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Compo | A Recorder Quartet

Writer's picture: CloverlistCloverlist

Updated: Aug 12, 2018

I am writing a recorder Quartet. Maybe it sounds easy.

Here's some useful info.

 

Soprano: C (written middle C, sounds an octave higher to A or B

Alto: F (written F above middle C, sounds as written) to E (almost 2 octaves higher)

Tenor: C (written and sounds middle C) to A or B (almost 2 octaves higher)

Bass: F (written as the space below the F/bass clef, sounds an octave higher) to C ( written middle C)


Treble clef for soprano, alto and tenor

Bass clef for bass


Remarks:

  1. The lowest 4th is the quietest part of the instrument

  2. The middle range is the richest and most flexible (from the fifth note from the bottom to an octae above that: C-C on alto/bass, G-G on soprano/tenor)

  3. The low part of the high register is the loudest part of the instrument, bright and generally very clear (high C-F on alto, G-B on soprano)

  4. The high part of the high register is hard to play on most instruments, and many casual players never use it (above C on alto, above high B on soprano)

  5. The two lowest accidentals are the weakest notes on the instrument (low F# and G# for alto/bass, low C# and D# for soprano/tenor), and many tenors and basses do not have the lowest accdiental (F# bass, C# tenor) because of how the keys work

  6. The chromatics in the highest register are tricky and often involve stopping the bell with your knee, so most casual players don't do that either (Although the notes actually sound perfectly well)

  7. A aside from the natural dynamic range across the range of the instrument, there is a little dyanmic range for any given note, but not much (without varying pitch). The usual compensation for this is to vary note length and articulation (which makes for quite noticeable differences with a skilled player), or potentially to work with alternate (either louder or softer) fingerings (but most amateurs don't do much in the way of alternate fingers)

  8. There are quite a lot of differences in colour throughout the range of the instrument that have to do with cross fingerings


Copy from http://www.cis.upenn.edu/~bies/recorder-info.txt


 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuH1zh9R6T4
from Daniel Mantey - 'Noel' - (Burgundian ca1470, recorder quartet)


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