmas. Eileen Hadidian, recorder & traverso. Sonatas & concerti by Hotteterre, Stanley, Renaissance flute, with voice, violin, vielle, gamba Bach, Boismortier and others. $15 ARS/$17 Others. and lute. Traditional carols, chansons and festive ____SOLO, ____ ARIAS, DUETS & BALLET MUSIC FROM dances from the 13th-17th centuries. Healing DOUBLE HANDEL OPERAS Carolina Baroque. Dale Muses. $15 ARS/ $17 others. & TRIPLE ____JOURNEY Wood’N’Flutes, Vicki Boeckman, Higbee, recorders. Live recording of a variety of CONCERTOS OF BACH & TELEMANN Gertie Johnsson & Pia Brinch Jensen, recorders. excerpts from operas of Handel, including Alcina Carolina Baroque, Dale Higbee, recorders. Works by Dufay, Machaut, Henry VIII, Mogens and Giulio Cesare in Egitto. $15 ARS/$17 Others. 2-CD set, recorded live. $24 ARS/$28 others. ____ARLECCHINO: SONATAS AND BALLETTI Pederson, W.W. Van Nieuwkerk & Maute—seven ____SONGS IN THE GROUND Cléa Galhano, OF J. H. SCHMELZER Ensemble Caprice Stuttgart. centuries. Kadanza Classics. $15 ARS/$17 Others. recorder, Vivian Montgomery, harpsichord. Songs Matthias Maute & Sophie Larivière, recorders; ____LANDSCAPES David Bellugi, recorders; Ali based on grounds by Pandolfi, Belanzanni, Vitali, Michael Spengler, gamba; Maria Grossman, harpsi- Tajbakhsh & Chris Hayward, percussion. “Virtual” Bach, others. 10,000 Lakes. $15 ARS/$17 Others. chord. Works by Schmelzer, Muffat, Vitali. Antes recorder orchestra created by Bellugi. Three centuries SUZUKI RECORDER SCHOOL (Four vols.) Edition. $15 ARS/$17 Others. of ethnic music by Encina, Brouwer, Ortiz, Bartok. Recordings to accompany the Suzuki® Recorder ____BACH ARIAS, DUETS AND CHAMBER Frame. $15 ARS/$17 Others. School method books, with Marion Verbruggen, MUSIC Carolina Baroque, Dale Higbee, recorders. ____LES AMIS DU BAROQUE Paul Nauta, recorder recorders. $15 ARS/$17 Others, for each single CD, or Live recording featuring Bach cantatas (BWV 140, & Baroque flute; Koen Dieltiens, recorder. Music by $33 ARS/$40 others for any two Suzuki® CDs: Wachet auf) & other works. $15 ARS/$17 Others. Bassani, Corelli, Vivaldi, etc. Highlight Intl. ____Vols. 1 & 2 for Soprano or ____Vols. 1 & 2 for Alto $15 ARS/$17 Others. ____ BACH: MUSIC TO CHALLENGE THE (Vols. 1 & 2: folk & children’s songs, Baroque dances) ____MANCINI: CONCERTI DI CAMERA Judith INTELLECT AND TOUCH THE HEART Carolina ____Vols. 3 & 4 for Soprano: Handel, de la Guerre, others Baroque, Dale Higbee, recorders. Cantata No. 21, Linsenberg, recorders; Musica Pacifica. Seven ____Vols. 3 & 4 for Alto: Handel, J.S. Bach, Purcell, others Part One; Cantata No. 182. $15 ARS/$17 Others. Mancini sonatas, plus works of Durante, D. Scarlatti. ____ BACH & HANDEL: BAROQUE MASTERS “Highly recommended” citation, 2000 Vivaldi Prize, ____SWEET FOLLIA, THE RECORDER ON TWO Carolina Baroque. Dale Higbee, recorders. Giorgio Cini Foundation. Dorian. $15 ARS/$17 CONTINENTS Ensemble Caprice. Matthias Maute Excerpts from several operas and cantatas, Others. & Sophie Larivière, recorders. Selections by recorded in 2002 concert. $15 ARS/$17 Others. ____MIDNIGHT SUN Alison Melville & Colin Savage, Purcell, Morley, Maute, Couperin, Van Eyck, others. ____CIRCULO MAGICO (MAGIC CIRCLE) recorders; Ensemble Polaris. New arrangements of Atma Classique. $15 ARS/$17 Others. Cléa Galhano, recorder. Brazilian and American con- traditional music of Norway, Finland, Estonia, Sweden, ____TELEMANN ALLA POLACCA REBEL– Matthias temporary music for recorder and various instruments. Scotland. Classic CD Disc of the Month, August 2000. Maute, recorders & traverso–play concerti and suites $15 ARS/$17 Others. Dorian. $15 ARS/$17 Others. by G.P. Telemann. $15 ARS/$17 Others. ____CONCERTI DI NAPOLI Matthias Maute, ____MUSIC FOR A WINTER’S EVE, Bringing Light ____TELEMANN: DUOS POUR FLUTES, recorders, and REBEL. Sonatas by Mancini, Roberto to the Darkness. Eileen Hadidian, recorder & Ensemble Caprice. Matthias Maute & Sophie Valentini, A. Scarlatti. Dorian. $15 ARS/$17 Others. Baroque flute, with voice, violin, viola da gamba & Larivière, recorders & transverse flute, Alexander ____A. CORELLI Ensemble Caprice Stuttgart. Celtic harp. Traditional, Renaissance and Medieval Weimann, clavichord. Six Telemann duos & Matthias Maute & Sophie Larivière, recorders; songs to celebrate midwinter and the changing of sonatas alternate with five fantasies for clavichord Michael Spengler, viola da gamba; Maria the seasons. Healing Muses. $15 ARS/$17 Others. by Maute. Atma Classique. $15 ARS/$17 Others. Grossman, claviorganum. Works by Corelli & ____MY THING IS MY OWN: BAWDY MUSIC OF ____TRIO ATLANTICA Lisette Kielson, recorders. Kuhnau. Antes Edition. $15 ARS/$17 Others. THOMAS D’URFEY Tina Chancey, Grant Herreid & Works by Bach, Telemann, Montéclair, Leclair. Trio ____ENSEMBLE PIACERE 2002 Ensemble Scott Reiss, recorders & other early instruments; Atlantica. $15 ARS/$17 Others. Piacere, Irmtraut Freiberg, Eva Maria Kaukal, Rosa Lamoreaux, soprano. Improvisations on ____20TH CENTURY MUSIC FOR RECORDER & recorders. Sparkling performances of works from tunes of love, sex & seduction in 18th-century PIANO Anita Randolfi, recorders. Music by Jacob, the Renaissance to the 20th century—Frescobaldi, England. Koch Intl. $15 ARS/$17 Others. Bartok, Leigh, others for recorder & piano. Ortiz, Telemann, Fux, Keil and many others. ____RECORDER JAZZ Warren Kime, recorder. $15 ARS/$17 Others. Ensemble Piacere. $15 ARS/$17 Others. Original jazz charts with a great groove. ____ VIVALDI: LA NOTTE Concerti per strumenti ____FOLIAS FESTIVAS Cléa Galhano, recorders; $15 ARS/$17 Others. diversi. Judith Linsenberg, recorder; Musica Belladonna. 16-17th-century music by Falconieri, de ____REFLECTIONS, Music to Soothe and Uplift Pacifica. Award-winning CD, featuring five Vivaldi Tafalla, Merula, others. Dorian. $15 ARS/$17 Others. the Spirit. Eileen Hadidian, recorder & Baroque concerti, two sonatas. Dorian. $15 ARS/$17 ____FOR NO GOOD REASON AT ALL Scott Reiss, flute, with Celtic harp and ’cello. Celtic, traditional, Others. Bruce Hutton and Tina Chancey sing and play over Renaissance & Medieval melodies. Healing Muses. ____VON PARIS NACH WIEN Duo Caprice 30 early and traditional instruments. Hesperus's first $15 ARS/$17 Others. Stuttgart. Matthias Maute, recorder & Michael crossover CD, fusing Medieval & Renaissance music ____ SACRED & SECULAR CANTATAS OF J. S. Spengler, gamba. Works from Paris to Vienna by with Appalachian, blues, Cajun, vaudeville, swing. BACH. Carolina Baroque. Dale Higbee, recorders. Rameau, Satie, Maute, J. Haydn, Chopin, others. Recorder heard as jug, blues harmonica, pan pipes– Live performances of three cantatas, BWV 82a, Antes Edition. $15 ARS/$17 Others. and, of course, recorder. $15 ARS/$17 Others. BWV 202, BWV 209. $15 ARS/$17 Others. Please indicate above the CDs you wish to order, ____SAMMARTINI: SONATAS & CONCERTOS FOR ____GATHERING: HUI; folk melodies from China and print clearly the following: FLUTE Ensemble Caprice & Rebel. Matthias Maute and 17th-century Europe, with crossover collabora- Name______& Sophie Larivière, recorders & traverso. Extended tions among Cléa Galhano, recorder, Belladonna Daytime phone: (_____) ______Baroque Quartet, and guest Gao Hong, Chinese concertos and sonatas by Sammartini & Maute. Address: ______pipa. Ten Thousand Lakes. $15 ARS/$17 Others. Atma Classique. $15 ARS/$17 Others. ____THE GREAT EMU WAR Batalla Famossa, a ____LUDWIG SENFL Farallon Recorder Quartet City/State/Zip: ______young ensemble, with first CD of Australian featuring Letitia Berlin, Frances Blaker, Louise Check enclosed for recorder music. Orpheus. $15 ARS/$17 Others. Carslake and Hanneke van Proosdij. 23 lieder, _____ single CDs x $___ = $______THE GREAT MR. HANDEL Carolina Baroque, motets and instrumental works of the German _____ 2-CD sets x $____ = $______TOTAL $_____ Dale Higbee, recorders. Sacred and secular music Renaissance composer. $15 ARS/$17 Others. Please charge the above amount to my MasterCard or ____ by Handel. Live recording. $15 ARS/$17 Others. LES SEPT SAUTS: Baroque Chamber Music Visa:#______Exp. Date: ______HANDEL: THE ITALIAN YEARS Elissa at the Stuttgart Court. Matthias Maute & Sophie Cardholder’s signature: ______Berardi, recorder & Baroque flute; Philomel Larivière, recorders & traverso; Ensemble Caprice. Mail to: Baroque Orchestra. Nel dolce dell’oblio & Tra le Charming repertoire by Schwartzkopff, Bodino, fiamme, two important pieces for obbligato recorder Detri. Atma Classique. $15 ARS/$17 Others. ARS, 1129 Ruth Dr., St. Louis, MO 63122-1019 USA. & soprano; Telemann, Trio in F; Vivaldi, All’ombra You may fax your credit card order to 314-966-4649. di sospetto. $15 ARS/$17 Others. Survey: Nearly 100 million hired the professional research firm early music at least once a week. Most Robinson and Muenster to conduct (67%) do this with other amateur Americans Listen to surveys both of the public and of hun- musicians because “they love the music” Early Music Every Year dreds of individual EMA members. EMA (70%), while some participate because A new national study by Early Music also conducted comprehensive in-house they “enjoy the social activity” (11%) and America (EMA) finds that early music is surveys to assess activities of its for a variety of other reasons including an integral part of classical music making organizational members and educational “intellectual stimulation.” Among EMA in North America, with an astonishing institutions, as well as of the members amateur members, the most common 98.5 million American adults listening to of Chamber Music America (CMA). ensemble is a recorder ensemble (38%). some early music in the past year on radio Surprisingly, more and more classical EMA’s amateur members are signifi- or on recordings. About 21.4 million of musicians now play historical versions of cantly older then its professional and these attended a live performance of early their instruments. Over 75% of CMA semi-professional members: 52% are 65 music in the last year. respondents also reported that “historical- years of age or older, 29% are ages 51-64, ly informed performance practices have and 18% are under the age of 50. had a significant impact on the way they About half of EMA’s amateur members ... the most common play their modern instruments.” have taken lessons or classes in the past Through analysis of playlists published year, while almost 80% have participated ensemble is a on classical radio station web sites, EMA in some kind of early music workshop in estimated that 30% of the classical music the past year. recorder ensemble (38%). played on the radio in the U.S. is music While it is still difficult to make a written before 1800, and about 40% of full-time living from playing and teaching The early music movement, which that is music performed on period instru- early music in U.S., the majority of profes- focuses on the issues of historically ments in historically informed styles. sional players make between 50% and informed performance practice, has had a It was no surprise that EMA found the 60% of their income directly from early significant impact on the mainstream field of early music to be a highly educated music, supplementing their income from classical music world and is now more one, and that education is more predictive other sources—creating a profile similar widely accepted as part of the classical of engagement with music than any other to that of many classical musicians. mainstream than it was 15 years ago. demographic factor, including household The 32-page report, Early Music in Supported by a major grant from the income. America: A Study of Early Music Performers, National Endowment for the Arts, EMA In the poll of its amateur members, Listeners, and Organizations, is available EMA found that 52% rehearse or perform in its entirety at
In April 2005, recording sessions were completed for volumes 5-8 of the Suzuki Recorder School®. The appealing repertoire includes music of the Renaissance and Baroque, and is approved by the International Suzuki Association. Shown in front of the recording venue, the Chapel at the Hanna Boys Center in Sonoma, CA, are: (back row, l to r) Arthur Haas, harpsichord; John Phillips, harpsichord maker/tuner; (front row, l to r) Mary Springfels, bass/descant viols; Katherine White, Suzuki Association of the Americas Teacher Trainer and originator/arranger of the Suzuki Recorder School; Peter Nothnagle, recording engineer/editor; Marion Verbruggen, soprano/alto recorders.
14 American Recorder SAN FRANCISCO EARLY MUSIC SOCIETY ANNOUNCES RECORDER ORCHESTRA COMPOSITION COMPETITION The San Francisco Early Music Society performed by the SFEMSRW recorder and Hanneke van Proosdij, El Cerrito, Recorder Workshop (SFEMSRW) has orchestra on July 21 at 8 p.m. at Domini- CA. Initial judging will be based on an announced a composition competition to can University, San Rafael, CA. assessment of scores and accompanying encourage creation of original recorder Scores and tapes must be postmarked sound recordings (cassette/CD/MIDI). orchestra works of the highest quality that no later than June 10. Results will be A short list of up to three semi-finalists are primarily suitable for amateur/student announced by July 19. Works submitted will have their works read by the players. should have been written recently (after SFEMSRW recorder orchestra at the While there is some current debate 2001). They may not have been published beginning of the workshop, which will be about what constitutes a “recorder or commercially recorded or have won a held July 16–22. The winning work will be orchestra,” for the purposes of the compe- prize in any other competition. Pieces chosen by vote of the SFEMSRW recorder tition, it is defined as a large ensemble of should be between 7 and 12 minutes of orchestra participants and performed at recorder players in several voice parts, actual playing time (excluding short the end of the workshop. using high recorders (sopranino, soprano, breaks between movements). For full contest rules and entry forms, alto) but primarily using low recorders Composers may come from any contact Frances Feldon, director, SFEMS (tenor, bass, great bass, contra bass). The country and may be of any age. Recorder Workshop, 510-527-9840, composition preferably will specify only Judging will be based on the following e-mail
January 2006 15 Articulation: The Inside Story by Scott Reiss rticulation is often misunderstood As it fills the chest, think of the air (1951-2005) A as a “specialized” technique in expanding the ribs, from the lowest to recorder playing. It’s unfortunate that it the highest—being careful to expand Scott Reiss was founder and is often thought of as an esoteric aspect both front and back ribs at the same time. co-director since 1979 of HESPERUS, of technique, one that only “advanced” The body should expand with the breath as well as a founding member players can fully utilize. evenly on all sides. Don’t fall into the and co-director from 1977 to 1998 of On the contrary, articulation is not habit of thinking only of the front of the the Folger Consort, ensemble-in-residence esoteric, but basic to the playing of any- body! at the Folger Shakespeare Library. thing on the instrument. It is something As the breath moves down through He was at home in Medieval, Renaissance that every recorder player has to do to the floor and expands the body from the and Baroque styles, while possessing create the beginning and end of each and bottom up, the head, neck and shoulders a command of Irish and Appalachian every note played. It is one of the three remain completely relaxed. When the music and the blues. He performed as fundamental aspects of playing the breath reaches the collar bone, its soloist with groups including the National recorder: breath and support, fingering, upward journey is done. Symphony, the Washington Bach Sinfonia, and articulation. Piffaro and the Annapolis Brass Quintet. Articulation is the way in which we One of the most powerful In 2005, he played Bach’s Brandenburg regulate breath flowing through the Concerto No. 4 with the Choate Rosemary recorder. Breathing and breath support tools the recorder Hall Orchestra on a tour that included on the recorder differs from that used in possesses is the ability a performance on China’s Great Wall playing other wind instruments and in (see his report in the September 2005 AR). singing because there is so little resist- to create an infinite ance to the breath. With the recorder, we number of gradations One of the world’s leading recorder players, need to create support and resistance Reiss has written articles on recorder with a somewhat indirect method. ranging from the technique, improvisation and traditional sharpest attack and music that were published in American Breath and Support Recorder, Continuo, Early Music America Before a note is articulated, correct shortest duration to and Tibia. This article on articulation breathing must take place: align the body the softest attack and was to have been the first of a series with the sit bones resting on the chair of articles, forming the foundation and supporting one’s weight, with feet longest duration. of a book on recorder technique. flat on the floor, shoulders above the pelvic bone, head erect and resting on Exhalation is the reverse of the Reiss can be heard on more than the neck. (This all seems obvious— inhalation. Bring the air up from beneath 35 recordings (some available through but often we let our bodies lapse into a the floor, through the pelvis, and up the ARS CD Club). His most recent posture that inhibits energy and breath, through the spine and back of the neck. solo recording was The Banshee’s Wail, so it’s always a good routine to review Then send it out through the back and with his wife, Dr. Tina Chancey, basic alignment.) top of the head, focusing it in a curve that and Zan McLeod and Glen Velez. Next, inhale—easy, right? But we lands in a cup made by the hands usually inhale without mindfulness, so extended out from the chest (the approx- Reiss and Chancey were 1998 recipients that the breath enters the body haphaz- imate location of your instrument). of a two-year grant from Earthwatch ardly. The most common way in which As the breath moves out of the body, supporting their ethnographic people breathe is shallowly—breathing it leaves in the opposite order in which research on Celtic music in Ireland. into the upper part of the chest cavity, the inhalation filled: from the upper From that research, Reiss wrote the expanding the upper ribs, and perhaps chest, down through the torso, and chapter, “Tradition and Imaginary: extending into the clavicle area and the finally emptying the pelvic region. Irish Traditional Music and the shoulders. Exhalation is what I will call the Celtic Phenomenon” for the book Instead, the player must invite the breath-stream because—except during Celtic Modern (Scarecrow Press, 2003). breath to enter the body, and direct the inhalation—the process of exhalation is air down—through the pelvis, through constant. The support of the breath Reiss directed SoundCatcher, a series of the chair, through the floor. As the air doesn’t change when the flow of the workshops teaching musicians the skills enters, think of it filling first the pelvic breath starts and stops. The breath- of playing by ear, which will continue area, then the belly and lower torso, and stream continues through any break in under the direction of Chancey and only then think of the air starting to fill sound—between notes or even through other members of HESPERUS. the lungs and chest. rests. It follows the shape of the phrase.
16 American Recorder Single Tonguing leaving only enough time at Alveolus (where the gum A note begins with an attack. Single the end to fully release the note meets the upper teeth) tonguing is the basic articulation, in and stop the air flow. That Hard palate which the note starts with an attack I de- might be described by the (palatal ridge) scribe as dental. In a dental attack, the syllables “dah-it.” tip of the tongue touches the palatal If that note is a quarter note, ridge: the part of the hard palate right be- the airflow begins in its stopped Soft palate hind the upper front teeth, just at the position—the tip of the tongue point where it starts to curve up toward touching the palatal ridge the soft palate. (In linguistics and speech behind the teeth. The “d” is the therapy, the similar term is “alveolus.” tongue coming away from the But, although one definition of alveolus palatal ridge on the downbeat, is “teethridge,” alveolus also describes allowing the breath to flow. The “the part of the jaws where the teeth “ah” represents the duration of Tongue arise.” The latter does not seem to me to the note. With the “i” of “it,” describe the place where the tongue the tongue moves back toward should touch, so I chose to use my own its original position; and the “t” term.) stops the airflow, creating the As the tongue rests there, it acts like a release of the note. dam: the breath-stream builds up As the attack moves from a behind it. The tongue is also in contact neutral “d” through a harder becomes more and more round as the with the upper molars, creating a seal. and harder “d” (as though one were say- tongue and jaw drop, and gradually the When the tongue is brought away from ing “do it” first as an emotionally gentle corners of the mouth move in toward the palatal ridge and the upper molars, suggestion, and then as an increasingly each other, creating the oval formation the breath flows and the note is started. forceful command), and also increasing for “u.” Since the articulation becomes Each note ends with a release. To end through the same continuum of emo- progressively more legato, there is a point the note, the player moves the tongue tionally charged feeling with “t” sounds, on this continuum where the release of back to the palatal ridge to stop the the attack becomes harder or sharper. As the first note and the attack of the next breath-stream. the attack becomes sharper, the tongue are the same. Articulation syllables have been used becomes more pointed, with less surface When the consonant of the articula- for centuries to guide movements of the area of the tongue actually touching the tion syllable is at its most legato— tongue inside the mouth and produce palatal ridge. the “l” attack—the player is executing articulation on the recorder. An articula- If the two vowels—representing the an articulated slur. Why go to the trouble tion syllable consists of a consonant and dual motions of the tongue going first of developing an articulation that simply a vowel that describe the movement of back, then forward, in the attack and imitates a non-articulation? The answer the tongue and the shape of the mouth release respectively—are combined into lies in the grey area of subtlety and for the attack and duration of one note. one vowel that instead represents the choice. The subtle difference between an Most of us learned single-tonguing by duration of the note, a single syllable articulated slur and an actual slur is using either the syllable “ta” or “da.” results. This starts with the neutral that—although the articulated slur, if These syllables describe the dental attack “dot,” and progresses through many iter- executed properly, sounds to an and a neutral duration—neither short ations through “dat,” “det,” “tet” and audience like a real slur—individual staccato, nor long legato, but filling with “tit,” then finally ending with a very short notes within an articulated “slur” are sound most of the time allotted to a note. “teet.” As the vowel becomes more more distinct and project better. When playing a note that is one beat spread, the center of the tongue rises, the This is an issue of balancing aesthetics long, it’s easy to forget that the beat corners of the mouth move outward and practical performance. The delicacy consists of the sounding note plus the (hence the term, “spread”); the cavity of the fipple flute’s sound production time after it and before the next beat is inside the mouth becomes narrower and leads a player to make an aesthetic due. It’s better to think of the beat as the actually smaller. This formation of the choice: the quality of the sound of an time between the attacks. mouth is more conducive to creating articulated slur is different from that of a One of the most powerful tools the increasingly shorter notes. real slur. It is the prerogative of the recorder possesses is the ability to create Starting again from a neutral “dat” or player to make the decision about which an infinite number of gradations ranging “dot,” a continuum of legato attacks can is more “beautiful.” from the sharpest attack and shortest be created by gradually flattening the And if the performance space is duration to the softest attack and longest tongue, creating more and more contact particularly “live,” as in a church, slurred duration. This continuum of articulation with the palatal ridge. The attack might notes can become mush. This unfortu- cannot be written down: there are sound like a consonant moving from “d” nate result will have the same effect as the neither infinite gradations of dental through “dh,” continuing until one is sound of a bass soloist singing a Baroque consonants nor the vowels necessary to almost using “th,” and then to the aria with a vibrato wider than the notes describe such a continuum. ultimate legato attack, “l.” he is trying to project. It may simply be a Start with the most neutral attack, The duration continuum passes practical matter of creating an attack to and create a note of sufficient length to through the “open” vowels: “ah,” “aw,” separate the notes of the slur and to fill about 90% of its rhythmic value, “o,” “oh,” “oo,” “u.” The mouth cavity clarify them within a performance space.
January 2006 17 Example 1. Robert Valentine: Sonata 1. Allegro Robert Valentine (c.1680-1725) ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Release The release portion of articulation has occupied more and more of my 7 ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ attention. Even when conscious of the ¡ ¡ ¡ , , ability to vary the attack of a note, ¶¶ players seldom think about the release— or how to end that same note. Example 2. Robert Valentine: Sonata 1, with “data” articulation applied. Allegro Robert Valentine, c.1680-1725 To try to teach more effectively, I find ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ that I constantly analyze what I do when ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ I play, in order to be able to express it to Da-ta Da-ta Da-ta Da-ta Da-ta Da-ta Da-ta Da-ta Da-ta Da-ta Da-ta Da-ta my students—who end up teaching me Da-ta Da-ta Da-ta Da-ta Da-ta Da-ta through their questions. Every time a 7 ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ student says to me, “I am doing every- , , ¶¶ thing you told me to do, but it always sounds better when you do it,” I have to Da-ta Da-ta Da-ta Da-ta Da-ta further analyze my own technique in In any of these situations, subdivision the English equivalent of the Italian order to teach it. The awareness that is expressed using articulation to divide “ti-ri”), or “To-do” (slightly softening the I vary release as well as attack has been the beat into its component parts in a pronunciation of the name of Dorothy’s extremely useful for my students. way that can be heard. dog in The Wizard of Oz). Every note has a beginning, middle The simplest and most common of The components of a legato pair are: and end (attack, duration and release). these pairings consists of two eighth a sharp attack on the first note, then a Each of those three elements determines notes in one beat that flow together to soft release in which the tongue just the quality of the note, and how it relates create the pleasant susurration of “legato touches the palatal ridge and immediate- to the notes adjacent to it. pairs.” Several legato pairs in a row create ly comes away to create the attack of the A note can have a strong attack and a the effect of a murmuring brook, or of the second note. This joins the notes into strong release, which is usually referred easy speech of two friends having a almost a single unit—a pair of notes sep- to as marcato. The note starts and ends relaxed conversation (see example 1). arated by the slightest soft articulation. strongly, and the force of the note re- There have been numerous examples Another way of thinking about legato mains constant throughout its duration. throughout history of articulation sylla- pairing could be called a “brush-stroke.” A note can also have a strong attack bles that create this effect. The clearest On the second note of a pair, the and a gentle release. In that case, the and most definitive come from the tongue “brushes” the palatal ridge—not note begins strongly, may grow or great recorder players of the Italian actually stopping the air-flow, but rather “bloom,” and then tapers off toward Renaissance: Dalla Casa, Rognioni and “indenting” it, the way a piece of paper is the end. The gentle release is made Bassano. (See this author’s article, perforated to make a tear-slip. Whether by slower movement of the tongue “Articulation: The Key to Expressive the brush-stroke is used only for a pair and by creating the release with a Playing,” in the November 1986 AR.) of notes, or in connecting a longer flatter tongue—more surface area of Unfortunately, articulation syllables only sequence of notes, the back of the tongue the tongue touching the palatal ridge. work in the language in which they are stays in contact with the back molars Conversely, a note can have a gentle produced. The Italian syllables for legato while creating the legato connection. attack, grow through its duration, and pairs are “di-ri,” “de-re” and “ti-ri.” The Combining several legato pairs with a end with a sharp release—with the obvious problem is that, in American brush-stroke can create the susurration tongue more pointed at the end of the English, the syllables “ri” and “re” are mentioned above—gentle pairs of notes note, stopping airflow like a door slam- not articulated. They require the Italian that communicate a relaxed rhythm, de- ming. flip of the tongue to act as articulations. scribed in French Baroque music as the By developing awareness of how one An articulation syllable is useful only affect of gracieusement. creates each note, it becomes necessary insofar as it guides the tongue through a Using the articulation syllables pro- to think about and control both the series of motions to create the desired duced by saying “da-ta,” apply those to beginning and end of the note (with the effect. I looked for a word in American example 1. The release of the second tongue), and also the duration of the English to create the effect of the legato note in a legato pair can range from fairly note (with the breath). pair. Try saying “data,” a word that has sharp or hard to rather soft and gentle, become important in our modern culture but it must be a complete release, sever- Pairing (“dah-tah” with the vowels in both ing it from the next note. When a legato Up to this point we have examined indi- syllables sounding similar). When pair is followed by another legato pair, vidual notes and their relationship to pronouncing “data,” an odd reversal the attack of the first of that pair must be other individual notes. In reality, each occurs with the relative sharpness of the a standard dental attack in which the beat consists of subdivisions that are consonants. The word begins with a hard tongue breaks from the palatal ridge and usually duple or triple. For example, if dental attack on the consonant “d,” but the upper molars (see example 2). the beat is a quarter note, it will either the unstressed syllable, “ta,” makes the Using legato pairs is the first step in have a duple subdivision of two eighth “t” much softer than the “d.” creating rhetoric in a musical line. notes (in the meters 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, etc.) Using the word “data” as two articu- Rhetoric can be defined as “the study of or a triple subdivision of three eighth lation syllables will produce a legato writing or speaking as a means of notes (3/8, 6/8, 9/8, 12/8, etc.). pair—as will “tee-di” (as in “tedious,” communication or persuasion.” In this
18 American Recorder context, it creates a way of playing that below the torso, the pelvic area and the maximizes communication of a musical floor, from deep inside the Earth: think of idea, or that can persuade the listener to the breath-stream as originating below a greater understanding of the musical the diaphragm. (These images are not line. The legato pair is the first of many physically possible, but are useful tools examples of combining notes into for trying to achieve better breathing.) “bits” of two to five (or more) notes that As the breath-stream is allowed to convey a particular musical idea. flow to execute the attack of a note, imagine a giant donut or inner-tube Weight surrounding your middle, going inside In order to go further into a discussion of the body and under the diaphragm. As articulation and rhetoric, the issue of the donut is squeezed, it exerts pressure weight must be addressed. Weight refers on the diaphragm—which in turn sup- to the relative strength of notes— ports the breath-stream, but somewhat within a beat, a measure, or a phrase. indirectly. (Again, these images are not The techniques for making one note anatomically correct, but can guide play- stronger in relation to those around it are ers in correct breathing and in control- not simple—but they are not too difficult ling the diaphragm to provide support.) for the average recorder player to learn. Intensity is created by squeezing the There are two elements to weight: donut and giving the breath-stream more loudness and length. Playing loud is support. With more air going through more subtle on recorder and different the recorder, the player might need to from playing loud on other instruments. compensate for pitch-change by shading We can’t just blow harder, or the note an open hole. (See this author’s article, goes sharp. Instead of thinking of loud- “Pitch Control: Shading and Leaking” ness as identical to volume, consider it a in the November 1987 AR.) combination of volume and intensity. This may or may not produce increased volume. Particularly on the lowest notes of the recorder, there is not Playing loud is more much room to increase the volume subtle on recorder and before the note cracks—but an increase different from playing in intensity, which produces a distinct change in the tone color of the note, will loud on other instruments. be perceived as the note getting louder. Weight is the point at which a force is Intensity is created by increasing the exerted in the musical line. It is a quality support of the breath-stream (as men- of strength—the creation of a sense of tioned above). Like the technique used downward physical motion, which lands to support the tone of other wind instru- to propel the following notes in response ments or the voice, support has to do to the impulse of the weighted note. with increasing the pressure of the In Baroque music, meter is a primary diaphragm on the lungs. Unlike those musical component. The relative weight instruments, simple diaphragmatic of notes in strategic places creates the pressure is too gross an action for the architecture of a Baroque dance: the delicate tone produced by a fipple flute. downbeat of each measure is heavier Using the breathing images described than any other beat; the downbeat of the above, inhale by bringing the air in and first measure of each phrase is heavier sending it down. Now, on the exhalation, than the downbeats of the other meas- the recorder provides some resistance, ures in the phrase; and the downbeat of but much less than that of other wind each period is subsequently heavier than instruments. Continue with the image of the downbeat of each phrase within the the breath-stream starting deep down— period (see example 3).
Example 3. G. F. Handel: Sonata in G minor, Op. 1, No. 2. Presto Georg Friedrich Handel ¡ - ¡ Ì ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡- ¡ Ì =¡ ¡ D =¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ =¡ , ¡ ¡ D E , ,
6 - ¡ = =¡ ¡ ¡ =¡ - ¡- Ì D ¡ Ì ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡- ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ -¡ D , , , ,
January 2006 19 Example 4. G. P. Telemann: Sonata in D minor from “Essercizii Musici.” Allegro Georg Philipp Telemann ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ D note is primary. Each note has a duration appropriate to the rhetorical idea, and each a sharp release.
4 ¡ The same is true for three legato ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ D ¡ ¡ ¡ subdivisions—except that the release of the first note is gentle, as well as the attacks and releases of the second and Example 5. G. P. Telemann: Fantasia No. 5. third notes. The first note carries the Allegro Georg Philipp Telemann ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ weight, so it has a strong attack, but each 7 O¡ O¡ D¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ D ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ subsequent release and attack is gentle. D D ¡ ¡ ¡ In a pattern of two legato notes plus one detached, the first two constitute a Triplets of the three should be heavier, and the legato pair. They are followed by a light In the meters 3/8, 6/8, 9/8 and 12/8, the first note of the measure the heaviest. detached note. The legato pair is created beat is divided into three parts. Articula- This is the first level of creating a rhetoric with a sharp, weighted attack on the first tion patterns become more complex in of meters having triple subdivision. note, then a soft release in which the triple subdivision of the beat, as the ways When three subdivisions are articu- tongue just touches the palatal ridge, to combine three notes are more diverse lated as three detached notes, the first is coming away immediately to create the than the ways for combining two notes. heavier—i.e., more weight is given to the attack of the second note. The release of We have essentially four ways to first, and usually the attack of that note is the second note is a complete release that combine three notes within a beat: sharper. More pressure builds up behind stops the breath-flow, but the quality of · Three connected notes the tongue to prepare for the attack, and that release is gentle, leaving the note · Three separate notes the tongue will be more pointed (more with the feeling of being suspended in · Two connected notes (a legato pair) perpendicular to the palatal ridge with the air (no weight). The third note has a plus one separate note less contact of the tongue on the palate). sharp attack, short duration, and a sharp · One separate note plus a legato pair The attack will therefore be more release—but also little or no weight, (see example 4). explosive (without thinking of the attack preparing the way for the next downbeat When three notes of a triple subdivi- as the classical sforzando, which is more to carry the weight of the rhetorical sion of the beat are either all detached or forceful and therefore less effective on remark. You could refer to these single all legato, they should seldom all be the recorder.) This creates a hierarchy “bits” of rhetorical meaning as gestures played the same way. Generally the first among the three notes, in which the first (see example 5).
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20 American Recorder Example 6. G. P. Telemann: Suite in A minor. Polonaise Georg Philipp Telemann Sixteenth-note Subdivisions ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Quadruple subdivisions, usually in the ¡ O¡ ¡ context of 16th-notes in a meter with a quarter-note beat (2/4, 3/4, 4/4), are very common, particularly in Baroque ¡ music. Groupings include: 3 ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ · Four legato or four detached notes · Two pairs, further subdivided into · Two legato pairs Example 7. Antonio Vivaldi: Concerto in A minor. · Two detached pairs Allegro Antonio Vivaldi · One legato pair, one detached pair ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ · One detached pair, one legato pair 13 ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ · Three legato notes plus one detached E ¶ , · One detached note plus three legato. With four legato or four detached Example 8. Arcangelo Corelli: Lap Follia. notes, the technique is the same as with Allegro Arcangelo Corelli three notes to the beat (see example 6). Each group of four legato notes starts D ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ D ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ with a relatively sharp attack, followed by soft releases and attacks on other notes. The weight on the first note of each four 3 varies with the phrase’s rhetorical needs. D D ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ For detached quadruplets, the first ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ note is usually made stronger through a combination of a slightly sharper attack In the pattern of one detached note pair, the first note has a relatively soft and slightly more weight (see example 7). plus two legato notes, the first note has attack, giving the two notes of the pair With two legato pairs, the attack of a sharp attack and carries the weight— equal, and light, weight. The release of the first pair is sharper, and its initial note but it has a short duration and a sharp the second note of the pair is gentle, but carries the weight. The second legato pair release, creating space before the complete, creating space before the next is executed like the legato pair in the subsequent legato pair. In that legato downbeat. triple-subdivision of 1+2 (see example 8).
January 2006 21 Example 9. Giuseppe Sammartini: Concerto in F Major. Allegro Assai Giuseppe Samartini ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Courtly Music D ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Unlimited 800-2-RICHIE 3 ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ D ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ (800 274-2443)
www.courtlymusic.com Example 10. G. P. Telemann: Fantasia No. 8.
"Everything for the recorder Largo ¡ Georg Philipp Telemann 10 ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ O¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ enthusiast, or those who D ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡¡¡ D E ¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ O¡ ¡ ¡ À would like to be."
Fine wood and plastic recorders, sheet music, method books, play-along CDs, Example 11. Daniel Purcell: Sonata in F Major. accessories, workshops. Daniel Purcell (c.1660-1717) Allegro ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ DE ¡ In the case of detached pairs, we often encounter a pattern that could be called 3 ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ O¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ "staccato pairs"—two notes, both of ¡¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ which are detached, the first being D ¡ X heavier than the second. These are often found in passages where the first of each Example 12. G. P. Telemann: Suite in A minor. pair of notes is the melodic note and the Georg Philipp Telemann Rejouissance 19 ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ second a "pedal point": the same note ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ repeating between the melodic notes E creating the effect of the organ pedal point, obviously without being able to Ì 20 ¡ ¡ sustain that note (see example 9). ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Staccato pairs can also be sequences of two notes having a large interval between them. In this model one needs Example 13. Biagio Marini: Sonata a3 “La Foscarina.” to decide whether the downbeats or the Biagio Marini, 1617 63 ¡ ¡ upbeats constitute the melody, and bring DE¡ O¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ these out, softening the accompanying ¡ notes in between. Or staccato pairs could be pairs of notes that are not exact 64 sequences, but that are two notes of a ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ chord (see example 10). D O¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ O¡ ¡ ¡ In the case of one legato pair and one detached pair, or vice-versa, the detached Example 14. Division by Mr. Gorton from The Division Flute. pair is usually equal in weight, especially The Division Flute, pub. Walsh 1706 30 ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ if it comes after the legato pair (on the ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ E ¡ ¡ ¡ upbeat, see example 11). But if the de- tached pair comes on the beat, it is some- times equal or it may be obviously 32 ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ stronger when the rhetoric of the beat ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡¡¡ ¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ requires more weight (see example 12). ¡ X In 16th-note combinations of 3+1 (example 13) or 1+3 (example 14), 1+3 pattern, the release of the third as staccato and legato playing, with three 16ths are created in much the legato note is harder than in the 3+1 no articulations in between. same way as in three legato subdivisions combination legato triplets. I believe the opposite: that the of the beat: the release of the first note Our instrument still carries an recorder possesses more possibilities is gentle, as well as the attack and undeserved stigma: people often think of than any other woodwind instrument for release of the second and the attack the recorder as a kid’s instrument, one using articulation as a powerful of the third. The only differences inherently inferior to “real” instruments. technique to express subtleties of music are that the third of the three legato Unfortunately, that prejudice is often —perhaps more than any species of notes is somewhat shorter, giving space reinforced by players and teachers instrument at all. for a detached fourth note: in the who still think of recorder technique
22 American Recorder Beginnings The earliest references to recorder makers, direct and indirect, turn up in the late 14th century, about the same time as the enaissance first references to the instrument itself. According to William Waterhouse’s The New Langwell Index, a man called only Nicolaus is documented as a “flute Recorders and maker”(recorder maker?) in Prague in 1397. Eleven years later, a pifaro (wind player) named Bartolomio who worked their Makers for the count of Urbino was paid for “four new recorders” he had sent to the court in Brescia, presumably having bought them by Adrian Brown and David Lasocki locally, or even made them himself. (In the 16th century, a number of makers were In March 2004, David Lasocki also accomplished players.) Waterhouse published an article in AR describing the also reports that one Guillelmus d’Ager lives of Renaissance recorder players and was noted as “tornerius sive flahuterius” delving into some of the situations in which (turner or recorder maker) in Barcelona in they were employed during that period. In 1420. Significantly, Anthony Rowland– the present article, the modern recorder Jones has established that some of the maker Adrian Brown joins with him to earliest incontrovertible depictions of the examine what we know about Brown’s recorder are in paintings from the Catalan Renaissance counterparts and what we can court of Aragón in Barcelona around the learn from their surviving instruments. turn of the 15th century. The rest of the surviving evidence They draw on research, by themselves about recorder makers in the 15th and others, recently published in the century stems from Flanders, the Dutch- proceedings of the 2003 Utrecht speaking part of what is now Belgium. In symposium, especially the article by Peter 1426, Duke Philip the Good of Burgundy Van Heyghen listed in the bibliography ordered from Loys Willay in Bruges “four following this article. Other sources and large minstrel instruments [probably a set authors mentioned in the article are of shawms], four douçaines (still shawms), also compiled in the bibliography. and four recorders, all furnished with leather cases and chests ... to send to the Adrian Brown studied Marquise of Ferrara.” (The influence of instrument-making at the London that gift may be reflected in the set of “four College of Furniture in the early 1980s, Flemish recorders” found in the 1463 specializing in recorders under the inventory of the Medici Court in supervision of Ken Collins. Since then, Florence.) In 1443, the Burgundian Court he has been an independent craftsman paid Jean Chapuis, described as a luthier of custom-made recorders. Over the last (lute maker), but perhaps also a wood- 12 years, he has conducted extensive wind maker—for “4 ivory recorders, one research into surviving Renaissance decorated with gold and jewels and the recorders, and hopes one day to have others plain.” examined them all. He is the author In the 1481/82 fiscal year, the Bruges Unfortunately, with of several articles on the subject city minstrel Anthuenis Pavillon the exception of a few and recently collaborated with the purchased for the use of the four Vienna Kunsthistorisches Museum on a minstrels, “a case of recorders,” presum- archeological specimens new catalogue of their recorder collection. ably from a local maker. But the only He lives in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, recorder maker we know of from that such as those from with his wife, the recorder player city after Willay and perhaps Chapuis Susanna Borsch. is one Jean van Pitchem, fleutmaker, Dordrecht and Göttingen, mentioned in a document from 1541. David Lasocki is Head of Music Unfortunately, with the exception of a clearly belonging to Reference Services at Indiana University. few archeological specimens such as He just completed editing for publication those from Dordrecht and Göttingen, another era, no recorders the proceedings of the 2003 Utrecht clearly belonging to another era, no symposium. Now he is writing a book on recorders have survived from before the have survived from before the recorder for Yale University Press early 16th century, so we shall devote the and another on the New Orleans remainder of the article to makers, mak- the early 16th century. modern-jazz group Astral Project. ing, and instruments during that century. January 2006 23 Training chant,” five other “piffres,” three musettes The money was to be “reimbursed at the Like instrumentalists, instrument makers (bagpipes), four musette chalumeaux (bag- rate of four ducats a month [in the form of] were trained not in schools, but by pipe chanters), and four shawms. The Bas- instruments and services.” The makers one-on-one instruction: the system of sano family, whom we will meet below, promised to make several kinds of wood- apprenticeship. The apprentice’s father made bassanelli, cornetti, crumhorns, wind instruments—cornetti, curtals, found a “master” for him—master and curtals, flutes, recorders, shawms, and flutes, recorders and shawms—“of the apprentice were always male—and he probably still shawms, as well as lutes and sort and quality that the three partners will went to live in the master’s household for viols. request and order” and at prices listed at a number of years to learn the trade. A con- Woodwind makers were often, per- the end of the contract. tract between father and master specified haps always, trained in the general art of The makers could make instruments the apprenticeship period, living condi- woodturning, not just instrument- “for anybody else, whether he be from this tions, what was to be taught, and the sum making, so they could have turned other city or from abroad, who will wish to have of money to exchange hands. One such objects when business was slow. In a few such instruments made,” on the condi- surviving contract, dated May 16, 1542, cases, their titles imply that they were tion that any profit above the prices stated involves a French woodwind maker: so trained. Blanchet Duchesne was de- in the contract be divided one-third to the Victor Thomassin, haberdasher, living in scribed as “maître tourneur de boys à Paris” makers and two-thirds to the players. If Paris, rue Garnetal, declares that he has (master woodturner in Paris) in a bill of the three players resold instruments at entrusted and apprenticed, for six years sale in 1542, when he and La Noue sold a a higher price than stated in the as of today, his son Jehan Thomassin, set of flutes to a merchant. In Nuremberg, contract, then the profit was to be divided aged sixteen years or thereabouts, in four makers were called both Holzdrechsler the same way. Note that the Bassanos whom he has thoroughly inculcated the or plain Drechsler (woodturner or turner) were anticipating selling instruments virtues of loyalty and probity, to Mathurin and Pfeifenmacher (woodwind maker): abroad as well as in Venice. The players de la Noue, master instrument-maker Georg Hartmann I (d. 1574), Jörg were expecting to be able to resell living in the city of Lyons, who by the Hertwaich (fl. 1590), Hans Metzick instruments—which would, in effect, present agreement accepts and engages (d. 1608), and Friedrich Purrer (d. 1619). make them agents for the makers. the said Jehan Thomassin as his appren- The court of Mary of Hungary in tice, to whom he has promised this obliga- Brussels ordered some recorders in 1536 tion and promises to give training and Woodwind makers were through a merchant named Lazarus instruction in his said occupation and the Tucker in Antwerp. Tucker seems to manner of correctly and appropriately often, perhaps always, have been a dealer in both instruments making all the kinds of instruments that trained in the general and decorative objects, as the court also he creates and fabricates, and, during the bought from or through him: “thirteen said period, to provide for his livelihood art of woodturning, not cornetti and a certain number of lute and in regard to drink, food, fire, bed, lodging, clavichord strings,” furs, carpets, a gold light, woolen clothing and footwear, just instrument-making, headdress, and gilded silver flasks. and undergarments, well and honestly, Curiously, in that same year, the according to his station and needs; and to so they could have Brussels court bought “a case serving this end, the said Victor Thomassin has turned other objects to put fifteen recorders in”—but no promised ... to give and pay to the said instruments—from a recorder maker in Mathurin de la Noue, his heirs or his when business was slow. Antwerp called Christophle van Stockaert. assign, over the next four years, the sum of Also in Antwerp, Petrus Alamire—best two gold ecus. This contract was created known as a music calligrapher, but also a in the presence of the said apprentice, who Dealing with Customers singer, composer and spy, perhaps even a has agreed to its terms, has promised and How did makers find customers, and who wind player—traded in music books, promises to serve his master the said were they? For example, did makers sell strings and instruments. In 1533–34 Mathurin de la Noue well and loyally, to directly, or (also) through dealers or he provided the town of Mechelen with a obey all his lawful and honest commands, players? Did they sell abroad as well as in coker fluyten (case of recorders) and two to work for his benefit, to avoid any loss or their own localities? shawms. injury to him, to inform him immediately The most useful document on these A Spanish ambassador, Diego de upon learning of any such harm, and to questions is a three-year contract made in Guzmán de Silva, was twice called upon refrain from leaving his employ or serving 1559 between Jacomo Bassano and his to commission sets of recorders for people elsewhere during the period in question. son-in-law Santo Griti [Bassano], on the back home. While he was in England in La Noue died two years later, so his one hand, and three members of the pifferi 1567, the Ciudad Rodrigo cathedral asked apprentice would have had to be “trans- of the Doge of Venice (Paolo Vergeli, Paulo him for help in obtaining “recorders and lated” (passed on) to another maker. de Laudis, and Francesco da Zeneda), on crumhorns.” In Venice, five years later, he We have plenty of examples besides the other hand. The main purpose of the asked Girolamo dalla Casa, the maestro de’ Willay of makers making several kinds of contract for the makers was evidently to concerti at San Marco, to obtain shawms, woodwind instruments—sometimes also even out the unpredictable cash flow typi- cornetti, curtals, trumpets, a “case of large bowed and plucked stringed instruments, cal of the instrument-making business. recorders,” and music by de Rore, Lasso, and even percussion. La Noue’s probate The players gave them 40 ducats, Ruffo, and Guerrero for the “service and inventory included eight recorders, three which was about the annual salary of Galley Royal” of the Spanish king’s flutes, three tabor pipes, four “piffres à a lower-paid singer at San Marco. half-brother, Don Juan of Austria.
24 American Recorder The Cost of Instruments possible be precisely mezzo punto, The recorders bought by the city of Bruges The set of what was together in a case ...; six flutes, the pitch of in 1481/82 cost two livres. The collective presumably four which should be precisely mezzo punto ... annual salary of its four minstrels in the in a common case; eight recorders, all in previous year was 19 livres, raised to six recorders cost a case, the kinds of which will be two small livres apiece in 1483/84. Or, in other 30-40 percent of a sopraninos, four larger, and two keyless words, the set of what was presumably tenors, the pitch of which should be four recorders cost 30–40 percent of a minstrel’s basic salary. mezzo punto ....” minstrel’s basic salary, before outside In March 1571, Johann (Hans) Jakob work. son, 16 Renaissance recorders would Fugger, artistic adviser and superinten- In Florence in 1492, the inventory probably cost around $28,000 today. dent of the music at the Bavarian Court in of Lorenzo “il Magnifico” de’ Medici The cost of recorders made by the Bas- Munich, had possession of a remarkable includes several sets of recorders, with sanos in England seems to have been com- chest of what are said to be 45 wind valuations: “A set of large recorders in a parable to prices in Venice. In 1568, the instruments made by the Bassano case ... 12 florins. A set of recorders for the city of London paid £4 to buy for its six brothers in London that he was offering use of the pifferi, with black and white Waits “a whole set of recorders,” no doubt for sale. The fancy descriptions of these ferrules, five in all ... 10 florins. Three from the Bassanos. The same year, the city instruments neglect to name some of recorders with silver ferrules in a case paid each Wait £8 per year. In other them precisely, and the total number is garnished with silver ... 8 florins.” At the words, such a set, perhaps consisting of no actually 42, but we can guess that they end of the 15th century, the basic salary more than six recorders, cost half a year’s consisted of 13 shawms (in 2 sets), of each of the Florentine musicians who basic salary for each man who played it. 7 cornetti, a tabor pipe or flute, would have played those instruments— The retail value of other Italian 12 crumhorns, and 9 recorders. It was according to McGee, “the highest paid recorders was higher. In 1548, the Accad- apparently an unusual occurrence that members of the special group of public emia Filarmonica in Verona paid Pietro these sets of different types of instruments servants known as the familia of the Naldi 40 soldi (about 33 ducats) for a set of “are all tuned together at common organ Signoria”—was 11 florins per month. recorders he owned—admittedly, 22 of pitch” (gemeinem Tonum der Orgel). Ten French inventories-after-death them. In 1572, the “case of large Haynes believes that this standard was from the period 1540–1640 collected by recorders” that the Spanish Ambassador probably equivalent to mezzo punto. Lesure and Jurgens provide estimates by to Venice bought through Girolamo dalla Two Austrian inventories may indirect- contemporaries of the value of the Casa cost 56 scudi (about 71 ducats). ly refer to pitch standards as well as the members of the flute family contained in playing situation of both flutes and them. Tabor pipes were valued at 2–3 sols, Pitch Standards recorders. One entry (Graz, 1577) refers flageolets at 3–4 sols, a fife at 5 sols, So many pitch standards were in use in the to “Mehr zwo groß vnd ain khlaine ledige flutes generally at 5–6 sols—and, finally, 16th century that records sometimes Zwerch Pfeiffen, so zu den Concerten recorders the most expensive at 5–11 sols. specified those to which instruments gebraucht werden” (Two more large and In comparison, the French Court’s conformed. The Bassano contract of 1559 one small individual flutes [i.e., not in eight shawm and trombone players in the states that the makers could supply curved cases or sets], used for concerts). The 1530s were paid an annual salary of 180 cornetti at two pitch standards: mezo pon- 1596 Innsbruck inventory lists both livres tournois, or 22 livres 10 sols per to and tuto ponto (the first time that such a “2 zwerchpfeifen per concert” (two flutes for person (at 20 sols to the livre). Thus an standard is named in any surviving docu- concerts) and “Ain grosse flaut per concert individual recorder in the inventories ment). The same contract mentions that von Venedig erkhauft” (a large recorder for was valued at a week’s income for these tenor and bass flutes could be supplied concerts bought from Venice). If these musicians. “at all the [or both] pitches” (phifari tenori instruments were played in concerts with The 1559 contract just mentioned de tutti i tonj ... phifari bassi de tutti i toni). a mixed instrumental ensemble, they may between two of the Venetian Bassanos and Unfortunately, it does not mention well have been at chamber pitch. Michael three pifferi of the Doge specifies prices for the pitches of the two sets of recorders. Praetorius (1619) called that pitch all of the instruments. Recall that the According to the evidence assembled by CammerThon, and Haynes has concluded Bassanos borrowed 40 ducats, which was Bruce Haynes, mezzo punto and tutto pun- that it was also equivalent to mezzo punto. a year’s salary for some of the singers at to evidently meant “semitone” and “whole In 1606, the monastery in Krems- San Marco. “A consort of eight recorders tone” below a pitch standard around münster, Austria, paid for the repair of with two keyed basses in a lidless case” A=495 Hz. In other words, mezzo punto “two (small?) recorders (Fleutl) at cornetto cost six ducats; “a consort of sixteen was about A=466 Hz and tutto punto pitch (Cornedthöch).” Praetorius equated recorders including great basses with their about A=440 Hz (or modern pitch). Cornettenthon with his chamber pitch, crooks in a lidless case,” 24 ducats. If we Both of these pitches are mentioned CammerThon, or mezzo punto. arbitrarily say that 40 ducats was equiva- by name in other recorder sources. An An entry in an inventory from Neisse, lent to $30,000 today, then the cost of the inventory from Florence (1564) includes Austria (1625) may be a tacit indication eight recorders was $4,500 (an average a set of 18 recorders “di tutto punto,” or that, even at that late date, consorts of cost of $560); the 16 recorders “paid at tutto punto pitch. An order for recorders were not always at one of the in proportion to the aforementioned woodwind instruments from Genoa in standard pitches: “Item ain stiembwerkh recorders,” $18,000 (much higher be- 1592 specifies “six mute cornetti, togeth- flötten sambt den fuetral, aber nicht in thon” cause of the expense of making the crooks er in a case, at tutto punto ...; six [standard] (Item, a consort of recorders together with for the lowest instruments). As a compari- cornetti, the pitch of which should if the case, but not at pitch).
January 2006 25 General Points about materials were scarce, composers in the Adrian Brown’s 16th-Century Recorders Renaissance wrote their music using Adrian Brown’s measurements of about a number of different clef combinations. measurements of 120 of some 200 surviving 16th-century If the music was written in the system recorders (and cases), and his estimates of of “natural” clefs, chiavi naturali each instrument’s pitch, show that in (F4–C4–C3–C1 = bass, tenor, alto, about 120 of some 200 general they were made in sizes a fifth and soprano clefs), the total range of apart. This ties in with information in the the piece would have been adequately surviving 16th-century treatises. Sebastian Virdung’s Musica covered by our FCCG combination, and getutscht (Basel, 1511), the first published the vocal part simply played as written. treatise we have that discusses the But depending on the mode of the recorders (and cases), recorder in detail, mentions a bass original chant on which the piece was recorder in F (Baßcontra or Bassus), a based, as well as other reasons beyond the and his estimates of Tenor in c, and a Discant in g, all notated an scope of this article, pieces were some- octave lower than sounding pitch. times notated in another clef-system Virdung tells us that a consort (coppel) called chiavette—literally, “baby clefs,” each instrument’s pitch, of recorders is made from two basses, two more commonly called “high clefs” tenors and two discants. A quartet (F3/C4–C3–C2–G2 = baritone/tenor, show that in general consists of bass, two tenors, and discant, alto, mezzo-soprano, and treble clefs). or else bass, tenor, and two discants, These clefs placed the compositions in a depending on the range of the alto part higher range, too high for our FCCG com- they were made in (contratenor altus). bination as well as for the (male) singers of Martin Agricola’s Musica instrumental- the day. Therefore, all the parts had to be sizes a fifth apart. is deudsch (1529; 2nd ed., 1545) depicts transposed down a fourth (if the signature the same three sizes, calling them Bassus, contained a flat) or down a fifth (if the both Tenor and Altus, and Discantus; his music had no signature). For details about Bassus has a key and a fontanelle. The this subject, and information on the many reason for the middle size’s double name alternative clef combinations and how to is spelled out by Philibert Jambe de Fer’s deal with them, see Peter Van Heyghen’s Epitome musical (1556) in the transverse- article cited in the bibliography. flute chapter: “The tenor and alto (La taille In instrumental music of the late 16th & la haute-contre) are similar in all century, which often had a larger overall matters, whether with a cornetto, flute, compass, a fourth size of recorder would recorder, viols, violins, and other kinds of be called upon, generally Cardan’s higher instruments.... All instruments are formed D-instrument, giving us the variant identically in shape, length, thickness, schema FCGD. In Syntagma musicum II and other matters for the two parts.” (Wolfenbüttel, 1619), Michael Praetorius Similar names and pitches of recorders are describes this performance practice and mentioned in the treatises of Ganassi gives suggestions on how to deal practi- (1535), Cardan (c.1546; also an unnamed cally with the three extra sharps that the higher recorder in D), Zacconi (1596), and highest instrument effectively adds Cerone (1613). compared with the bass part. He even The names and ranges for these three mentions a fifth size in various families different sizes of recorder in fact mimic of instruments, which he says makes the four parts in vocal polyphony. This the music difficult to play, although is understandable because, except for it could work “if the composition is dances, vocal music was a model for accommodated to it.” instrumental music, and most of the In preference, he advises makers to recorder’s repertory consisted of vocal design instruments in alternate fourths pieces, read straight off the vocal part- and fifths, thus laying the foundation of books. The typical four-part polyphony of our modern FCFC schema. In keeping the earlier 16th century could be played with such a schema, he also mentions a on bass, two tenor/altos, and discant. We soprano recorder in C, an octave above his will abbreviate this schema as FCCG (note tenor, as well as one in D—although he that all our schemas go from low to high). omits the C recorder from his examples If a piece called for five parts, this normal- of instrumentation. ly meant a third middle size: FCCCG. Praetorius’s treatise was also the first to Six-part music needed an additional mention further sizes of recorder, both doubling of the smallest size: FCCCGG. lower and higher. He describes what he For several reasons, chiefly to avoid calls a gans Stimmwerck or Accort (whole ledger lines in an age where writing consort), consisting of no fewer than
26 American Recorder 21 recorders, which he says can be bought Despite the lack of information in until Hechingen, 1609 (alt, discant, hohe in Venice. Because of its extended range, the 16th-century treatises, both the discant) and Kassel, 1613 (Alt, Soprani, he had to rename all but the tenor. Switch- surviving recorders and the inventories of höhere Soprani); even then, the terms ing to 8' pitch, its sizes and numbers were: the period dispel any notion that the extra make it hard to tell the difference between Groß-baß in F, 2 Baß in B , 4 Basset in f, sizes were a product of the early 17th a “high soprano” and a sopranino. 4 Tenor in c', 4 Alt in g', 2 Discant in c", century. An inventory made at the Medici Praetorius supplies an important clue 2 Discant in d", and 2 klein Flötlein or court in Florence in 1520 mentions “three to the use of the lower sizes missing from exilent in g", this last an octave above his new large recorders for the bass part” earlier treatises. In his table for the whole alto size. To save any possible confusion, (tri flauti grandi, novi, da contrabasso). recorder consort, he gives four groupings for the remainder of this article, unless Identical terminology is found in a set of of Baß/Ten.Alt./Cant.—one starting with otherwise stated, we will employ 8' pitch recorders that the celebrated wind player each of the great bass, bass, basset, and and English versions of Praetorius’s size Wolff Gans (see Lasocki, “Renaissance tenor sizes. He explains: “it is always names: great bass, bass, basset, tenor, alto, Recorder Players” in the March 2004 AR) possible, as I have annotated in the table soprano in C or D, and sopranino. (Note is said to have bought in Augsburg for the above, to use three adjacent sizes.” Putting that the number of recorders in Praeto- Brussels court in 1535: “one for the bass it into our terms, the FCCG schema could rius’s whole consort was close to 22, the part the height of a man.” An extended be used for four different registers of sizes: figure given for the set that the Accademia great bass recorder by Hans Rauch (see (1) great bass, two basses, basset; (2) bass, Filarmonica in Verona bought in 1548.) below in this article), evidently dating two bassets, tenor; (3) basset, two tenors, Despite Praetorius’s new names and from the same time, is the height of the alto; and (4) tenor, two altos, soprano. his recommendation about alternating tallest of men, 2.433 m (about 8 feet). Because these registers are a fifth apart, fourths and fifths, the treatise of Marin The same size of recorder is mentioned the players did not have to worry about Mersenne (1636) still describes bass, as the bottom member of a consort in an what actual size of recorder they were play- tenor/alto, and discant (basse, taille or inventory from the Madrid court in 1559: ing, only which part they were assigned. haute-contre, and dessus) a fifth apart. But “four recorders, one very large about three Today we would think of this practice as additionally, in a passage that has often baras in length, and the others each transposition, but that would probably been misunderstood by modern authors, decreasingly smaller.” One bara equaled not have been the view of period players, he mentions two different interlocking 83.52 cm, so this recorder was about who were unacquainted with modern registers—the petit jeu and the grand jeu, 2.5 m long. The consort would presum- notions of absolute (even “perfect”) pitch. the second of which he depicts as what ably have consisted of extended great bass, It should be added that in (1), the low- Praetorius called great bass, bass, and [extended] bass, basset, and tenor sizes. er interval is a fourth, upsetting the system basset sizes (“The bass of this high jeu ... Both soprano and sopranino sizes slightly. The great-bass player, whose serves as discant to the low jeu, which appear in inventories from Graz, 1577 instrument is nominally in G, would have begins where the other ends”). In other (khlainere discantl and khlaine flöttlen), and to (actually) transpose down a tone, or words, Mersenne had in mind a set of five Berlin, 1582 (Dißcantt Pfeifflein and else the others would have to transpose up recorders, all a fifth apart: great bass, bass, klein Dißcantt Pfeifflein). The distinction a tone, playing nominally in D and A. The basset, tenor, and alto. (See chart below.) between C and D sopranos, however, is kinds of jeu described by Mersenne are in not apparently made in an inventory fact numbers (1) and (3) of Praetorius’s registers; and although he doesn’t mention (2), which would have been a moyen jeu, we assume he would have been aware of it. Although, as we have seen, several standard pitches begin to be named in the middle of the 16th century, surviving recorders are found at many different pitches, both higher and lower than mod- ern pitch (A=440 Hz). Praetorius even tells us that “Since among our ancestors playing together with all kinds of instruments was not usual, wind instru- ments were tuned and made very differently by instrument makers, one [kind of instrument] high, the other low.” In other words, because recorders tended to play in consorts by themselves, their pitch-level was immaterial, so long as the instruments of a consort were tuned to one another. Within a consort, however, because recorders do not come with labels, we cannot tell whether to consider a particular instrument as, for example, an alto at a low pitch or a tenor at a high pitch.
January 2006 27 Common Pitch-Size Systems of Renaissance Recorders (lowest notes relative to A=466 Hz)
The other cases are all for higher sets, and two begin with basset sizes. Frankfurt X/4266, which bears the maker’s mark HD, was made for basset in f, two tenors in c', two altos in g', two sopranos in c", two sopranos in d", and two sopraninos in g" at mezzo punto. The presence of both sizes of soprano presumably puts this case in the But that would not necessarily have ments in f, c', and g' are at this pitch and, late 16th or early 17th century. troubled 16th-century players. The apart from the soprano and sopranino In contrast, the case for eight recorders registers that Praetorius described imply sizes, match those mentioned by Praeto- marked HIERS in the Vienna Kunst- that players perceived any given rius. From what we know about the dates historisches Museum, or Vienna KHM recorder, regardless of its pitch or size, as when the makers of these instruments (SAM 170), was intended for two bassets functionally a bass, a tenor/alto, or a flourished, it does seem that the earlier in g, three tenors in d', two altos in a', and discant (to use what were still his own 16th-century makers opted for the first soprano probably in e" at mezzo punto, terms, even though his names for the system, and later makers for the second. constituting part of our first system. The sizes had changed). Players had only to We wish to emphasize there is no system would be completed if we take concern themselves with the identity evidence from surviving recorders that the into consideration the separate (and of their part—or in other words, where lower and higher FCG registers (F, c , g and caseless) HIE.S set of great bass, three their instrument would fit into the f, c', g') were ever made in octaves within basses, and two bassets found in the same FCCG schema. a particular set. That would have required collection. We have no documentation of how two varieties of basset size: one in g acting The four other cases begin with tenor far the concept of three functional sizes a as soprano to the low grouping, and or alto sizes. An anonymous case in fifth apart went back into the 16th another in f as bass to the higher grouping. Vienna (SAM 172) was built for tenor century—but it would certainly provide Recall that Mersenne described five inter- in c', two altos in g', soprano in d", and a reasonable explanation for how players locking sizes a fifth apart, using the same sopranino in a", at a pitch around a tone dealt with the actual lower and higher basset size to link the three sizes of the below modern. (Such a standard, the sizes that existed as much as a hundred grand jeu with those of the petit jeu. lower version of tuono corista, or choir- years before Praetorius was writing. pitch, did exist in Rome. Praetorius says From the surviving instruments, we The least disputable that it was employed in England can gain some idea of these actual sizes as formerly and in the Netherlands still, and well as the pitch-levels of Renaissance source of information “recorders ... sound much lovelier at recorders, especially if we compare those about the composition this low pitch ... presenting almost a made by a single maker. The great and pitch of sets of different kind [of timbre] to the ear.”) majority of surviving instruments from the Another anonymous case in Vienna more important makers seem to be recorders is their cases. (SAM 173) would have fit the same aligned with one of two systems, which we instruments, without the tenor: alto in g', surmise were founded on the reality that a The least disputable source of informa- two sopranos in d", and sopranino in a", great bass recorder in F at mezzo punto is tion about the composition and pitch of but at a pitch around a semitone lower the largest practical size. sets of recorders is their cases—of which than modern. (This standard, existed too, The first system was built on a cycle of eight examples have survived from the as the higher version of tuono corista.) fifths starting from a low F, giving a great 16th century, six still containing some or A further case in Vienna (SAM 171) bass size in F, basses in c, bassets in g, all of their original instruments. The marked !! (type A), a mark that we tenors in d', altos in a', and sopranos in e" compartments of these cases have been associate with the Bassano family (see (no sopranino in b", as that would measured; and since the length of a given below in this article), also belongs to the probably have been too small to make and compartment is always a reflection of the second system: tenor in c', two altos in g', its tone verging on the painful). length of the instrument for which it was and soprano in d" at mezzo punto. Note The second system is basically a tone intended, simple math provides us with that in all these cases (pun intended), the lower, but reduces the bottom interval to a the pitch of each instrument. middle size is doubled, tripled (SAM 170), fourth: great bass size in F, bass in B , The largest case, bearing the date or even quadrupled (Augsburg). basset in f, tenor in c', alto in g', soprano in 1603 and the arms of the city of Augsburg, A second case in Frankfurt (X/4269), d", and sopranino in a". must have belonged to the city’s wind marked PM, has the instruments in In the first system, the lower recorders ensemble. It was made to hold no fourths, presumably a late trait and in F, c, and g are aligned with mezzo punto. fewer than 28 instruments: 16 recorders, certainly an unusual one: two tenors in c', In the second system, the higher instru- 6 flutes, and 6 conical instruments that one alto in f', and two sopranos in b ' may well have been cornetti. The sizes at a pitch a semitone above mezzo punto. The of the recorders would fit our second Finally, a case survives in Quedlinburg system exactly (minus the great bass): for seven recorders tuned in alternate Recorder Magazine a single bass in B , four bassets in f, four fifths and fourths, the surviving five we invite you to visit the site tenors in c', three altos in g', two sopranos instruments clearly dating from the 17th www.recordermail.demon.co.uk in d", and two sopraninos probably in a", century. all at mezzo punto.
28 American Recorder Construction two or even three extra notes. Such an “One set of nine columnar recorders Renaissance recorders were generally one- extension can be seen as a woodwind (Fletten Columnen) in a black case covered piece instruments. Only the largest sizes version of the “short octave” often found with leather” is mentioned in the 1566 (basses in B and great basses) had remov- on keyboard instruments of the period. inventory of the Augsburg banker able foot joints, presumably to aid their The instruments with two extended notes Raymund Fugger. Other references to transportation. The bassets and basses (Rome, Verona, and St. Petersburg) have “columns” (colonnelle, Kolonen, colonnen, had glued-on bells, and even some of the two extra keys on the back of the collonen, colõa, Colonne d’Altare), stretch- smaller sizes had patches glued to their instrument, operated by the thumb of the ing from c.1510 to 1706, may well refer bells, to save wood on the part of the lowest hand to give the semitone and to columnar recorders, but in some instrument with the largest diameter. minor third below the normal lowest instances the instruments could have The smaller sizes without a key had a (seventh-finger) note. been sorduns, double-reed instruments doubled seventh tone-hole for the little Those with three extended notes with a similar construction. finger of the lower hand, the spare hole (Antwerp and Munich) have a double key Despite being found on some very being plugged by wax depending on on the front of the instrument—to give large shawms, extra keys for the middle whether the player was right- or left- the seventh-finger note as well as the tone-holes (holes three and four) of a handed. The need to accommodate both first extended note, a semitone below— recorder are unknown. Perhaps this is types of players was still being cited by and a double key on the back to give the due to the acoustical difficulty of Mersenne (1636), although we suspect further two extra notes, a minor third and covering large holes with keys, without that symmetry of design may have been a fourth below the seventh finger note. resorting to large key pads, which tend to a factor in preserving the practice. (See chart below showing extended notes.) disturb the affected notes. Shawms, which The majority of bassets had a cap with Five recorders have survived of the have relatively smaller holes than a small blowhole at the back, to facilitate columnar variety: an extended basset in f, recorders do, are for that reason easier to playing and to enable the recorder’s voic- an extended tenor in c', two altos in g', and adapt to keys and may also be loud ing to point forward in the normal fashion, a soprano in d", all marked with the enough not to be disturbed by the although a few of the smaller bassets were double trefoil associated with Hans added key noise. The largest surviving directly blown. Some direct-blown bassets Rauch, active in the early 16th century. recorder, the 2.6 m extended great bass in and tenors have the window and tone- Despite their diverse locations today Antwerp, is in essence a great bass size holes on opposite sides, with the window (Brussels, Frankfurt, Paris, Tokyo), they in F with an extension for the notes pointing towards the player. have been taken as constituting a set, E, D and C. It is probably the largest size of The key on bassets and basses was or part of one, and their common recorder that can be made without of swallowtail design, again a symmetrical pitch (about a tone below modern) is resorting to extra keys for holes three and device on a well-balanced design. The key important evidence about this lower four. mechanism was covered by a fontanelle: version of the tuono corista pitch-standard Overall, the lower sizes outnumber a thin perforated wooden sleeve mentioned above. Still, small differences surviving smaller, unkeyed sizes by about reinforced with brass rings at each among the five instruments—in the 20 percent. This may well be because end, which fulfilled both a protective engraving of the keys and the color of the basses had a more obvious value, and are and a decorative function. varnish—might point to their having therefore less likely to have been lost or Basses and great basses were blown by come from different sets. damaged over the centuries. They were a cap and crook arrangement—the crook These complex instruments were per- also probably used proportionately less being rolled up from sheet metal, soldered haps conceived to be played while placed often and were thus less likely to wear out. along its length, and bent to shape. Of all upon a table, at which each player would The inner bore of recorders comprised the processes employed in creating a be seated: regardless of size, they seem to three main types—none of which offers recorder, making the crook probably have a similar height from the table to the any clue as to the dating of these instru- demanded the most labor, and the result blowhole in the cap or crook. The larger ments, and indeed they seem to have been was also the most fragile part of the two sizes of these instruments also have used concurrently by the main makers. instrument. Significantly, crooks are often three-note extensions, in the manner of The most common type is what could be mentioned in inventories, but sadly, only extended regular recorders—but here the called the conical bore, although it is a handful of original ones are known extension is achieved by the doubling more complicated than that. It follows an to exist today. back of the bore of the recorder in the approximately cylindrical shape from the Bassets, basses, and great basses were manner of a curtal and a key system to mouthpiece of the recorder to around the sometimes extended in length to produce cover the extra holes. thumbhole. From here it contracts in an irregular cone to around the lowest Lower Notes of Extended Recorders tone-hole. From this point, where the (pitches relative to A=466 Hz) diameter is about three-quarters of that at the mouthpiece, the bore ex- pands gently to the bell in an obcon- ic or counter-conical fashion (“flared bell”). This bore type is found in the majority of surviving Renaissance recorders, and recorders of all sizes can be made using it.
January 2006 29 The main limitation of recorders with Rauch Family The main limitation the cylindrical type of bore is that the Ganassi left us a clue to makers’ reputa- physical constraints it imposes on the tions. On the stylized recorders that make of recorders with the positioning of the tone-holes make up his fingering charts, he reproduced cylindrical type of bore larger sizes impossible. three different maker’s marks: a capital The third type of bore is cylindrical letter B, a capital A (three times), and a is that the physical from the mouthpiece to a point trefoil with a tail pointing to the right. The around the seventh tone-hole, from first mark has caused some puzzlement constraints it imposes whence follows a short, but steep conical among scholars, as we have no surviving on the positioning of section—creating an abrupt “stepped” woodwind instruments bearing it. contraction in the bore. For this reason, At least by the 17th century, however, the tone-holes make Adrian Brown coined the term step bore single capital letters were associated— for this type, which is found in 18 percent but not necessarily exclusively— larger sizes impossible. of surviving recorders. It gives a rather with makers from Nuremberg. sedate character to the instrument— A double trefoil with a right-pointing The second type of bore is the weaker lower notes than conical and tail is found on two recorders (extended cylindrical, or near-cylindrical. Instru- cylindrical counterparts, but an ability bass, Munich; basset, Salzburg) that have ments of this type are indeed much more to play several more notes in the high “Hans Rauch von Schratt” engraved on cylindrical than those of the previous register using fingerings close to our their rings. The Munich instrument has category, although they often have a more modern “Baroque” fingering. Indeed, this the engraving on the upper fontanelle; pronounced expansion between the type of bore could be said to be the the Salzburg instrument, on the cap. The seventh tone-hole and the end of the bell. forerunner to that of the Baroque recorder. Salzburg instrument also has engraved on Recorders with a cylindrical bore have Nevertheless, Jambe de Fer already gives the lower fontanelle ring the inscription a more open sound, richer in harmonics several variants of these fingerings in “Ihesvs Maria Anna 1535,” the same year than those with a conical bore. Moreover, 1556, so they certainly antedate the that Ganassi published his treatise. they can often play more notes in the high- Baroque recorder by a good hundred Rauch was one of a dynasty of er register, although it is debatable years. Pfeifenmacher (woodwind makers) who whether this was the makers’ original goal. The most popular wood appears to are documented in the Bavarian hamlet Sylvestro Ganassi, a professional wind be maple, which was used extensively for of Schrattenbach from 1460 to 1595. player for the Doge of Venice, tells us in his all sizes of recorder. Boxwood was also One known maker named Hans married celebrated but often mistranslated treatise popular, especially for the smaller types in 1490 and died in 1526, so our Hans Opera intitulata Fontegara (Venice, 1535) (a bass in Rome 1.3 m long is the longest was presumably his son. Charles Burney, that he discovered these notes could surviving recorder made from this wood). visiting Antwerp in 1772, noted the be extracted from some instruments: Such woods as olivewood, walnut, yew, presence in the Oostershuis warehouse of “I have never found virtuosi of this cherry, plum, and dogwood (cornelian “between thirty and forty” recorders art who played more than the normal cherry) were also used. The inventories of bearing the name “Casper Rauchs [range of] notes; certain players could Henry VIII of England (1542 and 1547) Scrattenbach ... engraved on a brass ring, add one or more notes. Having myself even list recorders made from (white) oak. or plate, which encircled most of these studied this matter, I have found that ... There is some evidence that consorts instruments.” The two surviving instru- there are seven further notes than the were not always made using the same ments from that collection, however, normal ones that I am going to make wood throughout. Ivory was also widely are just signed with the double right- known to you....” (ho trovato homo used for highly decorative recorders, pointing trefoil, presumably because degno in tale arte che piu dele voce although the size limitation of this the identifying brass rings have fallen off ordinarie habi essercitato dil che material was obviously an even more and disappeared. We have no further protrebono havere agionto una de piu o restraining factor than with boxwood. documentation of Casper Rauch as an due voce[;] onde havendo io essaminato Bores of Three Tenor Recorders in Modern c ' Marked !! tal modo ho trovato ... cioe sette voce de piu de lordinario detto dele quali ti daro tutta la cognitione).
30 American Recorder instrument-maker, The sizes of most Rauch recorders fit a se- bombards”) and flutes and cornetti from although a man quence of fifths starting from F as the great Mathes. of that name is bass size. The columnar recorders are also Albrecht had two other sons mentioned in the made in sizes a fifth apart— in the woodwind-making business: local Kempten although at a different pitch standard and, Hans I (c.1486–1565), described as archives in 1540. as mentioned earlier, the two largest sizes Flötenmacher, perhaps a specialist in It does seem reasonable to suppose of this surviving five-piece consort are members of the flute family, and Arsazius that all right-pointing trefoils came from extended and have doubled-back bores in (d. 1557). Each of them in turn had a the Rauch family workshop. Besides the the manner of a curtal. son who became a maker. Arsazius’s instruments with Rauch’s name and son Hans II, first documented in 1515, the columnar recorders, the surviving Schnitzer Family supplied fifes and rebuilt some recorders recorders comprise the enormous extend- Ganassi’s second mark, the capital A, is in 1566. ed bass size mentioned above (Antwerp), associated with the Schnitzer family Hans I’s son Veit (fl. 1540–55) five basses (Brussels two, Munich, Verona working in Munich and Nuremberg. obtained an Imperial privilege in 1555, two), five bassets (Merano two, Modena, The A originally stood for Albrecht protecting the family’s marks A and AA Nuremberg, Paris), and one tenor (Rome). (d. 1524/25), the first known maker in from counterfeiting—because the late Based on biographical knowledge of this the family, who was born in Augsburg Mathes’s successor, Jörg Ringler, had just workshop, these recorders may be tenta- and had moved to Munich by 1490. persuaded the Nuremberg council to tively dated to the early 16th century. Albrecht’s sons Sigmund I (d. 1557) and let him use the AA mark on the grounds There are also a handful of recorders Mathes (c.1500–1553) were also active that woodwind-making was a “free (Celle, Paris, and Vienna) bearing a single during Ganassi’s lifetime. They were both art” (i.e., unregulated). In his letter to trefoil, which may perhaps be attributed born in Munich, then moved to Nurem- Emperor Karl V, Veit notes that Albrecht to the same workshop. berg (in 1503 and 1522, respectively). and Hans I employed the A mark, The Rauch extended and columnar The Nuremberg teacher Johann and Sigmund and Arsazius the AA recorders are often highly decorated, with Neudörfer published a long study of mark (we may infer that Mathes did, cleanly engraved and gilded metalwork. the “artists and artisans” in his home too). A co-lateral branch of the Both types show an ingenious use of the town in 1547, including a biography Schnitzers became even more famous as available technology of the time, with their of Sigmund, headed “Pfeifenmacher brass makers. intricate and well-made key systems and und Stadtpfeifer” The majority complicated bore profiles. (woodwind maker of surviving The bores of Rauch recorders are often and city wind recorders bear- chambered, or hollowed out at certain musician). He com- ing the AA mark points, probably to correct problems of mented that are basset sizes tuning and note-stability. The extended Sigmund “is skillful (Braunschweig, great bass in Antwerp even has extra not only with Brussels two, pieces of wood glued into the bell to recorders but also with flutes and Copenhagen, Vienna KHM, correct a certain imprecision in the trombones, but above all there is to my Vienna Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde harmonics of the sound that might knowledge no one in woodwind making [currently displayed in the Vienna KHM]), otherwise cause problems with the low above him nowadays, especially with an interesting trio of bass, notes. It is possible that, in some in turning and tuning extremely basset, and tenor in Merano. The bassets instances, their bores may have been large instruments so purely ... as in are very regular, their tone-holes partly turned out using a boring-bar Rome and everywhere in Italy, also being drilled in the same positions on technique, rather than reamed using France, and here in the town hall, each instrument. Their bores are also forged reamers, the more usual manner his work gives sufficient proof.” similar and tend to follow the of producing tapered bores. Of course, in praising Sigmund cylindrical profile more than the conical, so highly, Neudörfer may have just been with more pronounced bell flares. Alas, showing his none of the “extremely large” recorders Nuremberg bias. for which Sigmund was famous have Graph lines, In 1539, the survived. representing bore city council The Schnitzer instruments are often shapes (bell to the of Nuremberg able to play an extended range in the right), and triangles, bought shawms high register, using the fingerings representing tone- and recorders from given by Ganassi. The sizes of the surviv- holes, for three Sigmund (“a large ing recorders tend to fit a sequence of types of bore: bombard, a vagant fifths starting from F, as was the case (top to bottom) [bass], two tenors, for the double trefoil recorders, except cylindrical (Vienna and two altos, also that no great bass size by this family KHM SAM 363), a large case of survives. Again, biographical evidence conical (Vienna KHM recorders, contain- and the surviving recorders’ characteris- SAM 150),and step ing ten recorders tics suggest that these instruments date (Edinburgh 3921). and three small from the first half of the 16th century.
January 2006 31 Hess Brothers instrument” he is said to have invented with !! marks survive, including A similar instance of protection relates to could well have been the curtal.) cornetti, curtals, flutes, shawms, and Bartholomeus (1515–85) and Paul Hess In 1559, as we have seen, three no fewer than 50 recorders. Maggie (or Hessen), who were Stadtpfeifer in members of the Doge’s Pifferi made an Lyndon-Jones has divided the variant Breslau, originally from Steiermark agreement with one of Jeronimo’s sons, marks into 18 types plus some unclassi- (Styria), Austria. In 1553, Kaiser Ferdi- Jacomo, and his son-in-law, Santo Griti, to fied ones. The original model used by Alec nand I gave them a privilege, renewed supply instruments to them. We also Loretto and Fred Morgan for the modern in 1560, protecting them against know that the Bassanos in London “Ganassi” recorder is an alto of type A counterfeiting in Bohemia and annexed supplied recorders to Raymund Fugger (Vienna KHM SAM 135, marked on the lands for “instruments of wood and brass by 1566; the Ciudad Rodrigo cathedral bell, above). Type-A marks survive on in- for piping and blowing, such as trom- in 1567; and Huesca cathedral sometime struments now in Basel, Bologna, bones, trumpets, shawms, recorders, before 1626. Brussels, Nuremberg, Rome, Verona, and crumhorns, cornetti, rauschpfeifen, Swiss The known makers among the London Vienna. Note that SAM 135 was probably pipes, and tabor pipes large and small....” branch of the family, who earned their not a solo instrument, or even the highest We can trace sales of the Hess brothers’ living primarily as woodwind players, instrument in a consort, but originally part instruments as far afield as Leipzig, begin with Anthony (d. 1574), who was of a consort comprising a tenor size, two Stuttgart, and Graz. Unfortunately, as appointed “maker of divers instruments” altos, and a soprano, the case for which far as we know, none have survived. to the Court in 1538 and was presumably has survived (SAM 171). The Genoa order Neither have the collections of Viel responsible for most of the woodwinds of 1592 cited above requests exactly feiner lieblicher Stucklein (Many fine, listed in Henry VIII’s inventories. His eld- double this combination: two tenors, four charming little pieces) and Etlicher gutter est brother Alvise (d. 1554) had a “work- altos, and two sopranos, at around the teutscher und polnischer Tentz (Quite a few ing house” as well as a dwelling house in same pitch (mezzo punto). Both consorts good German and Polish dances) that the the family’s living quarters at the dissolved would have played our FCCG schema in brothers published in Breslau in 1555. monastery of the Charterhouse in 1545. the register that begins with a tenor size Another brother, John (d. 1570), had a playing the bass part. Bassano Family “brotherly company” with Jacomo in The Genoa order specifies: “All the Whatever reason Ganassi had for repro- Venice. Giulio Ongaro suggests that above instruments should be of rather ducing the three particular marks, he Jacomo “served as the other brothers’ solid, well-seasoned wood, and above all apparently did not include any from agent in Venice, providing them with correctly pitched, and to have them in Venetian makers. Yet one family of makers instruments and probably also with perfection one could turn to Venice to there did have a high reputation among music for their use in London, and Gianetto da Bassano, or else Gerolamo ‘of their contemporaries. perhaps for resale in England.” Since there the instruments,’ or Francesco Fabretti A book about the town of Bassano were at least three instrument-maker and brothers, because all of them are most published in 1577 by Lorenzo Marucini, brothers in England and only one in skilled in these kinds of instruments.” a Venetian doctor, has a sentence on Venice, and sales were more likely in Italy Gerolamo could not be Jeronimo, the pa- Jeronimo Bassano I (d. 1539 or 1546), the than in England, the traffic could well triarch of the Venetian branch of the Bas- father of the brothers who emigrated to have been largely the other way round. sano family who had died around 50 years England in 1539–40. (The sentence has The only member of the second gener- earlier. Perhaps Gerolamo is to be equated some ambiguities, preserved here.) ation of the Bassano family in England with the Hieronimo de li flauti, whom Maestro Gieronymo, called “il Piva,” who undoubtedly made instruments was Armando Fiabane reports discovering in inventor of a new bass wind instrument, Arthur (1547–1624), who bequeathed to Venetian documents of the second half of excellent pifaro, and employed by the his son Anthony II (1579–1658) “all my the 16th century. The name Gianetto does Doge of Venice; he had three musician instruments, working tools and neces- not appear in any other records about the sons, trained by him, who together with saries belonging to the art of making of Bassano family that have turned up so far, their father were led to the Queen of instruments.” It may well have been so it may well be a diminutive of the England with a large salary and much Anthony who was responsible for making well-known composer and performer honor; and his/their great excellence was the very large recorders that were depicted Giovanni—the son of an instrument- also in the making of recorders, because in Marin Mersenne’s Harmonie universelle maker (Santo), but not previously known these [recorders] marked with his/their (1636) with the remark that the instru- to have made instruments himself. The mark are held in such great veneration ments “have been sent from England to Fabretti brothers are otherwise unknown. among musicians that, when they can be one of our kings.” The !! instruments are masterpieces found, they are very expensive. David Lasocki’s theory, based on con- among surviving Renaissance recorders. Marucini makes some elementary mis- siderable circumstantial evidence, that the They are beautiful, well-proportioned takes about the Bassanos: Jeronimo had maker’s marks of the Bassano family were instruments, and their technology is more six sons, not three; there is no record of his variants of !! (perhaps also HIERS: see advanced than that found on many of the going to England; and his sons went to below in this article) has been widely other surviving recorders. Their bores are England during the reign of Henry VIII, accepted. The !! mark was originally taken better defined and show a logic in their Elizabeth’s father. But there seems no rea- for a pair of rabbit’s paws, but Lasocki conception. Their tone-holes are stan- son to doubt what he says about the cur- suggested it represents a stylized version dardized and often angled up or down the rent reputation of the family’s recorders or of the silkworm moth found on the bore, giving the player an easier stretch for that they had a distinctive maker’s mark or Bassanos’ coat of arms. the hands. The caps are attuned to the marks. (Incidentally, the “new bass wind About 150 woodwind instruments instrument, in that the space inside the
32 American Recorder cap is made to dictate the size of the air Hieronymus Rafi Family reservoir thus created, giving the recorder Twenty-nine woodwind instruments with A number of recorder makers a better sound and control. The crooks HIERS or HIES marks worked in Lyons in the first half and holes inside the caps show similar survive, including 13 of the 16th century, all listed ingenuity, having a taper towards the recorders (also cornetti, also as players. The earliest to be inside space of the cap that softens the crumhorns, and curtals). The marks are documented, around 1500, is Jacques flow of air into the recorder and reduces presumably abbreviations of the name Pillon. Michaud Rafin or Raphin problems with the stability of the attack. Hieronymus (the Latin equivalent of (d. 1524), first heard of in 1506, was The !! recorders are made from a great Jeronimo). The surviving recorders are presumably the maker of the bass flute in variety of woods. The variants of the mark found only in the Vienna KHM and the Rome marked M. RAFI. He had two sons: often accompany subtle differences in Biblioteca Capitolare of Verona. Pierre Raffin is documented in 1528–29; making: different shapes of windows, The two sets in Vienna have different Claude Rafi (d. 1553) was famous enough drilling of tone-holes, styles of keywork, versions of the mark. Two basset sizes, to be mentioned in three literary works of etc., suggesting that they may represent three tenors, and an alto are marked the day (including François de la Salle’s the different generations or workshops. HIER S (for comments on their surviving reference to “the good recorder of Raffy” This argument is strengthened by recent case, see above). A great bass, three in ?1537). We have already encountered research in the Accademia Filarmonica basses, and two bassets are marked HIE.S. Mathurin de la Noue (d. 1544), who of Verona, where the !! recorders— In Verona, the sole moved from Lyons to Paris late in life. the survivors of three separate sets— basset is marked The court of Mary of Hungary in show three different styles of making and HIER S.. Brussels ordered “certain recorders” from have been found to be tuned in three There is a high degree of irregularity “a master in Lyons” in 1536. These may be slightly different pitches. among instruments of the same size. The the same as the “certain large recorders The type-G mark is found on a great tenors, while obviously coming from the with other instruments” mentioned the bass size in F, two basses in B , and four same set, show great inconsistencies in next year. In 1546, the Accademia bassets in f, tuned around mezzo punto, the placement of their holes and their bore Filarmonica in Verona commissioned that survive from a case of 22 recorders profiles. All of the recorders have a rather someone “to send to Lyons to buy a purchased by the Accademia from Paolo crude or rustic design compared with the consort [or a pair] of flutes.” Naldi in 1548, but apparently deposited more refined quality of the Rauch and Amazingly, the Accademia still owns a there four years earlier. The type-A great !! recorders. Their tone-holes are drilled flute made by Claude Rafi: a tenor signed bass and extended basset, among the best straight, with none of the refinement Cl. RAFI plus a griffon in a shield, the surviving Renaissance recorders, appar- found on the !! instruments. They also emblem of the Archbishopric of Lyons. ently belonged to one of two cases, con- have cruder crooks and key mechanisms, The Accademia also own the body of a taining 10 and 11 recorders, that the and there seems to have been a great deal bass flute, marked with the same shield. Accademia acquired between 1562 and of experimentation in the shape and A consort of “eight large recorders 1569. They are at a pitch about 30 cents design of their caps. The sizes are again sufficient for a consort,” “fourteen other lower than mezzo punto. (The second of ranged in fifths starting from F. large recorders for the consort,” and four these cases probably included the These less sophisticated features sets of fifes by “the esteemed craftsman ... surviving two basses with double trefoils.) suggest that the maker may have been Graffi” are listed among the collection of On the other hand, the type-H bass Jeronimo Bassano, who flourished in the Manfredo Settala, a Milanese physician, and basset could be considered among early 16th century, rather than the clergyman, and instrument inventor, in the worst surviving recorders and are at Hieronimo de li flauti from the latter part 1664. “Graffi” is presumably an under- a pitch about 50 cents above mezzo pun- of the century. standable misreading of “Cl. Rafi” caused to. They seem to correspond to the “one by the ligature between the C and the l; black case with nine recorders with a brass we are simply wise after the event. crook for the dolzaina used as the bass” Two recorders marked with a shield that the Accademia acquired between and C ˆ RAFI survive in the Accademia 1585 and 1628, the late date suggesting a Filarmonica in Bologna: a basset and a decline in the Bassanos’ instrument-mak- tenor. The same collection also houses ing ability. (The identity of the dolzaina nine recorders (two bass sizes, three mentioned in the inventory is unclear— Honeysuckle Music bassets and four tenors) by the otherwise even if Praetorius recommends that a unknown P. Grece that have similar char- curtal be employed on the bass part when acteristics to its Rafi recorders. Grece may a recorder consort plays with consorts of Recorders & accessories have been a later maker who simply other instruments, a situation in which ... copied the instruments in the Accademia the bass recorder would be too soft.) Music for recorders & viols that were made by Rafi—and indeed, no Most of the !! recorders fit our second other recorders are known to survive by system of pitch-sizes, which has the bass Jean Allison Olson him. But the degree of accuracy shown by size in B , basset in f, tenor in c', and alto in 1604 Portland Ave. these instruments, and the care that evi- g'. These instruments clearly represent a St. Paul, MN 55104 dently went into making them, make it long period of instrument-making, from 651.644.8545 seem more likely that Grece was working the 1540s or earlier to the end of the [email protected] in the same workshop as Rafi, or in the century and beyond. same tradition.
January 2006 33 The Rafi and Grece recorders are made basset recorder in the Vienna KHM is to the same highly unusual design, which marked with both HD and a single left- Large recorders ... seems to be based heavily on transverse pointing trefoil (other single trefoils on flute traditions (recall that Rafi also made surviving recorders, in Celle and Paris, existed from the flutes). The bores are of the step type and point to the right). very small in diameter compared with As mentioned before, the use of a early part of their length. The recorders also have a single letter for a maker’s mark might have small outside diameter, which is almost pointed to Nuremberg. But elsewhere the 16th century. cylindrical in form, giving very thin wall there were two known woodwind makers thicknesses—again in the manner of a with the initials HD, at least in one Adrian Brown has shown that the Renaissance flute. spelling. Hans Danner (also Thanner), Renaissance recorder was made in one of The two Grece basses are designed to who came from Egg, a village overlooking three basic bore types, which he calls be held horizontally while playing and the Rhine about 20 miles east of Basel, conical, cylindrical, and step. Far from blown through an intriguing system that served the Stuttgart court as lutenist and evolving, all three types co-existed has a tube bored longitudinally through official woodwind maker from 1572 to throughout the 16th century and into the the wall of the instrument, from a point his death in 1581. His widow sold the 17th century. Most recorders in his just above the thumb hole, up to the court some instruments that he had cylindrical bore category, including some block. The shape of the windows is more presumably made: “10 Kolonen und of those marked !! (which probably square than rectangular, the window 8 dazu gehörige Zwerchpfeifen zu (Ten belonged to the Bassano family) and widths being small and the cutups columnar recorders [?] and eight flutes AA (Schnitzer family), produce Ganassi’s (window heights) consequently large. belonging to them).” Hans Drebs (also high notes. This detail—unknown in all other Trebs), said to be from Austria, was a The treatises, from Virdung (1511) to surviving instruments, but recorded in Stadtpfeifer (probably only an adjunct) Praetorius (1619), give the impression some early iconography—seems the most and woodwind maker in Leipzig from that, during the 16th century, recorders persuasive evidence of an older tradition 1598, and sold cornetti (1613) and were made in only three sizes (bass, of making at work. recorders (1617, 1636) to the city. tenor/alto, discant; or what Praetorius The sizes of the Bologna instruments The HD tenors are highly standardized renamed basset, tenor, alto), with the are in fifths, with a fourth between one of instruments, showing a degree of consis- anomalous citation of a high D-recorder the tenors and the bassets. But that tenor tency unknown with other makers’ by Cardan (c.1546); then they suddenly shows far less wear on the thumb hole instruments. The turning of the smaller branched out to include lower and higher than do the thumb holes of all the other instruments is rougher than normal, and instruments at the beginning of the 17th recorders—proof perhaps that the fourth- their exterior shape or profile is rather century. In fact, large recorders, and even combination was used less often than that stumpy. From the general design, the very large ones (up to 2.5 m in length), having a fifth interval. presence of the c" as well as d" sizes, and existed from the early part of the 16th cen- The pitch standard is around a whole the possible link to two makers of the late tury and are commonly mentioned in tone above modern pitch: again, an 16th-early 17th century, these instru- inventories. Both soprano and sopranino unusual feature. Two other surviving ments may be tentatively placed in that sizes appear in an inventory from 1577. Rafi recorders (bassets in Eisenach period. How can this apparent discrepancy be- and Sigmaringen) have no conceivable tween theory and practice be explained? pitch-relationship either with the Coda The most plausible explanation, based on Bologna instruments or with each other. The research on which this article is Praetorius’s idea of registers of recorders For the reasons outlined above, these based—Adrian Brown’s study of the ma- in three adjacent sizes, is that Renaissance instruments would have to be placed in jority of surviving Renaissance recorders recorder players conceived their instru- the early- to mid-16th century. and all the cases, David Lasocki’s compi- ments not as absolute in size or pitch, lation of the inventories and purchases but as functionally a bass in F, a tenor/alto HD of the day, and Peter Van Heyghen’s in C, or a discant in G, in order to play the Nine recorders survive exhaustive examination of treatises, mu- typical four-part polyphony of the time. bearing the mark HD: two sic, solmization and clefs—revolutionizes The resulting FCCG schema could be basset sizes (Darmstadt, our view of the Renaissance recorder. applied to any three consecutive sizes, Frankfurt), five tenors The earlier view was heavily colored by beginning with either great bass, bass, (Berlin two, Brussels, Frankfurt two), the information contained in treatises, basset, tenor, or (as one small surviving and two altos (Frankfurt). A case for especially Ganassi’s observation that case shows) even alto. 11 recorders with the same mark was some recorders could play extra notes in Later, an FCGD schema was added, discussed above. Curiously, a further the high register. This led to a search for and Praetorius mentions a schema involv- a “Ganassi recorder”—not among the ing sizes of instruments in five consecutive instruments of the Rauchs and Schnitzers, fifths, before suggesting that makers might fine editions of early & contemporary music which Ganassi apparently endorsed, but make their instruments in alternative PRB PRODUCTIONS Peralta Avenue, Albany, CA through copying the engraving on his title fifths and fourths. Phone: -- Fax: -- page (Bob Marvin); or by zeroing in on an The question of the sizes and pitches in E-mail: [email protected] alto marked !! in Vienna (Loretto and which Renaissance recorders were really Web: www.prbmusic.com Morgan), which we now know was almost made is complicated by the lack of infor- certainly part of a consort. mation about any standard pitches that
34 American Recorder may have existed before the middle of the in the largest numbers—the Bassanos, Finally, we hope that the research just 16th century. Two pitches are mentioned Rafis, Rauchs, and Schnitzers—turn out summarized will lead both modern mak- in inventories: mezzo punto, a semitone to have had the highest reputations in ers and their customers toward recorders above A=440; and tutto punto, around their own day and an international based more upon historical models. A=440. Yet most of the surviving clientele. Archival work has illuminated recorders are at or around mezzo punto the lives of the Rafis, Schnitzers, and Acknowledgements (with some other standards, both higher particularly the Bassanos, but more work Peter Van Heyghen for his stimulating collab- and lower). especially needs to be done on the Rauchs. oration with Adrian Brown over the last eight These recorders follow two different Some other technical and musical years. Herbert W. Myers for an extended systems of pitch-sizes, the first apparently questions remain. Adrian Brown plans to discussion of discrepancies between the a little earlier than the second: F, c, g, d', a', do more analysis of Renaissance bores, treatises and practice. Rob Turner for reading e" and F, B , f, c', g', d", a". Both accommo- trying to understand them better by a draft and making suggestions. Professor date the FCCG schema, in at least four matching instruments bearing the same or Samuel N. Rosenberg, Indiana University, “registers,” although the second system similar marks, to see if common reamers for translating the apprenticeship contract. requires a little adjustment in the lowest were used in their making. We need to The Renaissance Woodwind Group on (i.e., bass) part. learn more about the circumstances in
January 2006 35 Dynamo for Recorder Day! by Pete Rose ynamo was commissioned by the several times until the ensemble gets “in D American Recorder Society to be gear.” Teachers may choose a particular played by informal gatherings of articulation pattern, but the notes marked recorder players during Play-the- slurred should be played slurred. Recorder Month and on RecorderDay! Above all, this piece should be played for 2006. The challenge was to write lightly and in a tossed-off, detached something not too difficult technically for manner. intermediate players, yet interesting Pete Rose is recognized as America's enough to satisfy more advanced players. leading composer and performer of modern My solution was to choose one aspect recorder music. His compositions have of the composition to be slightly challeng- received worldwide acclaim, with his works ing, and all other aspects easy. I chose performed thousands of times throughout rhythm to be the more complex element, Europe, North America and the Far East. basing the work on a traditional Greek and featured in many European recorder rhythmic pattern in seven. The texture is competitions. His compositions are pub- homophonic, the harmony is mostly lished by Universal Edition, Moeck, Carus- based on a few voicings that are freely Verlag and Ricordi. transposed, and the form is melodically In addition to composing and perform- repetitive and non-developmental. ing, Rose has served as columnist, critic and Teachers and/or consort leaders are contributing editor for American Recorder advised to rehearse measures 8 through and has also written articles for the German 10 and 17 to the end separately before woodwind magazine TIBIA. He was the trying the whole piece. The first two recipient of the 2005 ARS Distinguished measures may be used to tune and/or to Achievement Award. unify articulation. They may be repeated
Save this Date: March 11 is Recorder Day! Not only is March Play-the-Recorder Month, but March 11 has been designated Recorder Day! for 2006. All ARS members are invited to play the commissioned composition by Pete Rose on March 11. Chapters, consorts, and any other members are encouraged, but not required, to play Dynamo at 3 p.m. EST (or 8 p.m. GMT for our international friends). It will be fun to know that fellow recorder players around the world are playing the same piece at the same time. The most creative use of Dynamo anytime on March 11 will win a special prize from the ARS. In addition, prizes will be offered to chapters for the most imaginative PtRM activities and for the largest percentage membership increase during March. Please send the details (including photos) of your chapter, consort or individual activities to the ARS office by April 19 to help us tell other members how you celebrated Play-the-Recorder Month and Recorder Day! The winners will be announced in the September issue of American Recorder.
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36 American Recorder Dynamo e»™º• (or faster) Pete Rose 7 j . j S † 8 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ . œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
7 j . œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ A & 8 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ . J 7 j . j œ œ œ œ œ œ T & 8 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ . œ œ œ œ
Ê 7 j . j œ œ œ œ œ œ B 8 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ . œ œ œ œ
5 j j œ bœ nœ bœ † œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ bœ j bœ œ b œ œ & J œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ nœ j bœ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ & J œ œ œ bœ œ œ Ê œ œ bœ j J œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ bœ 9 œ bœ œ bœ nœ bœ . † œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ŒŒ ∑ bœ bœ œ bœ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ b œ J & œ œ nœ œ œ nœ
œ bœ bœ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ & œ œ nœ J Ê œ œ j œ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ
Copyright © 2006 Pete Rose. All rights reserved. ARS members may make photocopies of this music for their own use.
January 2006 37 13 † ∑ ∑ ∑ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ J ∑ n œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ & J bœ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ & J J Ê ∑ ∑ ∑ Œ‰bœ œ œ
17 j j † œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ #œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ & J J bœ œ bœ œ œ bœ œ œ bœ & J bœ œ bœ œ œ bœ œ bœ œ J œ bœ œ bœ œ œ bœ œ œ bœ Ê J bœ œ bœ œ œ bœ œ bœ œ J œ
21 j j ‰j j ‰ j Œ ŒŒ † œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ j #œ œ #œ œ œ œ ‰ nœ œ œ œ bœ Œ & œ J œ œ œ œ J J ‰ J œ ŒŒ j j bœ œ bœ œ œ ‰ nœ œ œ œ ‰ bœ Œ ŒŒ & bœ œ bœ œ œ œ J J J œ œ œ œ Ê bœ bœ œ œ bœ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ J ‰ œ j J ‰ J J Œ œ ŒŒ
Copyright © 2006 Pete Rose. All rights reserved. ARS members may make photocopies of this music for their own use.
38 American Recorder ON THE CUTTING EDGE ______Anyone out there “raising a ruckus?”
t a recent lesson, one of my students Then one of the rowdier audience blues improvisation, not performing writ- Aasked me about playing jazz on the members called out, “Play the blues!” and ten-out pieces like Eons Ago Blue. recorder. I asked what he meant by the the guitarist launched into a stomping Likewise, are there any recorder- term “jazz,” which after all connotes many blues riff in A major. I had to draw on playing equivalents to the great styles evolved over the last hundred years. memories of playing piano in clubs years contemporary jazz saxophonist David S. My student said he was most interested in earlier, but enough came back to me so Ware? The latest recording from this blues and avant-garde (or “free”) jazz that we had lots of fun improvising. titan of the tenor saxophone is a three-CD playing. We decided to track down some The blues is a great American art form. set entitled Live In The World. On it recordings of recorders playing the blues Indeed, composer friends of mine in you will hear some of the most fiery and as well as some “far-out” new jazz. But, Europe point out that the blues may be inventive jazz playing to come along in alas, we had little success. America’s greatest contribution to west- many years. I’ve been a big fan of his for A good place to start was the legendary ern music. Jazz fans will no doubt more than a decade, and part of the reason Bernard Krainis recording, Sweet Pipes, argue the point, but playing the blues is so is the adaptability to the recorder of some originally released many years ago on a much fun that everyone should do it. of what Ware plays. The overblowing, Columbia LP. Sometime in the later 1960s, Built on a simple 12-bar harmonic pat- rapid figuration, and hypnotic repetitions it was re-released on an Odyssey LP, tern, the blues can be easily diagrammed: work well on recorders, although the under the title The Virtuoso Recorder. The I – IV – I – I – IV – IV – I – I – V – IV – I – I. enormous sound of the tenor sax is last track on side two is a delightful piece The blues has many variants of this har- obviously sui generis. by American jazz composer/pianist Bob monic framework—from John Lee Hook- The techniques of avant-garde recorder Dorough, called Eons Ago Blue. I’m sure er’s one-chord blues style to the highly playing in classical music—multiphonics, many readers of this column have fond chromatic blues style of bebop jazz overblowing, playing two recorders at the memories of this piece. Our own Martha pianists like Hank Jones or Kenny Barron. same time, leaking, quarter-tone playing, Bixler was a participant in the recording Among several performing recorder humming and playing, to name a few— sessions. players I’ve contacted, none indicated ought to have a place in free jazz that they do any blues playing. Given the improvising. The blues may be power that some of the new “modern” Like the blues, free jazz is an important recorders can generate, I expect that some- part of our music. Right now, free jazz is America’s greatest where there are blues recorder players— probably more readily encountered in contribution to perhaps playing with guitar, bass and Europe, but keep on the lookout for Ware drums, or piano, bass and drums, or even and his superb quartet, which usually in- western music. guitar only. cludes pianist Matthew Shipp and bassist I’m interested to know of recorder William Parker. You may get some ideas. Eons Ago Blue is a through-composed players who are playing the blues in clubs, Let me know of recordings, names, work that begins with a chorale-like cabarets, or other venues. I’d love to know upcoming gigs, etc., featuring both blues introduction using jazz harmonies, information what kinds of accompani- and free jazz recorder playing. Sometimes followed by a slow series of blues ment are being used, with amplification or nothing is as good for the soul as playing choruses. Scored for recorders, pizzicato without, and whether any recordings have the blues, and nothing as liberating as the viola da gamba, and percussion (triangle been made. Anyone out there “raising a maelstrom of free jazz improvisation. and tambourine), the music is pleasantly ruckus”? Remember, we are talking about Tim Broege
January 2006 39 CHAPTERS & CONSORTS ______Holiday happenings
The Austin (TX) Chapter of ARS had its the Viols of Austin, several of whom are A spirited rendition of Deck the Halls in traditional Christmas musicale meeting also recorderists, open the evening with a 7/8 (for two recorders and small percus- on December 9, with members and Thomas Lupo fantasia. Other selections sion, arranged from a choral version by friends presenting over a dozen selections. for recorder soloists and ensembles of James McKelvy) brought everyone back to The program spanned five centuries, more various sizes were by Corelli, Van Eyck, Christmas territory, and the concert con- than 10 J. S. Bach, Telemann and others. cluded with a set of Christmas favorites Austin Chapter members who com- The members were privileged to hear from an ensemble including recorders, performed Scherzophrenia were posers, the first known performance of a new harp and bass viol. (l to r): Derek Wills, Jeanne and a work for recorder quintet, Scherzophrenia Those wanting to visit the Austin Lynch, Kate Bracher, Susan wide by Daniel Nass. A doctoral candidate in chapter would be most welcome. See Richter, Muriel Lem; in the center variety music theory and composition at the
40 American Recorder “Robin Hood” hats and conical ladies’ hats. The First Congregational Church Provincetown Bookshop Editions hall was hung with royal banners and gar- lands. Tables were laden with candles, antlers, pewter mugs, wooden boards PUT SOME HUMOR INTO YOUR CONSORT WORK (made by Peter Klose) and trenchers. with these Provincetown Editions: Brother John (Jack MacKenzie) wel- comed guests and read a Latin grace from Southwest of Baroque: David Goldstein’s Suite for SA Recorders his scroll. Throughout the evening, (Cowboy in style, Baroque in form) ...... $4.95 Northwinds members played Renais- Barbershop Recorder Quartet: 9 “Oldies” lovingly arr. for sance music in various groupings. Anne of Recorder Quartet (SATB) by Andrew Charlton ...... $8.25 Cleavage (Betty Palm) played a recorder solo, and crumhorn group Peter’s Krum- I Sing a Song of the Saints of God: 7½ Variations by pets (Linda Hammond, Judy Harvey, Richard Busch on “Grand Isle” for 3 Recorders & Keyboard Lonhilt and Peter Klose, and Bev (Witty variations on a beloved Children’s Hymn) . . . .$7.95 Osetek) gave a concert. Hildegarde von Singen (Fran Tolas) led the 50 revelers A good source for Recorder & Viol Music of all publishers. in singing rounds. Dances were taught, with the Washerwoman’s Bransle a big hit. The Provincetown Bookshop, Inc. Brother John finally sent the Michigan 246 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA 02657 Tel. (508)487-0964 merrymakers on their way, all planning to meet at next year’s feast. The Summer Make plans now to join us at the Summer Toot, The Moss Bay Recorder Society gave where our featured faculty will be the its annual December event “for all ages” Texas Toot at the Kirkland (WA) Public Library. Led Flanders by Wini Jaeger, the theme was “Carols Early Music Recorder Quartet Workshop for the Feasts of Light.” Han Tol Joris Van Goethem Orum Stringer and the Brandywine Bart Spanhove Paul Van Loey Chapter of ARS (which meets in May 28 to Delaware) got a jump on the holiday June 3, 2006 Rosamund Morley, viols season in November when Stringer led the Tom Zajac, reeds and brass Concordia group in “An Evening of Magical Mystery: plus experienced faculty in voice, historical harp Settings of O Magnum Mysterium.” The University, and lute. The weeklong workshop is held at the works, most of which are not available in Austin TX beautiful, walkable and air-conditioned campus of commercial editions, were by Adrian Concordia University in lively Austin, Texas. Willaert, Cristobal de Morales, Thomas Daniel Johnson, director; Susan Richter, asst director. Boulder Early Luis de Victoria, William Byrd and Music Shop and Lazar's Early Music will be on site with instruments, Giovanni Gabrieli. music, accessories and more. Register on our Website starting in February. Complete class offerings will be available there in late April: CHAPTER NEWS www.toot.org or email: [email protected] Chapter newsletter editors and publicity officers should send materials for publication in American Recorder to : AR, 7770 South High St., Beatin’ Path Publications Centennial, CO 80122-3122, by e-mail Music That Works!
January 2006 41 COMPACT DISC REVIEWS ______Baroque music and folk music, ______polyphonic performances and Senfl
LUDWIG SENFL: LIEDER, MOTETS, HANDEL SONATAS & TELEMANN give pleasure to Carolina Baroque’s fans INSTRUMENTAL WORKS. FARALLON QUARTETS. CAROLINA BAROQUE, DALE and to anyone wanting to gain familiarity RECORDER QUARTET. Pandore CD-5101, HIGBEE, DIRECTOR. CB-119, 1 CD, 66:49, with the repertoire presented here— 1 CD, 55:00, $17,
42 American Recorder bulk of the program, there are also pieces ... a new color is produced included having eight to as many as 20 parts. by the combination of While Andresen’s musicality and technical acuity are very much on instruments and styles. display, it is his affection and respect for this music that comes across most clearly. There are some tracks featuring the This is a labor of love, and it shows in the quartet and Hong separately, plus several variety of the repertoire (everything from arrangements of both European and Chi- Renaissance madrigals to Andresen’s own nese pieces for the complete ensemble. ragtime, Boxwood Bounce), the careful There are also, however, opportunities for preparation of the disc—and, most the musicians to collaborate most fully in especially, the sparkle that is evident in free variations on favorite tunes such as all these performances, particularly the “La Bergamasca” and “Fortune My Foe,” jazzier numbers. during which the performers manage to Andresen’s long experience with the achieve a true melding of the styles. recorder orchestra is evident in his stylish The recording is taken at a bit of a performances of two staples of the distance, allowing the unique tonal colors recorder orchestra repertoire, Denis to combine in a natural perspective. This Bloodworth’s Popular Renaissance Dances is a recording that, by definition, is hard and Lyndon Hilling’s Midsummer Meadow to categorize, but it features a special Suite. As in all the performances on the kind of warmth and energy that are easy disc, the accuracy of intonation and to enjoy. ensemble belies the process by which the recordings were made. Although there THE POLYPHONIC RECORDER. KEN is not always the final degree of ANDRESEN, RECORDERS. Polyphonic Pro- flexibility that one would find on the best ductions CD-2, 1 CD, 71:07, $16.95, traditional ensemble recordings, these are
OOLS TO MPROVE OUR LAYING $ANCE AT A 'LANCE "AROQUE #HAMBER -USIC !LL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT "AROQUE 0LAY !LONG #$S DANCE IN ONE CONVENIENT PACKAGE (OURS OF PLAYING ENJOYMENT WITH EARLY MUSIC SPECIALISTS *JHI TURN THE DIAL OF THE WHEEL GUIDE TO THE DANCE YOU ARE STUDYING TO LEARN ITS 4=G:: TO CHOOSE FROM WITH MUSIC AND METER TEMPO RHYTHM AND AFFECT 4HIS PERFORMANCE GUIDES FOR RECORDER PLAYERS PACKAGE INCLUDES 6ISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR COMPLETE CONTENTS s (ANDY WHEEL GUIDE 0RE($ISC#ONTINUO s )NFORMATIVE BOOKLET %ARLY )NTERMEDIATE s #$ WITH MUSIC EXAMPLES 4HE $ISC#ONTINUO )NTERMEDIATE
$ISC#ONTINUO ))
/ !DVANCED )NTERMEDIATE 6ISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWWKATASTROPHEMUSICCOM 4O ORDER POSTPAID SEND CHECKS $ANCE AT A 'LANCE $ISC#ONTINUO SERIES EACH PLUS SHIPPING AND HANDLING CHARGES FOR lRST ITEM EACH ADDITIONAL ITEM TO @6IAROE=: G:8DG9H &LORIO 3TREET /AKLAND #! /R CALL
January 2006 43 Q & A ______Making your own recorders
uestion: I am an ARS member. I began The Musical Instrument Makers Forum In order to make a recorder, you will Qplaying recorder a few years ago in order has on-line discussions pertaining to need to have access to and experience with to help my four children, who played making recorders and also offers a lathe and basic woodworking tools, and recorder in school. Since their plastic instru- interactive, on-line courses in recorder you will also need to make and use certain ments didn’t sound very good, I bought sever- building. For more information, go to specialized tools. To build a good- al wooden ones, each one a little more expen-
44 American Recorder relatively poor quality, but a number of companies also manufacture high-quality ARS Membership Enrollment and Renewal plastic recorders carefully designed for K K serious players. These include the Aulos I am a new member I am or have been a member Haka series, Dolmetsch Nova series, Yamaha Rottenburgh series, and Zen-On’s U.S./Canadian Memberships Student Membership Stanesby Junior soprano and Bressan alto K $40 One Year (Enclose proof of full time enrollment) models. They are all of high quality K $70 Sustaining (Receive Hotteterre Hands pin) K $20 U.S./Canadian One Year K $75 Two Years K $40 U.S./Canadian Two Years because the molds in which they are K $25 Foreign One Year produced were designed with a great Foreign Memberships K $50 Foreign Two Years deal of care. K $50 One Year My personal favorites are the Yamaha K $95 Two Years Rottenburghs. The whole set (sopranino, K $60 One Year Workshop Membership soprano, alto, tenor and bass) now sells for K $120 One Year Business Membership about $400, depending upon the dealer. They play well in tune, speak easily with a K Do not list my name in the ARS Directory clear tone throughout their range, and K Do not release my name for recorder related mailings K Do not contact me via e-mail. blend well with other recorders in a consort. My Yamahas serve me well in K My address, phone and email address are the same as last time. competent amateur ensembles, and I have also found my $20 soprano and $35 alto ______to be strong, reliable solo instruments— Name Phone Number ______although not as expressive in terms of Address/City/State/Postal Code E-mail Address dynamics as my von Huene rosewood alto, which now sells for $1,500. Please charge to: (Circle one) VISA MasterCard AMEX Discover Since you are not yet an advanced play- CC#:______Exp. Date: ______er, I would advise you at this point to buy some good plastic recorders rather than Signature of cardholder:______try to obtain or make handcrafted wooden ones. In addition to being inexpensive, Clearly Print Name as it appears on Card:______plastic instruments are easy to clean, do Credit Card renewals may be faxed to 314/966-4649. Call 800/491-9588 to renew by phone not need revoicing, and will not crack with Demographic Information changes in temperature. If you don’t like (optional information collected only to enhance ARS services and provide statistics to grant makers): the appearance and feel of shiny plastic, All information on members’ activities in the ARS files is strictly confidential you can purchase plastic recorders with a and only used internally. wood-grain finish at a somewhat higher, I am a member of ARS Chapter ______K I am the Chapter Contact but still very reasonable, price. I am a member of ARS Consort ______K I am the Consort Contact
Your age: K Under 21 K (21-30) K (31-40) K (41-50) K (51-60) K (61-70) K (71+)
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY Please check all that apply: ON MAKING RECORDERS (Since your recorder activities may change from year to year, please update this information with each renewal):
American Recorder Articles K I am a Professional Recorder Performer. Bitters, David L “Hand Crafting K I wish to be included in the list of Recorder Teachers in the ARS Directory and web site. Recorders: A Visit to the Workshop of Clarence James.” Vol. 20, no. 1 I Teach: (circle your choices) (May 1979), pp. 10-13. Children High School Youth College Students Adults Beginner Intermediate Advanced Pre-Professional Joof, Laura Beha. “Recorder Voicing and Individuals Children’s Classes Adult Classes Ensembles Tuning, and Use of the Tuning Suzuki Orff JRS Leader Kodaly Machine.” Vol. 26, no. 4 (Nov. 1985), pp. 155-159. Where I Teach: Music Studio Public or private school Community Music School Levin, Philip. “Voicing and Tuning.” College Other : ______Vol. 25, no. 3 (Aug. 1984), pp. 105- 107. K I am an ARS Certified Teacher who passed ARS exams administered until 1976 (5) Loretto, Alec V. “So You’d Like to Become K I am an ARS Certified Level II Teacher* (8) K a Recorder Maker, or, Come On In— I am an ARS Certified Level III Teacher* (7) * I passed the special teacher exam(s). Not to be confused with the Level II and Level III exams taken by players. the Water’s Fine.” Vol. 28, no. 3 (Aug. 1987), pp. 101-103. American Recorder Society Phone: 314-966-4082 The author gives advice to would-be 1129 Ruth Dr. Fax: 314-966-4649 recorder makers on how to go about Toll-Free: 800-491-9588 St. Louis MO 63122-1019 [email protected] acquiring the needed skills. www.americanrecorder.org
January 2006 45 Prescott, Thomas M. “Making ARS PUBLICATIONS Recorders.” Vol. 24, no. 3 (Aug. 1983), Erich Katz Contemporary Music Series Members Non-Members pp. 95-98. Suzanne M. Angevine, A Short Tale for two basses (Level II) (2 scores) $ 5 $ 8 Zaniol, Angelo. “Copying Old Recorders.” Peter Ballinger, Double Quartet for Recorders (Level II-III) (score & parts) $10 $18 Vol. 27, no. 3 (Aug. 1986), pp. Anthony Burgess, Sonatina for Alto Recorder and Piano (Level II) (2 scores) $7 $12 Cecil Effinger, Dialogue and Dance (SATB) (Level II-III) (score & parts) $10 $18 103-107. Lee Gannon, Sonatine for three altos (Level III) (score & parts) $14 $26 Three categories of recorder makers (score, parts & demo cassette) $23 $43 Erich Katz, Suite of Jewish Folk Tunes (S S/A8 A/T) (Level II) (three scores) $10 $18 are described: purists (who try to Vaclav Nelhybel, Six Short Pieces for Three Recorders, (AA/TT) (Level II) make exact copies), compromisers edited by Alan Drake (3 scores) $8 $14 Stanley W. Osborn, Kyrie and Vocalise for soprano voice and recorders (who are willing to make necessary (SATB) (Level II) (2 scores & 4 recorder parts) $ 8 $14 modifications), and “free-and-easy Frederic Palmer, Entrevista (SATB) (Level II) (2 scores & 4 recorder parts) $ 8 $14 Sally Price, Dorian Mood (SATB) (Level II) (score & parts) $10 $18 copiers” (whose recorders bear little Jeffrey Quick, Picnic Music (SATB) (Level II) (score & parts) $ 5 $ 8 resemblance to the originals). Musical Editions from the Members’ Library: ARS members: 1 copy, $3 2 copies, $4.50 3, $6 4, $7.50 5, $10 6, $11.50 Non-members (editions over 2 years old): 1 copy, $5 2 copies, $8.50, 3,$12 4,$15 5, $19.50 6, $23 Sources Other than The ARS is happy to provide photocopied enlargements of any Members’ Library edition at the same prices. Please American Recorder specify “Members’ Library Enlargement.” * = Editions not yet available to non-members. Bolton, Philippe. “La naissance d’une Bruckner’s Ave Maria (arr. Jennifer W. Lehmann) *S-O-S (Anthony St. Pierre) flûte à bec” (The Birth of a Recorder). Canon for Four Bass Recorders (David P. Ruhl) Santa Barbara Suite (Erich Katz) Dancers (Richard Eastman) Sentimental Songs (arr. David Goldstein) Flûte à bec & instruments anciens, Different Quips (Stephan Chandler) Serie for Two Alto Recorders (Frederic Palmer) Elegy for Recorder Quartet (Carolyn Peskin) Slow Dance with Doubles (Colin Sterne) no. 10 (March 1984), pp. 12-15. Elizabethan Delights Sonata da Chiesa (Ann McKinley) Copies are obtainable from the author Gloria in Excelsis (Robert Cowper) Three Bantam Ballads (Ann McKinley) Imitations (Laurie G. Alberts) Three Cleveland Scenes (Carolyn Peskin) at Le Grand Portail, F-84570 *In Memory of Andrew (David Goldstein) Tracings in the Snow Villes-sur-Auzon, France. *Jazzy Rondo (Carolyn Peskin) in Central Park (Robert W. Butts) *Little Girl Skipping and Alouette et al Trios for Recorders (George T. Bachmann) Goembel, Luke. “Making a Recorder.” (Timothy Walsh) Triptych (Peter A. Ramsey) Woodwind Quarterly, no. 8 Los Pastores (arr. Virginia N. Ebinger) Two Bach Trios (arr. William Long) New Rounds on Old Rhymes (Erich Katz) Two Brahms Lieder (arr. Thomas E. Van Dahm) (Feb. 1995), pp. 58-83. A self-taught Other Quips (Stephan Chandler) Variations on “Drmeš” (Martha Bishop) recorder maker describes in detail Poinciana Rag (Laurie G. Alberts) Vintage Burgundy how he produced a homemade recorder. ARS Information Booklets: Loretto, Alec V. Articles in Recorder 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 Magazine: “Make Your Own Adding Percussion to Medieval and Renaissance Music (Peggy Monroe) Recorder in C at 440 Hz.” Vol. 16, American Recorder Music (Constance Primus) no. 3 (Sept. 1996), pp. 92-95; The Burgundian Court and Its Music (Judith Whaley, coord.) Improve Your Consort Skills (Susan Carduelis) “Tuning Your Square Medieval Music for Mixed Ensembles (Jennifer W. Lehmann) Recorder.” Vol. 16, no. 4 (Dec. 1996), Playing Music for the Dance (Louise Austin) Recorder Care (Scott Paterson) pp. 130-132; “Making Your Own Medieval Recorder in F.” Vol. 18, Education Publications no. 1 (March 1998), pp. 8-9. The ARS Personal Study Program in Thirteen Stages to Help You Improve Your Playing (1996). First copy free to ARS Members (mailed to current members in 1996 & new members as they join); These articles tell how to make replacement copies for members or non-members, $3. recorders based upon the early Guidebook to the ARS Personal Study Program (1996). Material formerly published in the Study Guide and Study Guide Handbook, plus additional resources. Members, $11; non-members, $20. 15th-century instrument discovered ARS Music Lists (2002 with 2003 Supplement). Graded list of solos, ensembles, and method books. in Dordrecht, Holland. However, Members $9; non-members, $15. Package deal available only to ARS members: Guidebook and Music Lists/Supplement ordered together, $16. those recorders would not be suitable Junior Recorder Society Leader’s Resource Notebook. ARS members, $20; non-members, $40 for music from later periods. (updates at reduced rates after initial purchase). Dues for each JRS student member sponsored by an ARS member, $5 ($4 each for groups of 10 of more). JRS student members receive activities plus “Merlin” badges and stickers. Morgan, Fred. “Making Recorders Based on Historical Models.” Early Music 10, Other Publications no. 1 (Jan. 1982), pp. 14-21. Chapter Handbook. A resource on chapter operations for current chapter leaders or those considering forming an ARS chapter. ARS members, $10; non-members, $20 (updates free after initial purchase). The author explains step-by-step how One free copy sent to each ARS chapter with 10 members or more. to copy historical instruments. He Consort Handbook. Resource on consort topics such as group interaction, rehearsing, repertoire, performing. ARS member prices: CD, $10; hard copy, $20; combo price of CD and hard copy ordered together, $25. describes tools for reaming the bore, Recorder Power, educational video from the ARS and recorder virtuoso John Tyson. An exciting resource about teaching recorder to young students. ARS members may borrow a copy for one month by sending a cutting the windway, making blocks, refundable $10 deposit to the ARS office along with the address to which the tape should be shipped. and undercutting tone holes. Discography of the Recorder, Vol. I (1989). Compiled by Scott Paterson and David Lasocki. Robinson, Trevor. The Amateur Wind Discography of the Recorder, Vol. II (1990-1994). Compiled by Scott Paterson. Either single volume: ARS members $23; non-members, $28. Instrument Maker, Rev. ed. Amherst: Both Discography volumes together: ARS members only, $40. University of Massachusetts Press, American Recorder: Cumulative Index for Vols. I-XXXX. ARS members, $20; non-members, $32. Index Supplement, Vol. XXXIV-XXXX. ARS members, $8; non-members, $14. 1980, earlier ed. 1973. All prices are in U.S. dollars and include U.S. postage and handling. For Canadian or foreign surface postage, please add an additional $1 per item; for Canadian or foreign air mail, please add an additional $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. VISA/MasterCard also accepted. Send questions to Carolyn Peskin, Q&A Editor, 3559 Strathavon Road, Shaker Heights, OH 44120; American Recorder Society
46 American Recorder MUSIC REVIEWS ______Folk songs, a whale song and ______celebrating Mozart’s birthday in arrangements
DIVERTIMENTO NR. 8, BY W. A . ORGAN CONCERTO, OP. 4, NO. 6, BY and legible, although there are problems MOZART, ARR. ULRICH HERRMANN. Noetzel G. F. HANDEL, ARR. DOMINIQUE GAUTHIER. here, too. There are difficult page turns in N 3933 (C.F. Peters), 2000. SATB. Sc 10 Gérard Billaudot 7414 (Presser), 2003. some of the parts; some solo/tutti indica- pp, pts 4 pp. $12.95. AATB(GB ad lib.). Sc 8 pp, pts 4 pp. tions are missing; there are unexplained Mozart’s music, like Bach’s, always $43.95. brackets in the bass part (which seem to seems to work well in transcription, no Handel is one of the recorder’s greatest indicate optional performance, since the matter what the instrumental combina- friends, of course, and it is always a part at this point is being doubled by the tion. That is a great blessing for recorder pleasure for recorder players to have tenor); and the bar numbers are extremely players, of course, since Mozart wrote no access to more of his music. Although his small, especially in the score. original music for our instrument. part writing is not generally as rigorous as One final difficulty concerns the price, This Divertimento, KV 213, was is Bach’s, his music often works quite well which is quite hefty for a piece lasting originally in the key of F major and was in transcription, probably because his 213 bars in total. All in all, however, the scored for two oboes, two horns and two mastery of musical form and his generous arrangement is an attractive one and may bassoons. Herrmann’s version for artistic spirit usually come through clearly. well be worth the expense for an upper recorders reproduces the essential This is certainly the case with Dominique intermediate or advanced ensemble to add musical lines for SATB quartet in the very Gauthier’s transcription of the Organ the work to their collection. manageable key of C major. Concerto, Op. 4, No. 6, despite some As the title of the work implies, this is weaknesses in the transcription. CHACONNE IN D MINOR, BY HENRY a light and tuneful piece, but, since it is This concerto is especially apt for PURCELL, ARR. MARTIN NITZ. Moeck ZfS by Mozart, it is also full of pleasant musi- recorder ensemble because the original 786/787, 2004. SATGB(B), bc ad lib. Sc cal surprises. The music was originally version included two recorders in its 5 pp, pts 2 pp. written for winds, so it generally sits scoring, along with the strings and the This piece, better known as the well for recorders, though the alto line solo organ. (As Gauthier points out in her Chacony for strings in G minor, Z.730, has tends to lie rather high (a lower alternative brief preface, it is also worth noting that been arranged for recorders before, most is provided in one extended high-note another concerto in the set, Op. 4, No. 5, recently by Joseph A. Loux, Jr., for the passage). The work is in four movements: is largely a transcription of the well-known Loux Music Company (reviewed in the a short but eventful Allegro, a singing F major recorder sonata.) In her transcrip- January 2005 issue). Purcell wrote won- Andante, a graceful Minuet and Trio, and a tion of Op. 4, No. 6, Gauthier generally derful original music for recorder, and it is lively Contredance en Rondeau to finish. has reproduced the orchestral textures tempting to try to find more of his music An intermediate ensemble will find with the full quartet, and the organ solos arranged for playing on recorders. The this piece great fun to read through, and with the first alto and the bass. Unfortu- Chacony is very much a string piece, the whole work (or a selection of move- nately this means that large sections of however, and it is difficult to manage a ments) would add variety to a concert music, including the majority of the first good fit for recorder consort. program. As always with Mozart, clarity of movement, are scored for only two instru- Martin Nitz, a very experienced articulation and impeccable ensemble ments out of four. While this scoring may arranger, has taken the work out of its orig- skills are necessary for the work to sound work acceptably in performance, especial- inal key in order to better suit the tessitura at its best, but the music is so good- ly in the hands of skilled players, it will be of a standard SATB quartet. However, this natured that the time spent perfecting less satisfying for an ensemble playing the has necessitated a rather low bass line, these elements will be enjoyable. piece for pleasure (especially for the which is adapted here either for great bass, Score and parts are printed very legibly second alto player, who plays for fewer bass (with some octave transpositions), or, with no awkward page turns. There are than half the bars in the piece). somewhat awkwardly, basso continuo a couple of questionable markings that Perhaps aware of this limitation, (presented as a separate keyboard part are probably typographical errors (a mis- Gauthier suggests doubling the parts in that includes Nitz’s own figures). The placed trill in bar 69 of the first movement, the tutti sections, and even adding the score gives the great bass version only, and an unusual dissonance in the soprano original string parts (her transcription which is printed, both in the score and part in bar 71 of the last movement), but leaves the piece in its original key) for part, in transposed treble clef. in general the setting is problem-free. added color. While some alternatives are Nitz presents a very clean version of the Mozart’s music is always a joy to suggested for adapting the bass line to the piece, with his suggestions for phrasing, play and a good technical challenge. great bass, there are still several passages rhythmic alterations, and trills all clearly Herrmann’s transcription is a welcome that lie very high for that instrument. marked as editorial. His choice of key does addition to the repertoire. The presentation is generally attractive make the music more comfortable for
January 2006 47 SATB/GB consort. The parts are neat, VIER VERSETTEN, BY CÉSAR FRANCK, accurate and printed so as to avoid page ARR. CHRISTA ROELCKE. Moeck 781 This is a great collection turns (with the exception of the continuo (Magnamusic), 2004. ATB. Sc. 6 pp., pts part). The score is a bit small, but quite 2 pp ea. $7. for beginners and legible. César Franck (1822-1890) is the This well-known piece is an effective, well-known French organist of the 19th children’s ensembles. concise example of the chaconne form century. His father desperately wanted that will give pleasure to an intermediate him to be a child prodigy pianist, but, straightforward, four-part homophonic or advanced ensemble. In performance, after painful years of not making it on the style, so that they could introduce and/or though, the recorder players will have to concert circuit, Franck left his father’s accompany singing.The eight hymns are: tread carefully and be aware of expecta- house to go off on his own as a music “Far, verden far vel,” “Den lyse dag tions raised by the original string scoring. teacher and organist. forgangen er,” “Lovet vare du, Jesus Krist,” Scott Paterson While he never achieved great acco- “Tryggare kan ingen vara” (which most of lades in his lifetime, he is now revered as a us know as “Children of the Heavenly GARDEN OF EDEN, BY LANCE ECCLES. giant in French Romantic organ style and Father”), “Och Jungfrun hon skulle sig,” Orpheus Music 137 790 (
48 American Recorder stroke, which really help in achieving an O DU LIEBER AUGUSTIN, HEFT 2, lead, and the second is in blues style. effective percussion accompaniment to ARR. UWE HEGER. NOELZEL Ed. N 4525 Other folk songs are “Santa Lucia” from greatly enhance these simple recorder (C. F. Peters), 2001. SAT. Sc 42 pp. $10.95. Italy, “Loch Lomond” from Scotland, duets. This collection has a total of 28 songs “Aura Lee” from America, and “Sur le pont Chris Judah-Lauder and Sweet Pipes from various European countries and d’Avignon” from France. have provided a barely-beginner opportu- America, including familiar children’s This is a very useful collection with nity for some fun performance with this songs, folk songs, popular songs, and plenty of variety and interest. Advanced publication. Once your students can play classical melodies arranged for SAT beginners will be challenged, while inter- the basic B, A, G, and maybe low E, they recorders. Stylistic and tempo indications mediate players will be most comfortable will be able to play these Sounds ‘n Beats. are in German, as are the titles of any with these arrangements. There’s a wealth songs originating from Germany. of interesting material here, fun to play FOLKSONGS—FROM A WORLD Breath marks are included, as well as and with lots of details for the ensemble APART, ARR. MARILYN COPELAND phrasing, dynamics, and articulation still working out its togetherness. DAVIDSON. Sweet Pipes SP2393, 2004. markings throughout. Measure numbers Bill Linthwaite SS perc. Sc 22 pp. $4.95. are clearly indicated at the beginning of This collection of folk melodies is each system. Keys are varied, with F, G, D HAIKU (1997), BY RONALD JOACHIM arranged for beginning recorder students. and A major predominating. AUTENRIETH. Moeck 771/772 (Magnamu- There are eight songs in all, originating sic), 2003. T & pf. Sc 8 pp, pt 2 pp. $10. mostly from the U. S., along with two Irish My personal favorites GROUND, BY NICHOLAS ANSDELL-EVANS. tunes. Peacock Press P92 (Magnamusic), The melody of each song is written as are the arrangements of 2002. T & hc (or pf/harp). Sc 8 pp, Soprano 1, and the words of the song are Joplin’s “The Entertainer” pt 4 pp. $10. printed beneath. Therefore, this part can and Mozart’s While quite different from one another, be sung by some students and played on these two contemporary pieces of music the recorder by the more advanced stu- “Türkischer March.” for accompanied tenor recorder share a dents, while beginners play the simpler common atmospheric quality. Both pieces Soprano 2 part. Soprano and tenor parts stay on the are rather impressionistic and melodic in Ranges are limited, with some songs staff, as a rule, with the soprano going to nature, with little or no extended tech- using as few as five notes: D, E, G, A, B. high A or B only a couple of times. nique requirements. Fans of such music as Other songs add low C, and middle C Alto parts frequent high C and D, and I did Satie’s Gymnopodies will be pleased with and D. spot one or two instances of high E. the sound of these works. Percussion accompaniments are mini- Besides getting occasional opportuni- The full title of Autenrieth’s work, mal and are optional. They are written for ties to play the melody, the alto and tenor Haiku: meditations for tenor recorder and Orff instruments: soprano and alto parts are active and melodically interest- piano, tells much about it. The music is in glockenspiel, alto and bass xylophone, ing, contributing well to the forward mo- four short sections, one for each of our plus alto and bass metallophone. Each tion as each of the arrangements unfolds. four seasons. Each section is based upon a arrangement also calls for one non- My personal favorites are the arrange- Japanese haiku (texts included) that gives pitched percussion instrument— ments of Joplin’s “The Entertainer” and you a feel for the movement: “Spring” is a woodblock, cabasa, finger cymbals, Mozart’s “Türkischer March.” The title calm day by the water, “Summer” drags suspended cymbals, hand drum or song, “O du lieber Augustin,” is a theme- with ponderous heat, “Autumn” is a windy tambourine. The orchestrations also have and-two-variations arrangement: the first affair, and lonely “Winter” has a bracing suggestions for improvisations or move- variation features the tenor taking the sharpness from the cold. Like the poetic ment to accompany each song. form for which they’re named, these short This publication includes a score Restoration, Repair and Maintenance haiku are introspective pieces with a page that has the recorder parts, the Orff of Fine Instruments subtle charm. instrument parts, and non-pitched The music requires some facility in percussion parts. Then there is a reading chromatic passages, and one separate page with just the recorder Collins & Williams movement requires the player to over- and parts, so recorder players don’t have to under-blow. In all, though, Haiku is not a read from the full score. Historic Woodwinds particularly difficult piece and would be The beauty and the genius of these suitable for an intermediate player. 5 White Hollow Road arrangements is their simplicity. They will Lakeville, CT 06039 Ansdell-Evans’s Ground is a much give very young recorder students, along (860) 435-0051 longer piece and somewhat more with more advanced beginners, the www.leecollins.com challenging technically. It opens with a opportunity to experience the fun of wandering melody in A minor for the ensemble playing. The creative teacher Authorized warranty repairs agent for recorder, accompanied by a ground bass will find countless ways to adapt the ac- Moeck, Mollenhauer, Zen-On, Aura, pattern. The composer indicates that he companiment parts to other instruments Coolsma, and other leading makers prefers a harpsichord accompaniment, if Orff instruments are unavailable, and though either piano or harp can be an there are many possibilities for improvisa- All work carries a guarantee of alternative. Rolled chords in this part give tion, movement, or even acting out the your satisfaction. a harp-like quality to the sound and create lyrics. a shimmering atmospheric effect.
January 2006 49 As the opening melody ends, the piece “Fireflies and Dragonflies” is filled with dynamics should be carefully observed. moves into a lively section in A major intricate 16th-note passages for the Metronome markings are intended as where the two players compete in a soprano that are occasionally handed to mere suggestions and indications of the duet—-the keyboard takes an obbligato alto and tenor. The “allegro molto” tempo character of the pieces. Ranges of each role and becomes an equal to the recorder, makes this the most technically instrument are only moderate and not which gets a workout through this section. challenging but, nonetheless, the most demanding. A major is not a particularly easy key for exciting movement. The music, however, contains nota- recorders in C, so some fancy finger work tions of formidable techniques: e.g., is required. The piece modulates through STORYBOOK, BY ALAN DAVIS. Peacock labium-vibrato, rapid tremolo, sections a few even more obscure keys in this Press P 29 (Magnamusic PRM0029), without regular pulse, chattering, sustain- section, adding to the challenge. 1998. SAT. Sc 10 pp, pts 5 pp ea. $14.50. ing notes through the free sections, For its last half, Ground returns to Storybook was originally intended for a flutter-tongue, hissing sounds, multi- A minor and the ground pattern reappears recorder ensemble with several players to phonics, and rapid random fingering and in the accompaniment. The recorder a part, but it is equally suitable for a trio of staccato articulation. A fine explanation of repeats the theme from the second section solo players. The character of each piece in these notations is included in this edition. and then moves into a set of diminutions the Storybook is well described by the The titles of the movements more than on this theme. Note values become title, the name of the movement, and the suggest the programmatic nature of each increasingly small (down to 32nds) with tempo markings: e.g., “Ghost Story” piece, and each movement will have its occasional groupings of seven or nine (Misterioso), “Old Wives Tale” (Spiritoso), special attraction. “Down, Down, Down” notes to keep things interesting. It ends “Love Story” (Andante con moto), suggests the story when Alice follows the with a return to the calm of the opening— “Traveller’s Tale” (Energico), “Sad Story” White Rabbit underground and her a satisfying work overall. (Andantino sostenuto), “Fairy Tale” curious adventures begin. Labium-vibrato Geoffrey Allen (Molto leggiero). and tremolo are required to perform this with thanks to Peter MacDonald Breathing, dynamics and articulations piece. are clearly marked and, if observed, will “All Must Have Prizes” depicts Alice ENTOMOLOGY, BY ALAN DAVIS. Peacock enhance the total performance.Triple and and the strange creatures who hold a Press P 95 (Magnamusic PRM0095), duple meters prevail through five of the caucus race. Meters of 4/2, 2/4, 3/4 and 2000. SAT. Sc 15 pp, no pts. $14. six pieces; however, “Traveller’s Tale” hissing sounds prevail. “Who Are You?” Entomology is composed of six short, contains combined 7/8,5/8,6/8,2/4,3/4 describes Alice’s meeting with the quarrel- interestingly-titled movements that would meters that young people love and are some Caterpillar. 6/4 and 2/2 meters are excite and entice most intermediate-to- challenged to play. This piece is also the used in this piece, but no special effects advanced young or adult recorder players. longest and most difficult technically in are employed. “Serpent, I Say Again” It is suitable for a trio of soloists or a larger all three parts. illustrates the story where Alice’s neck ensemble with several on the parts. “Old Wives Tales” is written in A minor grows so long that she is mistaken for a Although the complete range of each with a spirited soprano melody in a two- serpent. Hissing, flutter-tongue and instrument is employed, rhythms and measure motive. The repetitive phrases labium-vibrato will be needed in the melodies are manageable and, indeed, contain five-notes-to-one-beat passages unrelenting 16th-note passages. beautiful and expressive. Most of the that can be easily explained and played. “Soup of the Evening” tells of Alice’s movements are in C major, but “Bluebot- The alto and tenor parts essentially create visit to the Gryphon and the Mock Turtle, tle Boogie” is in D minor. an Alberti bass line that adds a nice who demonstrate the Lobster Quadrille. The first movement, “Beetlemania,” dimension to this piece. This delightful dance is lengthy, only mod- begins with a simple motive in all three This Storybook collection is perfect for erately difficult, and perhaps one of the parts that results in a pounding presto, middle-schoolers. The complete two- most interesting pieces of this collection. with the melodic line handed from one octave range of each instrument is not em- Trills are the only decorations. part to the next. “Bee’s Knees” employs a ployed. This means that younger players “Off With Their Heads” depicts haunting syncopated, repetitive beat with can easily reach the higher notes, but the the scene where the Knave of Hearts a drone, like a pedal point, in the alto and music is challenging enough for advanced is tried for stealing tarts, and Alice tenor parts. An advanced understanding beginners and intermediate players to escapes from the pack of cards by waking of syncopated rhythm is a requirement enjoy these programmatic pieces. from her curious dream. Meters of to play this piece with both triple and 2/4,7/8,9/8,4/4,3/8,5/8,6/8,5/4 change quadruple meters. A CURIOUS SUITE, BY ALAN DAVIS. from measure to measure. Multiphonic “Bluebottle Boogie” has a solid boogie Heinrichshofen N 2439 (C. F. Peters), sounds are to be produced throughout beat for the soprano and alto while the 2004. SAT. Sc 19 pp, no pts. $14.95. this movement, and every musician is tenor carries on with a strong quadruple Scenes and characters from Lewis Car- challenged to the hilt. beat. This piece is totally catchy and roll’s classic children’s story, Alice’s Adven- Davis has created a true wonder with delightful! “Ants in Your Pants” uses a tures in Wonderland, are the basis of the six this Suite. Everyone should own it and try four-measure phrase in duple meter movements of A Curious Suite. This work to play it. As is true of much 21st-century imitating a sing-song, childish chant. may be performed by a trio of solo players music, each performance of this work will Young people will enjoy this! or an ensemble of several players to a part. have its own sound and interpretation. It “Ballad for a Beautiful Butterfly” is in All ages of intermediate to advanced play- is truly a great musical undertaking and duple/triple meter with the melodic line ers will enjoy this challenging music. composition. Kudos to Alan Davis! given to the soprano. Details of articulation, breathing and Margaret A. Peterson
50 American Recorder SIX FOLKSONGS FOR MASSED ranges. What holds the piece together is RECORDERS, BY BENJAMIN THORN. Only two modern its modality that is based on some of Orpheus OMP 110 (
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52 American Recorder