Recorder shenanigans

 Been playing my altos over the last couple of days. Today I did a comparison of my cheap Gunter Wunderlich wooden alto with my Aulos Haka. Its hard to say which I prefer. The Gunter has some tuning issues and the foot is loose, but it has a lovely warm tone, whereas the Aulos has a brighter, strident tone, piercing at times but tuning is spot on. 

Darwall's 148th

 a hymn from the School Recorder book 1 played on tenor Sigo. I used Open Camera for a change on my other phone and an not happy with how it looks. Keeps going dark then bright again for some reason.

Sigo stuff

 So back in January before all this Myeloma crap came up I bought myself a Sigo tenor recorder, a new type of recorder made as a collaboration between the Kunath family who gave the world those weird giant wooden recorders, and Gerry Bollinger, a recorder designer. The internal bore is twisted back on itself and the outside bore is sort of square. As a result the tenor is about the size of an alto, but with finger holes closer together so its much easier to play than a regular tenor, although the low notes are a bit of a struggle; there's no foot joint. Just 2 pieces, headjoint and the body, is very lightweight, and is more versatile, giving the player more freedom to express him or herself.

Zoom forward to June and Jo Kunath heard about my cancer diagnosis and offered to send me a Sigo bass, for free. Like I'm gonna say no to that. I've long wanted to try a bass recorder and oh man is it good!

The instruments are 3D printed and made of something called Resona, which is basically wood particles suspended in modified vegetable starches. Pretty remarkable.

Here's the two side by side.

Anyway here's some videos of them. First the tenor

Now the bass. What a beast!

Aulos v Sigo

 A little comparison of my Aulos 211 tenor to my Sigo tenor. Big size difference yet the same tonal range.

Amazing

Sigo tenor recorder

 New year, new instrument...

I got this yesterday from The Early Music Shop. Its a type of recorder, but one that has not been seen before. Its basically a tenor recorder in an alto recorder body. Its small and light and achieves its small size through magic and witchcraft. Basically the internal bore is convoluted, rather than just being a tube, allowing them to produce a big instrument in a small body.

This seems like a new idea but its been around since the renaissance, when Table Recorders were made. They were small and fat cylinders that sounded very deep. The bore of those instruments consisted of tight loops. Like a switchback road.

Anyway here it is. I just need time to get to know it.

Father Halpin's Topcoat

 On my Aulos tenor recorder, then on my Clarke Sweetone whistle in D

Tenor play

 Some pieces played on my Aulos tenor recorder including 2 pieces of my own, and the Bach Passion chorale.

All Through the Night x2

 A lovely piece in the School Recorder book 1.

First I learned it on my Aulos tenor recorder...

Then on piano, making up my own left hand part.

Ukraine National Anthem x2

 First on my Aulos 211 tenor...

Then on Clara, making up my own left hand part. 

Edelweiss

 Played on my Aulos tenor recorder.

The Cradle on tenor

 Seeing as its a slow piece I had to try it on the tenor,using the same fingers as the alto, so its transposed.

Mohrentanz

 A folk dance called Mohrentanz (Morisco) by Susato. Mohrentanz means Moorish Dance; the Moors were Spanish arabs.

Aulos 211 tenor recorder

I'll Be Home for Christmas x2

 Another Christmas favourite, played on clarinet, then tenor recorder.

Once In Royal David's City

 On my Aulos tenor recorder.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Same piece, 2 different instruments

 This is a piece in the School Recorder book called Wake Up, and I first played it on my Aulos tenor, then I played it on the flute, both instruments being pitched in C. 

2 pieces on tenor

A bit of Misty by Errol Garner

And "What a Wonderful World" by Bob Thiele and George David Weis, made famous by Louis Armstrong

Something Blue

A piece I came up with when messing around with my clarinet, played here on my Aulos tenor recorder.

Bach Passion, tenor

Another piece learned on the tenor recorder.

Tenor recorder improv

A little tune I came up with while messing about with my Aulos tenor.

Lord of the Rings theme.

I'm currently reading the books and I thought I'd give the music a go. I need to work on the rest of the tune.