Soprano recorder
 Three-part soprano recorder in castello or zapatero "boxwood" | |
| Hornbostel–Sachs classification | 421.221.12 (Flute with internal duct and finger holes) |
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| Playing range | |
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Thesoprano recorderin C, also known as thedescant,is the third-smallest instrument of the modernrecorderfamily and is usually played as the highestvoiceinfour-partensembles(SATB=soprano,alto,tenor,bass). Since itsfinger spacingis relatively small, it is often used inmusic education for childrenfirst learning to play an instrument.
Voice
[edit]The soprano recorder is anoctaveabove the level of the human soprano voice. Its lowest note isC5,and the normal range is C5–D7,but expert players achieve notes up to G7.Compositionsfor soprano recorder are usually notated an octave lower than they sound. Thetimbreis similar to the sound of theflue pipesof anorgan,which is why someorgan stopssound similar to a recorder. Theseregistersare called then block-flute or forest-flute.
Fingerings
[edit]In addition to the traditional "Baroque"(or" English ") fingering, which was created in Haslemere in 1919 byArnold Dolmetsch,[1]soprano recorders have been made that make use of "German" fingering, which was introduced byPeter Harlanaround 1926. In German fingering the note f2is playable with a simpler fingering than the Baroque technique'sforked (or cross-) fingering.However, German fingering has been described as a "step backwards... made on the false assumption that the instrument would be easier for schoolchildren". The disadvantage is that other, unavoidable cross-fingerings become more difficult.[2]
Material
[edit]Recorders with a plastic head joint or made completely of plastic are widely used. Soprano recorders are made from various woods such asmaple,pear,boxwood,rosewood,olive,African blackwood,"rosewood",orebony.
References
[edit]- ^Blood 2000–2013.
- ^Wollitz 1982,xxii.
Sources
- Blood, Brian. 2000–2013.Recorder Fingerings.Dolmetsch online (accessed 24 April 2024).
- Wollitz, Kenneth. 1982.The Recorder Book.New York: Alfred A. Knopf.ISBN0-394-47973-4.
Further reading
[edit]- Baines, Anthony C.1967.Woodwind Instruments and Their History,3rd edition, with a foreword by SirAdrian Boult.London:Faber and Faber.Reprinted with corrections, 1977. This edition reissued, Mineola, New York: Dover Publications, 1991, and reprinted again in 2012.ISBN978-0-486-26885-9.
- Lasocki, David (2001). "Recorder".Grove Music Online(8th ed.).Oxford University Press.doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.23022.ISBN978-1-56159-263-0.(subscription required)
- Praetorius, Michael.1619a.Syntagmatis Musici Michaelis Praetorii C. Tomus Secundus De Organographia.Wolfenbüttel: Elias Holwein, in Verlegung des Autoris.
- Praetorius, Michael. 1619b.Syntagmatis Musici Michaelis Praetorii C. Tomus Tertius.Wolfenbüttel: Elias Holwein.
- Sachs, Curt.1913.Real-Lexikon der Musikinstrumente, zugleich ein Polyglossar für das gesamte Instrumentengebiet.Berlin: Julius Bard.
