Any recorder players about?

[PurpleAlerts]

I have played the recorder since I was 6. Moved onto the clarinet (studied beyond Grade VII) however I would really like to get back into recorder playing and although never taken any exams reckon I am around grade V.

I still play on an Aulos 205 (yellow case) descant and also have a treble in the same make. It's my birthday soon and I would love to buy a really good wooden recorder. I have around £350 to spend which I think could buy me something really good but I don't know where to look or what makes to try.

Any advice from fellow recorder players?

[zgaze]

Ooh a thread for me! Recorder was my first study at music college :) I play on rosewood Moecks which have a lovely smooth warm tone, have also played and really liked Kung and Mollenhauer recorders. A good place to start would be to look here www.earlymusicshop.com/Browse.aspx/en-GB/store28/1/?sort=salesEver around your budget. They are really helpful in person or over the phone too. With that sort of budget I'd look at second hand instruments too - at that price point they're likely to have been looked after and played in well, and any reputable reseller will have inspected and serviced them.

[Hrafnkel]

No advice sorry but I play. Have just bought a lovely descant and treble. So glad to hear others that do.

[zgaze]

www.earlymusicshop.com/UIA/recorders.aspx The EMS's second hand instruments - any of the Moeck Rottenburghs would be worth looking at. Dolmetsch are also good mid price recorders. Anything in ebony or grenadilla will have a nice bright clear sound, the pearwood / boxwood ones will be a bit softer and smoother.

[Lizsmum]

I have had a Moeck treble for 26 years (so can't really remember what the wood is - pale not top of their range) and it's lovely. All my other recorders are bog standard plastic Yamahas or Aulos. I think if you're playing in a consort it's ideal to all have the same make to help with tone/tuning. have fun!

[PurpleAlerts]

Thanks so much for your responses! I am in Essex and so the EMS shop in Denmark Street London is very reachable! Might give them a ring and take a trip down there.

zgaze do you still play?

Once I am a bit more practised I am going to look for an ensemble to join (think there is one in Brentwood very near to where I live.)

Also while I am on here- which exam board did you take exams with? When I was younger it was only Trinity that did recorder but now I see ABRSM also do them. Looking for some Grade V level music to try and wonder which board to go with.

[Callmecordelia]

My descant is a Moeck Rottenburgh, I've has it since I was 14. I must get it out!

[zgaze]

Yes I do still play a bit, only for fun though. Choir singing is more my thing these days. I keep thinking I should find a local recorder group though (or set one up if there isn't one)!

I started on Trinity exams but at some point, grade 6 maybe I swapped to ABRSM. Back then Trinity used to publish the syllabus music in one volume whereas you had to buy the RSM ones separately, not sure if it's still the case. The lovely people at the Early Music shop will be able to give you some good ideas for repertoire, I'm sure.

[PurpleAlerts]

Thanks- Have been looking on You tube for some ideas and came across some wonderful pieces performed by this Brazilian guy called

Have been practising Purcell on my Aulos 205 all afternoon much to the amusement of my 17 year old daughter!

[Mistigri]

DD used to play a Mollenhauer rosewood descant. They seem very expensive in the UK though compared to Europe, I wonder why that is? (Serious teachers do seem to insist on wooden recorders here, even for young players, so maybe France and Germany are just bigger and more competitive markets than the UK.)

[lavendersun]

Try John at Saunders Recorders. He is great and sent me three recorders on trial last year when I wanted a new treble. His prices are good too.

I have too many, my current favourite is a moeck rottenburgh rosewood treble.

Try this for free music

imslp.org/

[lavendersun]

Must add that I also have a Kung tenor which is lovely. If you get a few on trial you will know instantly which one is for you, well I always have.

[lavendersun]

Must add that the definition of rosewood can vary. Mine is the stripy one, tulipwood I think it is sometimes called but still rosewood.

[PurpleAlerts]

Thanks Lavender I will look at all of that!

[PurpleAlerts]

So I trotted up to London today to the Early Music shop and tried about 5 descants and 5 trebles in (Moeck, Mollenhauer and Kung). I didn't find the more expensive ones any more pleasing (the descant ones I tried ranged from £142-£200 with the trebles £230 upwards.)

I was dithering between the Kungs and the Mollenhauers which were both lovely but I felt the Pearwood Mollenhauers just had the edge because they seemed slightly more effortless in the higher registers.

I had only intended to get the descant but came away with the treble too! Also bought some music that the very helpful lady working there found for me.

So thanks to all of you for your help and advice. Now have to wait till Saturday to start playing them!

[Mistigri]

DD's first recorder was a pearwood Mollenhauser and she ATE it. Literally!!! It's not quite as hard as rosewood and she managed to chew up the mouthpiece :-/ I'm sure you will take better care of yours, enjoy your new instrument :)