Recorder Thread!, All Sizes Welcome... Options

[anacrusis]

aww (IMG:style_emoticons/default/thereThere.gif) - I hope it was just a blip for you - we all get those from time to time...

[Maizie]

Last night I was dreaming about recorders.
Where I work, just on the other side of the fence there is a church. We get invites when there is a lunchtime carol service, around harvest festival time, things like that.
In my dream, I was performing there (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) I was doing a lunchtime recital and an astonishing number of my colleagues had turned up. I was doing a practice-recital prior to a diploma, so we can safely assume it to be set several years hence (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) Reckon I must have nicked the idea from anacrusis (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
Anyway, after I'd done the proper recital bit, I rounded off with two short extras - they were the two pieces I played at my first lesson with my teacher last month! Only played not so shakily in my dream as at that lesson (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
The first was a Van Eyck piece only I played it on tenor not descant. I didn't have to actually listen to myself play it, the dream just hopped straight to the end having gone very well indeed (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) The second was The Elephant by Saint-Saens, I own an arrangement for treble (it's in Time Pieces 2, and on the G4 syllabub). At my first lesson, my teacher had said it was a good piece, though of course needed to be played on a great bass. In my dream, I had somehow managed to borrow a contra bass from somebody, so my final piece before sending everyone back to the office to work for the afternoon was The Elephant on a contra bass, which had to be introduced with 'yes, this great big thing way taller than me really is a recorder'.

Have nosed at the orchestral score for The Elephant this morning. The pitch is such that even if you had a sub-sub-contra (i.e. octave below contra), you still can't get the bottom note (an E) to match the double bass. Still, if anyone wants to lend me a sub-sub-contra, I'll give it a go (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[andante_in_c]

What you need, Maizie, is a rackett. Although you'd have fun explaining how such a low note comes out of a small instrument. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

[Maizie]

Oooh, a bit of investigation later, and you are very right. I need a great bass rackett kit from this place. And yes, I need it in kit form rather than ready-made, so that if anyone asks me what I'm doing, I get to say 'making a rackett' (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[petrat]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
These funny little things were called pocket bassoons or sausage bassoons. They make a great sound, the renaissance ones sounding much like crumhorns and the later ones a little more refined and bassoon-like. They have one serious design flaw though; they are almost impossible to dry out after playing and are very prone to cracking because of this.

(Note to Sarah: Never, ever buy a rackett. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) )

[sarah123]

(Note to Sarah: Never, ever buy a rackett. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) )

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) Advice taken!

[Teigr]

Has anyone got any recommendations for recorder music (for treble or smaller instruments)? I've got a music gift voucher to spend and it would be nice to get something "fun" as well as stuff I actually need.

In particular, I'd be interested in any gems from the g6 syllabus (AB or TG), anything really cool that's not on any exam syllabus or anything that's designed for one person playing two recorders at the same time (I know it exists but I can't find any).

Thanks,
T.

[petrat]

There are some pieces written for one performer with recorder in one hand and the other hand playing the piano. Try as I might I just cannot recall the name. They worked well and were fun. Perhaps one of the other recorder players will know.

[CJB]

Has anyone got any recommendations for recorder music (for treble or smaller instruments)? I've got a music gift voucher to spend and it would be nice to get something "fun" as well as stuff I actually need.

In particular, I'd be interested in any gems from the g6 syllabus (AB or TG), anything really cool that's not on any exam syllabus or anything that's designed for one person playing two recorders at the same time (I know it exists but I can't find any).

Thanks,
T.

David Bedford wrote a piece for Piers Adams (as well as the concerto) that uses 2 recorders at once.....it is more than a little above G6 though. One day I'll manage to get more than the 1st 30 bars or so mastered

Oooh, a bit of investigation later, and you are very right. I need a great bass rackett kit from this place. And yes, I need it in kit form rather than ready-made, so that if anyone asks me what I'm doing, I get to say 'making a rackett' (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

I can't remember if you are another of the small handed recorder players but be warned......my desire for a rackett was quashed when I discovered I couldn't reach all the holes, on any size :-(

[sarah123]

Can someone explain how to do french 'inegale' tonguing please?
What kind of 'r' is it meant to be? As in normal english r, french r, rolled r etc

Thanks (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[anacrusis]

which one are you doing?
I do di-diri-diri, but there is also le-re, if I remember rightly. I roll a front of mouth r for the one I use.
The one I use doesn't start on a R ever, but the Ri syllable co-incides with the longer of a pair of inégale notes, hence the starting Di-. The d - is very soft, in keeping with French diction, the r a single flip of the tongue, also soft.

[sarah123]

which one are you doing?
I do di-diri-diri, but there is also le-re, if I remember rightly. I roll a front of mouth r for the one I use.
The one I use doesn't start on a R ever, but the Ri syllable co-incides with the longer of a pair of in駡le notes, hence the starting Di-.

My teacher described it as tu-tu-ru-tu-ru... I'm sure I'm getting the ru bits wrong though as it's just coming out as pairs of slurs.

[anacrusis]

which one are you doing?
I do di-diri-diri, but there is also le-re, if I remember rightly. I roll a front of mouth r for the one I use.
The one I use doesn't start on a R ever, but the Ri syllable co-incides with the longer of a pair of in駡le notes, hence the starting Di-.

My teacher described it as tu-tu-ru-tu-ru... I'm sure I'm getting the ru bits wrong though as it's just coming out as pairs of slurs.

Sneakily try di-diri and see if it suits you better. It should be soft, which ever way you do it. Remember the French t is also very soft. Aim for the r being almost like a very soft d which has sort of "escaped"...and see how that sounds. It's the balance between the two you really want. The u is in any case more similar to the German ü sound - which is not so vastly different from i as in pit.

[Maizie]

Red Priest. Live in concert. In the town where I work.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/yay.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/woot.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/yay.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/woot.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/yay.gif)


In February...I can be patient, oh yes I can...

[anacrusis]

I had a good surprise the other night (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif). I'd been told, go to St Cecilia's, Serenissima are playing and I think there is some recorder music too....

Boy, was there recorder music (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif). It was "only" Pamela Thorby, on much better form than I'd heard her the last time she'd come up, and playing some relatively recently discovered Vivaldi with a fantastic group of musicians. The harpsichordist I'd met before - he's really outstanding, the violinist is one to look out for, and the bassoonist, who had the craziest stuff to play ever, was also amazing. Even better, a brief chat to Pamela afterwards laid the ground towards my maybe cadging a lesson with her some time (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif).

The next in the series will be Rachel Podger (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif). And then later on I get to go to Brinkburn cos my husband is tuning for Red Priest (IMG:style_emoticons/default/woot.gif).