B-flat sopranos (a.k.a. fourth flutes) really come into their own for playing the medieval monophonic repertoire, where there are a huge number of melodies on D and G with a B-flat that become soooo much easier to play. I have one specially made by Tim Cranmore (his medieval Tartu model) and it has become my soprano recorder of choice, which I now use far more than my C-soprano of the same model.
I don’t play recorder, but I watch every single one of your videos. I’m always like, “oh, yay, I get to listen to a bunch of whimsical sounds for ten minutes!” So thanks for making my day a little more magical every time you upload :)
Wonderful ☺ I've been told soprano recorders in Bb are commonly used in Swiss folk music, and that's why Küng produce the Folklora. No idea what Swiss folk music is like, but van Eyck does sound lovely on them.
Dear Sarah, lovely video as always. Mr bernolin now has a voice flute in d (only at 415) in resin! I have no doubt you’re aware, but at only €645 it’s much less than a handmade wooden instrument.
I have 3 recorders in weird keys. G, D and B. Bought them from a Russion maker on eBay many years ago. He had many more keys and offered to hole them tin whistles or recorders. Best of all they were not baroque looking but medieval in appearance, £39 - £59 depending on size. Sadly now with the war he's no-longer on eBay.
Amazing video Sarah! I own a Folklora in pearwood, and it is one of my favorite recorders ever. Interestingly, the design of the instrument is based on the Küng Studio series, but I always felt the quality of the Folklora is much better than the other Studio instruments (not that they are bad by any means, but the fourth flute is at another level in my opinion). Question: does that Takeyama voice flute speak easily in the top register (high D in particular)?
What an awesome video, lovely recorders, having a G and Bb is super nice ! Great playing really inspiring ! I'm a bit annoyed by 415 hz- you expect a D and get a C-sharp :) Quick question - you liked the slopped beak on the Kobliczek Garky, so it got me thinking - would you slope "hack" another recorder beak of the more common sizes like that, or it is merely convenient for the smaller ones only ? Cheers
I think it would be interesting to have a recorder orchestra with as much variety of keys as possible, and to score music to take advantage of the nuances. I have to play my Aulos garklein very loudly in order to get it up to A440. Can either of these be played more delicately?
I have the Kung garklein in pear and after some experimentation I found fingerings for 2 octaves and a minor third, that's up to super high E flat off the piano range. It's too small so instead of stopping the end on my knee I close it with the left pinky 😅
Thank you for showcasing these unique Recorders Sarah! Out of curiosity, do you know if Sopranino Recorders in Eb or D exist? Eb could work as another band Recorder like the Bb & D could be used for folk music like fiddles if ever they do. Thanks!
Such a good question! I haven’t met a sopranino in Eb, but the D recorder does exist- the sixth flute. Check my video on fourth and sixth flutes with maker Tom de Vries!
It very much depends! We do learn new fingerings for F and C recorders, and for professionals at least we also learn for D and G. For Bb or A.. those are much *more* unusual, so you’d be forgiven for transposing the music! Though at that point transposing feels so normal, it wouldn’t be too hard to do.
I don't know if it is just a situational thing with the specific microphone and room but the Küng Bb to me has a strange raspy air sound that remembers me of cheap Tin Whistles. I don't like it. The Mollenhauer Kynseker I have played already I think they are the nicest Mollenhauer recorders. Ehm besides the absurdly expensive Helder.
About using the B-flat "Quart-flute" as a soprano at 390(/392) Hz., sometimes there's the joke about tenors, included cheaper plastic ones, to all be intended as voice flutes at that pitch😄😄... Like those instruments, but I think most hobbists will stick to cheaper instruments in C and F. Does the alto in G have the same two octaves and a major second range (G4 - A6) as them?
@@Team_Recorder love it! My son is a French horn player and I always told him he would get really good at transpositions. He's so much better than I am.
Since I play around with whistles and flutes in all the keys, it would be cool to get recorders with keys beyond the usual C or F. Though, really, it doesn't matter musically as they have full chromatic scales so one can transpose. It's just the cool factor. I actually own a vintage Roessler Oberlender soprano, A=415 Hz, and it's kind of cool, though I often overthink things when I'm playing it. To be fair, I have a family member who does have perfect pitch, and they are constantly complaining about my recorders being slightly off pitch, especially when temperatures get very cold or hot. It's annoying, because the changes are not enough to make a semitone difference, but are often a quarter tone off, and I either have to adjust the blowing to match things already concert-tuned, or I mess with the recorder to make it sound "right". I'm so sad my previously local dealer in these instruments retired and sold his business to someone in another state. I used to be able to drive 30 minutes to check things out. Now, I would have to order things to even test them.
@@ww3lstepYeah, it is rather odd in the general sense, but it gives it a reference point as the lowest note on the instrument. It makes more sense for Irish whistles or any of the folk flutes that are diatonic scales. If you are learning both simultaneously, it helps for keeping track when you read notation. I learned and played soprano for about 15 years before I could even get my hands on an alto, and though I can easily just play or improvise on it, I have a harder time reading sheet music for it. Soprano, as well as sopranino, is also written an octave lower than actual pitch, whereas alto and tenor are written in pitch.
I like the B flat soprano. It would be so much fun playing duets with my son who plays saxophone. It sounds so beautiful too. 😃 ❤️ 🎶 I also enjoy the sound of the voice flute. Actually all of the instruments here sound wonderful. 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
I once asked Mollenhauer how to correctly pronounce Kynseker, and here's what Beate wrote me back: »Kynseker is a German surname, I’ll try to write it in IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) `kʏnsɛkəʀ« So, the second letter sounds by German rules, like an ü.
B-flat sopranos (a.k.a. fourth flutes) really come into their own for playing the medieval monophonic repertoire, where there are a huge number of melodies on D and G with a B-flat that become soooo much easier to play. I have one specially made by Tim Cranmore (his medieval Tartu model) and it has become my soprano recorder of choice, which I now use far more than my C-soprano of the same model.
Sarah J! You always make my day a bit happier-thanks for your tutelage! Cheers!
I don’t play recorder, but I watch every single one of your videos. I’m always like, “oh, yay, I get to listen to a bunch of whimsical sounds for ten minutes!” So thanks for making my day a little more magical every time you upload :)
that’s so nice 🥹
The Bb recorder could also be treated as a soprano in 392 for French Baroque 😝
Ooh YES
They all sound so amazing. But simply every recorder sounds good when you play it, dear Sarah. Even the 1 $ plastik toys.
😘
Wonderful ☺ I've been told soprano recorders in Bb are commonly used in Swiss folk music, and that's why Küng produce the Folklora. No idea what Swiss folk music is like, but van Eyck does sound lovely on them.
🎀I love the Early Music shop! Your videos are always so fascinating.🎀
Sarah I haven't had you in my recommendations for a while. I will get busy watching the back log
Interesting how the smallest ones sounded quite full!
Oh I want that Takeyama!
Dear Sarah, lovely video as always. Mr bernolin now has a voice flute in d (only at 415) in resin! I have no doubt you’re aware, but at only €645 it’s much less than a handmade wooden instrument.
One may be on its way to me for a review 😉
Lovely flattements. Hope youre enjoying learning baroque flute!
Already playing several brass instruments in Bb, I've been wanting to add a recorder in that pitch and do have Bb tin whistles (both alto and bass).
I play the Bb trumpet and the Bb clarinet, and both the Bb alto and Bb soprano saxophones, but a Bb recorder?! 🤔 Now, that's one for the books. 😉👍
I have 3 recorders in weird keys. G, D and B. Bought them from a Russion maker on eBay many years ago. He had many more keys and offered to hole them tin whistles or recorders. Best of all they were not baroque looking but medieval in appearance, £39 - £59 depending on size. Sadly now with the war he's no-longer on eBay.
Amazing video Sarah! I own a Folklora in pearwood, and it is one of my favorite recorders ever. Interestingly, the design of the instrument is based on the Küng Studio series, but I always felt the quality of the Folklora is much better than the other Studio instruments (not that they are bad by any means, but the fourth flute is at another level in my opinion). Question: does that Takeyama voice flute speak easily in the top register (high D in particular)?
Bb recorder is an idea for all those king kwela tunes where he probs played a Bb pennywhistle.
What an awesome video, lovely recorders, having a G and Bb is super nice ! Great playing really inspiring !
I'm a bit annoyed by 415 hz- you expect a D and get a C-sharp :)
Quick question - you liked the slopped beak on the Kobliczek Garky, so it got me thinking - would you slope "hack" another recorder beak of the more common sizes like that, or it is merely convenient for the smaller ones only ?
Cheers
oo you're such a recorder buying enabler 🙂
I know 😏
I think it would be interesting to have a recorder orchestra with as much variety of keys as possible, and to score music to take advantage of the nuances.
I have to play my Aulos garklein very loudly in order to get it up to A440. Can either of these be played more delicately?
Superb instruments, and such a cool video! ❤
Can you please tell what piece did you play to demonstrate G altos?
I have the Kung garklein in pear and after some experimentation I found fingerings for 2 octaves and a minor third, that's up to super high E flat off the piano range. It's too small so instead of stopping the end on my knee I close it with the left pinky 😅
Cab you multitrack a piece where all these recorders are played together?
Will you soon review Vincent Bernolin resin voice flute?
Is there any good G or B flat recorder in plastic or resin?
Vincent Bernolin has a G alto in resin!
Thank you for showcasing these unique Recorders Sarah! Out of curiosity, do you know if Sopranino Recorders in Eb or D exist? Eb could work as another band Recorder like the Bb & D could be used for folk music like fiddles if ever they do. Thanks!
Such a good question! I haven’t met a sopranino in Eb, but the D recorder does exist- the sixth flute. Check my video on fourth and sixth flutes with maker Tom de Vries!
@@Team_Recorder very well then! Thank you for answering & I’ll check the out the video!
How about a g alto at 415? could use that for my 415 consort.
When playing an instrument in Bb or (say) A, would you learn the new set of fingerings or would you transpose the score?
It very much depends! We do learn new fingerings for F and C recorders, and for professionals at least we also learn for D and G. For Bb or A.. those are much *more* unusual, so you’d be forgiven for transposing the music! Though at that point transposing feels so normal, it wouldn’t be too hard to do.
What about the traverso which briefly shows up....?
coming in the next video!
I play jazz I yearn for Bflat and Eflat recorders , even plastic ones
I don't know if it is just a situational thing with the specific microphone and room but the Küng Bb to me has a strange raspy air sound that remembers me of cheap Tin Whistles. I don't like it.
The Mollenhauer Kynseker I have played already I think they are the nicest Mollenhauer recorders. Ehm besides the absurdly expensive Helder.
About using the B-flat "Quart-flute" as a soprano at 390(/392) Hz., sometimes there's the joke about tenors, included cheaper plastic ones, to all be intended as voice flutes at that pitch😄😄...
Like those instruments, but I think most hobbists will stick to cheaper instruments in C and F. Does the alto in G have the same two octaves and a major second range (G4 - A6) as them?
How do you read music on those? Surely you wouldn't transpose by eye like F recorders.
yesss weeee dooooo 🧠🧠🧠🧠
@@Team_Recorder Better you than me.
@@Team_Recorder love it! My son is a French horn player and I always told him he would get really good at transpositions. He's so much better than I am.
Since I play around with whistles and flutes in all the keys, it would be cool to get recorders with keys beyond the usual C or F. Though, really, it doesn't matter musically as they have full chromatic scales so one can transpose. It's just the cool factor. I actually own a vintage Roessler Oberlender soprano, A=415 Hz, and it's kind of cool, though I often overthink things when I'm playing it. To be fair, I have a family member who does have perfect pitch, and they are constantly complaining about my recorders being slightly off pitch, especially when temperatures get very cold or hot. It's annoying, because the changes are not enough to make a semitone difference, but are often a quarter tone off, and I either have to adjust the blowing to match things already concert-tuned, or I mess with the recorder to make it sound "right".
I'm so sad my previously local dealer in these instruments retired and sold his business to someone in another state. I used to be able to drive 30 minutes to check things out. Now, I would have to order things to even test them.
I've just started trying to learn the recorder, and it does seem odd to refer to a chromatic instrument as in C or F or whatever.
@@ww3lstepYeah, it is rather odd in the general sense, but it gives it a reference point as the lowest note on the instrument. It makes more sense for Irish whistles or any of the folk flutes that are diatonic scales. If you are learning both simultaneously, it helps for keeping track when you read notation. I learned and played soprano for about 15 years before I could even get my hands on an alto, and though I can easily just play or improvise on it, I have a harder time reading sheet music for it. Soprano, as well as sopranino, is also written an octave lower than actual pitch, whereas alto and tenor are written in pitch.
I like the B flat soprano. It would be so much fun playing duets with my son who plays saxophone. It sounds so beautiful too. 😃 ❤️ 🎶
I also enjoy the sound of the voice flute. Actually all of the instruments here sound wonderful. 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
I once asked Mollenhauer how to correctly pronounce Kynseker, and here's what Beate wrote me back:
»Kynseker is a German surname, I’ll try to write it in IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet)
`kʏnsɛkəʀ«
So, the second letter sounds by German rules, like an ü.