Recorder anthologies designed for beginning players can often be quite limited in scope. This one, edited by the author of an accessible beginning method, goes further by including both simple duets for soprano and alto as well as trio pieces suitable for soprano, alto or tenor instruments.
This music contains various brief technical etudes and scale-and-chord studies that, when practiced thoroughly, will quickly lead to greater proficiency for an advanced student.
Origins
There is a small repertoire of folk music composed specifically for alto recorder, which has been assembled from various sources. One such piece was probably Hindemith’s Trois pieces de folklore in d, available now as an Urtext edition from Schott (see our listing). While not exactly beginner-friendly repertoire, this does present several challenging technical problems that may help hone ensemble playing skills.
There are also other works written specifically for alto recorder that were adapted from more traditional keyboard music for its use on this instrument, particularly during the early nineteenth century. Many of these pieces, such as those included in Bergman Anthologies mentioned earlier, are accessible and suitable for lower intermediate players.
Linde’s Die Kunst des Blockflotenspiels [1962], later translated into English language as The Art of Recorder Playing, offers a wealth of material that will assist students looking to expand their musical horizons. While this volume contains brief technical studies and medieval and Renaissance melodies that are perfect for intermediate players; refreshingly absent are inane nursery tunes which litter other recorder methods for children, with pieces organized intelligently so as to develop intonation awareness and rhythmic accuracy.
Linde has provided his collection of advanced material with an invaluable addition: his Quartett-Ubung fur Blockflotenspiel [Quartet Study for Recorders]. This series of fifteen challenging etudes designed specifically for quartets of recorders addresses every aspect of ensemble playing; in fact, their usefulness would make a transcription for alto recorder desirable.
Hindemith’s trio for performance at a daylong music festival in Plon, Germany in 1932 provides another impressive ensemble work for advanced alto recorder players. Although originally written with alto in a’ and two tenors in d’, this piece can easily be altered so all three parts play soprano fingerings resulting in increased sonority and substance.
Characteristics
Recorder players can draw upon an extensive repertoire, from medieval, Renaissance, Baroque and modern/Classical/Romantic styles of music. Their repertoire spans medieval music to Renaissance/Baroque/Baroque works to modern and Classical/Romantic works with songs, dances and instrumental pieces of all types played around the world by recorder players worldwide – some types with keys while others without keys have long been used by composers of all periods to compose with.
This woodwind instrument has one of the longest and most varied repertoires among western woodwind instruments, featuring music from medieval, renaissance, early baroque periods as well as folk styles.
Recorders feature many playing styles and techniques, each creating its own distinctive sound. Mouth and throat shape have an impactful role on how it sounds; due to tongue interaction with air flow into the recorder. How you articulate air impacts its duration as well as quality.
Articulation involves using one’s tongue to regulate airflow into an instrument. Articulation patterns vary greatly and recorder technique aims to mimic this as closely as possible with attacks and length of notes (legato, staccato). Furthermore, players must coordinate finger movements so as to sync articulations with finger movements for maximum effect.
Long notes can be produced when a musician stops their tongue from stopping air before reaching final finger position; short notes result when this process is reversed after final finger position has been reached. These characteristics make the recorder an extremely expressive instrument – something contemporary composers have recognized by writing substantial works for its use.
Beginners looking to begin recorder playing have several different method books available to them. Schott’s six-volume anthology entitled, “Folk Music for Recorder Ensembles”, stands out as being particularly comprehensive and meticulously edited. This anthology features an exciting range of music spanning the Middle Ages through Renaissance and early Baroque times – providing intermediate recorder students with a solid basis to build upon. One unique aspect of this collection is that it offers music suitable for soprano and alto recorders together, rather than providing separate materials for each instrument. This makes it an excellent resource for classes composed of both types of recorders, while providing an introduction to Baroque-era music.
Instrumentation
The recorder boasts one of the widest repertoires among western woodwind instruments, from medieval through to Renaissance and Baroque music eras and beyond to modern times. Additionally, its popularity is widespread globally; folk music forms an integral part of this as many cultures feature recorder in their musical traditions.
Beginners often start off learning recorder with either a descant or soprano recorder before progressing to alto and possibly tenor instruments if they find playing enjoyable. Once comfortable on those two, most will then move onto ensemble pieces featuring alto, soprano, tenor and bass instruments if possible. There are smaller instruments such as the garklein or sopranino available that may be easier for young children or people with smaller hands to use; these models also now exist for treble and alto recorders which offer smaller fingering ranges so they can be more easily played by those with smaller hands than traditional recorders do!
A jig in D minor should be relatively easy for soprano or alto recorder players. Scottish Polka is slightly more challenging, yet still accessible tune. Another jig in D minor can be challenging but still an accessible tune; reel in D minor requires greater control as its faster rhythm requires it; finally a very silly slip jig is great fun and truly shows off recorder’s unique sound!
As well as these two octaves of recorders, there is also the bass recorder which can be played on soprano or alto and is typically the last instrument people learn in an ensemble or recorder orchestra. The bass recorder features an extensive fingering range with most notes written in bass clef.
Learning to play the bass recorder requires musical experience as well as a willingness to practice often, due to its wide note range and demanding techniques. There are books available which provide exercises, technique work and music pieces designed specifically for learning bass recorder playing.
Performance
The recorder boasts one of the widest repertoires among western woodwind instruments, from medieval music through Renaissance, Baroque and even modern pieces. This vast repertoire enables recorder players to perform music from almost any culture on it – as folk songs from nearly any culture may be played using it! As a result, an impressive community of amateur musicians devoted to the study of folk music on this flexible instrument exists. If you are interested in learning the recorder, it would be prudent to find a professional teacher who can lead you through its fundamentals of musical reading and its techniques. As with any modern woodwind instrument, the recorder requires extensive practice and patience in order to become proficient at playing it. Consulting an expert regarding fingering issues, articulation issues, alternative fingering patterns and trills can be especially valuable.
After learning basic music skills, students and teachers alike may begin playing duets and trios with other students or teachers as soon as they have accomplished simple duets or trios on recorder. Playing these ensemble pieces can be immensely satisfying for novice players and can provide a sense of achievement early in a student’s development. There are various anthologies available containing three part ensemble pieces suitable for beginning recorder players which can be found at relatively low costs.
As an alternative, contemporary folk songs for recorder can also serve to introduce students to its different musical styles. Perhaps most effective among these books is Hans-Martin Linde’s Neuzeitliche Ubungsstucke fur die Altblockflote (Contemporary Etudes for Alto Recorder), featuring 22 studies written in 20th Century Neo-Hindemith style – an immensely useful musical collection which all recorder teachers should possess in their shelves.
There are also many anthologies of folk music arranged for the recorder that can be purchased quite affordably and are ideal for beginners to intermediate level players. These feature many popular melodies from many cultures as well as those familiar tunes we all recognize on recorder.