I bought this piece on my recent trip to London, when I was browsing through recorder music in Chappell's. It's a suite of 8 pieces for a variety of recorders: 5 pieces are for descant, one for tenor, one for treble and one for treble changing to sopranino. Each piece is named after a type of hat (eg Cloth Cap Gallop).

The pieces are enormous fun to play; technically challenging without being impossible. As an added bonus, they come with a musical puzzle. The suite was composed for recorder player John Turner, who comes from Stockport. Alan Bullard has taken the well-known hymn tune 'Stockport' (Christians awake! Salute the happy morn) and used phrases from it in each of the eight movements. Some of them are easier to spot than others, and I haven't found them all yet.

The piece was only composed in 2003, so it hasn't found its way on to any syllabuses yet. It's well worth a look, particularly if you enjoyed Alan Bullard's 'Recipes'.

I haven't seen that one yet - could you bring it to Recorder Orchestra on Saturday, so that I can have a look? I'm not likely to be able to get to Chappell's till the following Saturday, unfortunately.

We had Alan Bullard as our examiner a couple of years ago - he signed a copy of Recipes for one of my pupils who took an exam that day!

Yes, I'll try to remember it. See you then.

i dont know anything about this piece, however Alan Bullard is a music tutor at the college/uni i am starting on monday!!!! He played the piano for my audition!!!!

Is he the guy who wrote 50 for flute?

Is that the Colchester Institute? He lives in Colchester.

i love recipes so might give it a look

Yes it is!

thanks for replying for me Nat!!!!!

no problem...always here to help

I do have a recording of the Hat Box (and other things) by John Turner with Neil Smith on guitar. I sometimes play it on a loop (and drive the family mad!) and then forget about it for a while. I should consider getting the sheet music as it is undoubtedly fun to play.