The Clarinet BBoard

The Clarinet BBoard The C4 standard

New Topic | Go to Top | Go to Topic | Search | Help/Rules | Smileys/Notes | Log In

Previous Message | Next Message

Re: Recorders

Author: lllebret
Date: 2010-09-29 18:26

Bartmann, I wish you hadn't said "upgraded to the flute" -the recorder is its own thing with its own repertoire and playing techniques unique to itself (surprisingly to some, it has a large body of 20th century works some of which utillize extended techniques such as multiphonics, microtones, glissandi, etc.) and its use as a "starter" instrument in the US has lead to most people not thinking of it as a "real" instrument - a damn shame because when well played its quite beautiful and different than a transverse flute. Its demise in the 18th century had more to do with its lack of volume than anything else - and I personally think loud is overrated (I'm getting old!). As far as using a modern Boehm flute for Renaisance and Baroque music, you are basically playing transcriptions as the Boehm flute is a completely different bore design than either a Renaisance or Baroque flute and incapable of some of the historic performance techniques ( Ren flute - cylindrical, Baroque - cylindrical head with reverse taper body, Boehm - parabolic head (narrow at top) cylindrical. Performance techniques impossible or difficult on Boehm flute - flattement (finger vibrato), finger glissando, playing in unequal temperments, playing so-called enharmonics as distinct pitches,( ie. a# and b flat have different fingerings on the historical instruments), historical articulations (not impossible on Boehm flute but they are more distinct on reproduction instruments maybe because the embouchure hole is so much smaller that the initial consonant is heard more distictly), etc.). I guess I really am becoming a member of the early music police as some of my friends say! (Don't tell them I like to listen to Glenn Gould and Angela Hewitt!)

Reply To Message | Avail. Forums | Flat View

Newer Topic | Older Topic

Topics

Author

Date

Recorders new

beejay

2010-09-27 22:35