Recorder Thread!, All Sizes Welcome... Options

[limh]

Happy little recorder-vignette last weekend: I took small son to a flea-market, and he spotted a pot full of assorted tin-whistles and recorders, ran over and grabbed one, and started peeping. I apologised to lady and asked if it was OK, and she responded "Yes, give us a tune". So I did, on which basis she knocked 50p off the price and sold me a little descant for 1pound50. It's a little wooden school recorder I'd guess (Adler), and quite cute if rather battered, and judging from Ebay, probably half its true value! It will definitely get played (appears to be English fingering). I also got Richard Jones Baroque Keyboard pieces vol. 2 for 50p. Thanks, ABRSM, for publishing this one. It's got so much useful information about baroque style and keyboard technique that it's valuable for anyone, not just keyboardists. Rather heavy on fingering, but I can understand why: the author is trying to tell his players about non-romantic detatched style, and how fingering fits in with articulation. It's only confusing when there's also a figured bass annotation too! Definitely worth the price(!) I'd have paid a good bit more. But we resisted a totally-beaten-up trumpet.
Sometimes the world is a nice place.

[RAM]

I might be in with a chance of buying a Tenor! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/woot.gif) It's keyed but only has one - will not having a C# be a disadvantage?

I also would like to buy some Telemann Sonatas - does anybody have any suggestion for a less taxing and technically demanding one?

[andante_in_c]

I might be in with a chance of buying a Tenor! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/woot.gif) It's keyed but only has one - will not having a C# be a disadvantage?

I also would like to buy some Telemann Sonatas - does anybody have any suggestion for a less taxing and technically demanding one?

You should be fine with a one-keyed tenor to begin with. My Yamaha tenor is one-keyed and it has been fine for most purposes.

The Telemann sonata in F major is good, although like most Telemann it uses a lot of high notes. I would suggest getting the Baerenreiter Hortus Musicus edition (HM6) which includes the F major along with three other sonatas. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Maizie]

I now have the sheet music for Linde's Music for a Bird. All I can say is (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

(Fortunately the balance will be redressed, as the item I'm awaiting on back-order is Baroque - Corelli sonatas (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif))

[andante_in_c]

I now have the sheet music for Linde's Music for a Bird. All I can say is (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

(Fortunately the balance will be redressed, as the item I'm awaiting on back-order is Baroque - Corelli sonatas (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif))

Good luck. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) I'm still trying to remember all the fingerings - and Summer School begins on Saturday. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif)

[anacrusis]

Having learned "Fantasien & Scherzi" by Linde - yes, you're in for some fun and games, getting that under your belt. There will be some recordings of it online though, I'm sure. The worst thing about avant garde music is the time it takes to interpret the score and work out what they heck they want you to do - the next worst is having the courage of your convictions actually to do it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif). But, get past that, and much of it is not so very dreadful to learn, and it's relatively easy to pass off as accomplished a performance which is probably struggling in places - at least, I've managed that (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif).

Corelli, now (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) - which ones?

[wendywoo]

I now have the sheet music for Linde's Music for a Bird. All I can say is (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

(Fortunately the balance will be redressed, as the item I'm awaiting on back-order is Baroque - Corelli sonatas (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif))

Good luck. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) I'm still trying to remember all the fingerings - and Summer School begins on Saturday. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif)

Yep, that's why I'm going into the advanced ensemble. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

[Maizie]

Luckily I don't have any 'need' to get Music for a Bird sorted - we observed it is on the Advanced Performer's Certificate repertoire, which teacher had said would be a good step before my diploma...he was saying this as I was working towards (but not yet entered for) grade 7 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (Still, have the G7 now, so it's a step closer!)
So, perhaps by the time I get to needing to paly it, somehow by osmosis of having it in the house all the squiggles will have sunk in a bit. I'm sure that's how it works (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

Corelli is sonatas 3 and 4 of the 'usual 12'. It was terribly bemusing, as I own a two volume set of six Corelli sonatas, numbered 1-6. But it turns out that these were selected from the 12 by the publisher, who then renumbered them 1-6 to make sense for their publication. So the number 6 I have in these books is in fact number 12 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)
The numbers 3 and 4 (which are on the G8 list, not that we are rushing from one exam to the next, I promise (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)) are not any of the six that I own. So I have bought them, and now await their delivery, presumably as and when the shop I bought them from get it delivered to them.

Looks like we have the same set-up as I had for grade 5, 6 and 7 - already own most of A list and at least half of C list. Will work through almost all of these, going off at multiple tangents in to 'non-syllabus music', before at some future point narrowing it down to which ones I'd like to concentrate on...and at the same time reluctantly admitting that a B piece has to be chosen (I think between us we own about three in total from whole list, i.e. both the descant and treble sections!)

[Dripdrip]

I now have the sheet music for Linde's Music for a Bird. All I can say is (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

(Fortunately the balance will be redressed, as the item I'm awaiting on back-order is Baroque - Corelli sonatas (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif))

Good luck. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) I'm still trying to remember all the fingerings - and Summer School begins on Saturday. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif)

Yep, that's why I'm going into the advanced ensemble. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

It's not one of my favourites, so I'm not looking forward to spending a(nother) week on it. The Telemann will be fun though.

[andante_in_c]

I now have the sheet music for Linde's Music for a Bird. All I can say is (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

(Fortunately the balance will be redressed, as the item I'm awaiting on back-order is Baroque - Corelli sonatas (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif))

Good luck. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) I'm still trying to remember all the fingerings - and Summer School begins on Saturday. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif)

Yep, that's why I'm going into the advanced ensemble. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

It's not one of my favourites, so I'm not looking forward to spending a(nother) week on it. The Telemann will be fun though.

Looks like I'll be playing Spot-the-Forumite next week, then. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[niobe]

Two good recorder experiences in the past week.
1. attended my first SRP meeting. The music was very challenging- I had never seen so many ledger lines (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) but it was a great experience and I'm certainly looking forward to the September meeting.
2. ran through some exam pieces from Time Pieces (vol 1) with my piano teacher. She seemed happy with my approach to the G2 materials but her criticism was that nearly everything sounded a tad staccato. Fine for the piece that is mainly staccato but there was too much tonguing elsewhere. Felt quite dismayed as I had not picked up on that myself and I have been working on the soft 'doo doo' sound recommended by my tutor book! Obviously overdoing the 'doo doo' and now finding it hard to undo it! [Sorry for the terrible pun]. Feel this is one of the pitfalls of learning from a book, so easy to pick up bad habits. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif) But overall quite pleased that I have managed to achieve more confidence with the high C and D - next stop E !!

[limh]

niobe, there's a lot to be said for trying some very legato exercises. Being banned from tonguing at all concentrates the ear on accurate fingering and transfering from one note to another without transient noises where the combination of blocked holes is neither the first note nor the second.
I'm actually getting quite fed up because I'm so useless at this. Simple notes like first-octave E on treble to the G above become a serious challenge.

[anacrusis]

Again, slow shifting is the key, and dotted rythms. Don't try going back and forth at an even speed and then speeding it up - you'll tie yourself in knots. Focus instead on one of the two pairs of shifts - thus, play the E, and "flip" up to the G. Do it again. Be aware of what your fingers are doing as you do it, and imagine them working as a unit. Index and middle fingers swap as the thumb drops (though for goodness' sakes don't think it through like that , or you will be in trouble).
E (hold it.....)G
E(hold it......)G
E(hold it......)G
each time you're focusing on achieving that G. Then do the same, in reverse, with the G first and going down.
then back to the E and play dotted quaver, semiquaver EGEG, extending it as it gets neater. And the reverse order. Small bursts of that, not for hours, and you'll soon have it neat, and then you can try E-A (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif).

[limh]

Thanks again for the tips. I will try them. I'm finding the Alan Davis book very good at showing me things I can't do, and this forum very good at helping me out. The Davis book plus Anacrucial advice is a good combination!
Niobe, thanks too for the puns, and sorry if my comment about trying lots of slurred exercises was a bit patronising from a beginner like me. I appreciate your posts about experiences, problems and achievements - they resonate.

[niobe]

Thanks again for the tips. I will try them. I'm finding the Alan Davis book very good at showing me things I can't do, and this forum very good at helping me out. The Davis book plus Anacrucial advice is a good combination!
Niobe, thanks too for the puns, and sorry if my comment about trying lots of slurred exercises was a bit patronising from a beginner like me. I appreciate your posts about experiences, problems and achievements - they resonate.

Limh, please be assured that I did not consider your comments to be patronising at all! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) It is always useful to have advice and I will definitely try the exercise you suggested.
Davis seems to be a popular tutor book. I'm using Orr and finding the text and exercises extremely helpful but I'm aware that I'm sometimes overzealous in the application of technique- think this has resulted in my 'staccato legato' (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) . In the grand scheme of (musical) things I suppose this is a small problem* and one that regular practice/exercises will resolve.
BTW I mentioned Time Pieces in my earlier message - a really enjoyable collection and thank you to those who suggested it some weeks ago. In addition it includes pieces which can be used for G1-3 exams (and no need to purchase additional materials) so it is definitely a good buy.

*thought 'relatively minor' would be too much for the keyboard to bear in this hot weather! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)