What is a Recorder?

Raj on January 14th, 2007

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We all know the word “Recorder” in different context. However, we are now going to talk about a musical instrument called, Recorder.

What is a Recorder?
Recorders are “fipple flutes”, like whistles. Today most people’s idea of a recorder is a small, plastic, squeaky thing played by fourth grade students, but in the hands of a skilled player, even the highest-pitched recorder is a sweet-toned instrument that rivals the silver flute in all but range and volume. The modern recorder is a style introduced during the Baroque period. Renaissance recorders are less common, having a wider bore, and have a sweeter tone. Medieval recorders had a straight bore (as opposed to later recorders, which are widest near the fipple (whistle part) and narrowest at the foot (part furthest from the player), a softer sound, and much less range.
There are several sizes of recorder, ranging from “garklein” through “extended great bass”. The size played by schoolchildren is usually the soprano, which has middle C as its lowest note. Above the soprano is the sopranino, which starts on F; and the garkelein, which starts an octave above middle C. Below the soprano is the alto, which starts on F an octave below the sopranino; the tenor, which starts an octave below middle C; the bass, which starts an octave below the alto; the great bass, an octave blow the tenor; and the extended great bass, an octave below the bass. While each recorder has a range of only two octaves (though I’ve seen references to skilled players being able to play part of a third octave), the recorder family as a whole spans pretty much the entire range of notes you’d want to hear. The most common sizes are sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor, and bass.
A recorder has seven holes on the front (three for the left hand and four for the right) and a thumbhole on the back (left hand). Most have double holes for the bottom two holes, and larger recorders have keys for the harder to reach holes.

History of Recorder:

The recorder is the most highly developed member of the ancient family of internal duct flutes or fipple flutes with a fixed wind-way formed by a wooden plug or block. It is unique from other internal duct flutes by having holes for seven fingers and a single hole for the thumb, which also serves as an octaving vent.

The earliest unambiguous illustration of a recorder is that, in which a musician plays a cylindrical duct-flute, the window / labium of which is clearly visible, and at the foot of which there is an open finger hole for the little finger of the lowermost hand.

Earlier to this, there are a number of illustrations of ambiguous ‘pipes’, which may (or may not) be duct-flutes, which may (or may not) be recorders. Amongst the earliest is Solome’s Dance, also known as the Bernward Column, a bronze cast from Hildesheim Cathedral (Germany) in which Salome dances to the accompaniment of a straight cylindrical pipe, which has four holes visible, the lowest slightly offset. It is clasped between two hands, just above which there is a notch (window); the mouthpiece is beak-shaped, and the player (a man) does not have the puffed cheeks characteristic of shawm players.

History of Recorder crossed many types of recorder in different ages.

The recorder achieved great popularity in the 16th and 17th centuries. For example, at Henry VIII’s death in 1547, an inventory of his possessions included 78 recorders. There are also numerous references to the instrument in contemporary literature (e.g. Shakespeare, Pepys and Milton). Several changes in the construction of recorders took place in the seventeenth century, resulting in the type of instrument generally referred to as baroque recorders, as opposed to the earlier renaissance recorders. These innovations allowed baroque recorders to play two full chromatic octaves of notes, and to possess a tone, which was regarded as “sweeter” than that of the earlier instruments.

Nowadays, designers of factory-made instruments for amateur and school use continue to produce recorders with a somewhat blander, flute-like tone than the eighteenth-century originals on which they are based. Nonetheless, these neo-baroque recorders remain essentially solo instruments and are inherently unsuited to being played together in consorts. As we shall see, such instruments demand a very sophisticated technique indeed, if tone and tuning are to be acceptable to any but uncritical listeners. Played together by children or adult amateurs they generally sound harsh and discordant. The style of recorder most appropriate for use by children and amateurs is surely the renaissance instrument designed specifically for blending with each other. Although reconstructions of such recorders are available, their cost puts them well out of the reach of all but specialist players.

How to use Recorder:

Playing Recorder is very simple. All you need to know is Music theory, which is basic in music, and the fingering to use. As a family of wind instruments, you need to know the breathing technique where you can control your breath in long run of music.

Recorder comes in the family of Woodwind instrument of music. Anyone can blow air into an instrument - the skill is to make notes with those magic fingers. This instrument has difference sizes, mainly made up of Wood or plastic. Plastic records mostly come in two colors black or cream.

The recorder is a very social instrument. Many amateurs prefer to play in large groups or in one-to-a-part chamber groups, and there is a wide variety of music for such groupings including many modern works. Groups of different sized instruments help to compensate for the limited note range.

Present Day Status:

One of the most interesting developments over the last 30 years has been the development of recorder orchestras. They can have up to 60+ players and use up to 8 or 9 sizes of instruments. In addition to arrangements, a lot of new music, including symphonies, has been written. There are recorder orchestras in Germany, Holland, Japan, The United States and in the UK which has about eight to nine Orchestras, including a National Youth Recorder Orchestra.