recorder

Preliminary supposition for a good play of the recorder
or How to make a tone on the recorder (translated from the German)

Learning to play the recorder it is recommendable to consult a method-book for recorder playing. It is neccessary to pay attention to the following:
Before playing, the interior of the flute is to be warmed by breathing into it
To start playing the recorder is to be put against the lips and one begins to blow with a light current air.
A soft low blow or an aloud one is quite impossible on a recorder
The blowing in of saliva makes the flute hotter, therefore it is to be recommended to blow as dry as possible.
When playing some together the harmony will be promoted by using recorders of the same producer
A wise player keeps his recorder in a case or carton. he blows a new recorder only a short time in the first days
He protects it against stove and sun heat
He removes after play the humidity with a cleaner
He guards the cut edge against every damage
The interior of maple-recorer-flutes he oils only seldom because the flute being impregnated.
He takes the recorder to pieces carefully to avoid damage of the joint...
This way a wise player preserves a good playing clear toned and sonorous recorder

(thanks to Nora for providing boynton with these wise instructions)

---

Comments: recorder

Remembers class 1-3, on floor w/ recorder. Cambridge, England. Recital time, thank you, learned instrument. My plimsoles were sticky, I hesitated, then played anyway. All done and three hips to the hooray. I wonder if that was another notch carved into this suicidal staff.

x13.
Posted by .es at July 26, 2003 03:22 PM

my early learning experience of the recorder was quite traumatic too, .es., sans humid plimsoles. I was terrified of my teacher who reported that I seemed too young to take on this task. The next year, new teacher, I thrived - as far one ever can with this sonorous instrument.
Posted by boynton at July 26, 2003 06:07 PM

Why is it called a recorder. 'The bastard Flute' I can understand, but 'recorder' is beyond my grip. It lays on the floor.
Posted by .es at July 27, 2003 10:25 AM

Yes quite baffling.
And I'm sure Nora might agree that "bastard flute" is a better name when faced with the onerous task of teaching the sonorous instrument to a room full of kids. That's a special form of torture for music teachers. I don't think 'some harmony is promoted' at all - more likely 'severe tinnutus'.
(I must confess though - I do actually like the mellow sound of a treble or bass recorder.)
Posted by boynton at July 27, 2003 02:25 PM

I think the wise player puts his recorder in the stove.
Posted by mcb at July 28, 2003 03:22 PM

yes - you wonder what dish the wise player is cookin. Four and twenty recorder pie, maybe?
Posted by boynton at July 28, 2003 03:45 PM

Silly Sax, Not-so-French Horn, Oblique Oboe, One reed (among other factors) short of a Clarinet. Yet blackish, still brown in the favor. Nary has been heard in the Pit: "Yes, Simmons, that was an A-flat for the recorder, an A-flat."
Posted by at July 28, 2003 04:57 PM

Sorry, I forgot to denote:


x.76, and does an A flatten? I know an E does. Let's switch.
Posted by s at July 28, 2003 05:01 PM

Love that: One reed short of a clarinet, .es.
I could go on at length about my short year of "learning" that instrument - not traumatic just
anecdotal.
And I had to go and check the existence of a flat myself. A flattens - and is nicely ambiguous.
Posted by boynton at July 28, 2003 05:31 PM